September Sewathon and Fundraising

I love sewing.  I like making quilts, bags, and purses.  And the mission of  Sew Powerful - to combat extreme poverty by creating local jobs, providing vocational training for adults, and producing purposeful products like feminine hygiene kits, school uniforms, and soap - resonates with me.  After 9 years and over 300 purses, I’m realizing that making purses and my meager monthly financial support isn’t enough.  The bags that I and all the other pursemakers create and ship are worthless if there isn’t money for what must go inside the purses!  This year’s goal is 33,000 purses as Sew Powerful expands its work in Zambia outside of the capital city Lusaka and into Livingston.  

So I dug out this picture from 2016 and decided to put on my fundraising panties. I’ve avoided fundraising before because people I know are so generous - we all have causes we support! But as I began to think about how important the materials inside the purse are, I realize the necessity of additional funds. 

In preparation for the Sewathon (rules state we are not to get started before September 1), I’ve sorted through some fabrics and grouped them by accompanying  thread color.  My rotary cutter has a new blade, my machine has been cleaned and oiled, and there’s a nice new needle.   My goal is 24 purses during the month.  Perhaps a few more.

An essential part of the purse program, besides the obvious menstrual hygiene supplies, is a note of encouragement urging the young ladies to focus on their education and school all month long.  I’ve written so many notes and discovered that they slowed down my purse making.  At the same time some groups of scrapbookers started making cards.  For a while I was sending my purses without any notes and asking the organizers to add notes to my purses.  But no more!  My wonderful neighbor Lynne doesn’t sew, but she loves to embellish cards and write notes.  She has even enlisted her granddaughters to work on these notes with her.  

Using materials provided by the Sew Powerful organizers, I made these double-sided handouts.  The printer person at my local Office Depot quoted me a price of  $75.  When I recoiled and mentioned this wa for a fundraiser, he worked hard to get my cost down to $24!  

Amazed and gobsmacked - my two adjectives since I started this fundraising.  Want to keep track with me?  Here’s the link: https://sewathon.org/dashboard?donation=8d5ed320-855d-11f0-9672-e78c9b23ffd4&utm_medium=email&utm_source=raisely&utm_content=Donation%20Notification&utm_term=ed72faa4-b981-44dd-a27b-879b7d656df0

A huge thanks to John - always so supportive - and my sister.  And to the mysterious  Virginia! 

Purses and Plans

In January I made a commitment to make 12 Sew Powerful purses a month.  And here are mine for February.   Notice the top row, 2nd one. I’m used the curtain material for the flap and strap,  I think I’ll do more next month.  And just as I was finishing these, a flap of friendship arrived from Shannon Greene in Oklahoma.  A perfect baker’s dozen! 

Meanwhile, my guild has started three new bees.  I loved participating in the last one when I made The Piano Tuner’s Daughter quilt.  I am using this new bee to repeat this project.  Here is the first quilt, and here are the forks for this project.   I can’t wait to see what my guild mates create.  

Former student Bridgette, the retired Marine who keeps me and several others working out daily, says she’s ready for a new bag.  And she wants a Dot Dash Dot bag.  I made several almost 10 years ago, so it will be fun revisiting this pattern.  And she has chosen the drapery material.  I think this will work.  Despite my vow to not start another project until I do grandson Brandon’s quilt, I just gotta make this bag first! 

Purses and Trips Around the World

Preface:  As the rhythm of my life changes, so do my blogging habits.  I am sewing more than ever but apparently only doing a blog post a month.  Sometimes I get so caught up in quilting projects that purses take a back seat.  I'm happy to announce that I have gotten past my purse block.  Several of these purses were made before Christmas, and they have just been waiting to be mailed.  I finally got busy and made several more.  

So many of these purses were inspired by the scraps I had at hand.  And since I've been on quite a quilting jag, I have so many scraps from which to choose 

 

And Trips Around the World are my design of choice these days.  I have three going.  Just above is a quarter of one I am doing for a great niece's bridal shower.  And the quilt below is for my granddaughter's bridal shower.  The one above will be tied.  And Nikki's below is being hand quilted.  I have two more weeks to finish it. 

 Also there is a Trip for Sammy.  His fabrics are below.  Why him?  He's the grandson who tells me every time I see him that he uses a quilt I made for him nightly.  And that quilt is several years old.  It's time for a new one.  These fabrics just appeal to me, and they have a decidedly masculine look.  There's no deadline for his quilt, and I'll decide later whether it will hand or machine quilted!  Bottom two pics are just sweet - the baby quilt + baby from the cheater panel and Neighbor Sam sent me this picture of her wife and twin girls on their quilt. 

No Longer a Covid Virgin…

I can't believe it.  After being pretty careful for so long - including removing ourselves from  family Christmas 2020 and excluding two grandsons Christmas 2021 - I got Covid.  No, I don't know where or how.  And it wasn't horrible - really a bad cold sort of thing and maybe a bit low on energy.  But I did not feel like sewing at all.  So these six purses were really a push to get back into the swing of things.  And we just got back from Atlanta - we had to check our daughter Julie's new house.  We listened to a Karin Slaughter book on the way there and The Lincoln Highway on the way home.  So I'm still trying to reestablish a new normal.

My big news has nothing to do with sewing.  It really is about a family heirloom.  In the late 50's and early 60's my dad drove all over the area to tune pianos.  He was at the home of a church family in Beverly, and this family was getting ready to move to Oak Lawn.  This leader-glass shade was in their garbage pile.  Dad asked if he could have it, and the family said sure.  So he brought it home, and my mom had a couple of brass-polishing parties.  And then it was hung in the Western Springs dining room until they moved to LaGrange in the mid-70's.  Ad then it was in LaGrange.  At some point, perhaps after my folks moved back into the city, they offered it to Paula, who had the space and house in Freeport for it.  When Paula moved to St. Joe, of course the shade went with them.  When they moved from St. Joe to Benton Harbor, again the shade went along.  Paula is moving again and downsizing.  Meanwhile we have this fabulous dining room space.  Paula said she could part with the shade.  We met in LaPorte, IN and transferred the shade to my car.  Our electrician was here Monday.  And here it is...

If I saw this shade in a shop,  I would probably ask right by it.  But the family history - and my big dining room - makes me love it.  And it really does seem to finish off our dining room beautifully.

I must admit I do feel a bit sullied after Covid. Oh, well - I'll get over that feeling. Meanwhile Ive been thankful for my vaccinated and boosted status.

A little kiss block made by Eileen which sometimes holds my threaded needles. 

Reclaiming Normal

I often joke about how making purses for Sew Powerful help me get my head out of my ass.  But it is so true.  With my brother's last few weeks on earth, the calendar and days of the week just melded into one sad period of time.  But his wonderful funeral and knowing he is at peace have helped time resume its normal pace.  And yes, the making of purses are an integral part of how I grieve. 

But so is my hand-quilting.  In the previous post you see the quilt I was working on during the days leading to his death. Janie from Ride Janie Ride claimed that quilt for her solace.  So then I moved right onto the quilt below.

                                  Some of these are so low-volume the hexies seem to disappear.  

               Off-central spiral quilting suits my hand and my eye.  Every stitch was a soothing one.

This label is for the front

I've started hand quilting this one.  It's another "scrap" quilt.  Look at the purses at the beginning of this post.  They are make from scraps leftover from this scrappy quilt.  

In the bleak midwinter - correction

My mom died 9 years ago December 22.  It was actually 8 years ago, not 9.  I had to admit to all three sibs I was wrong.  Her death was welcomed and peaceful.  I remember spending the next few weeks adding stitches to the quilt I was working on - and at that point  I was still an emerging hand quilter.  And now at this time of year in these deeply dark and cold days, I find hand stitching so comforting.  A week ago I started adding stitches to this quilt.  Its owner says this quilt top is 90 years old.  Despite the age and fragility of the fabric, it is a quilt top that deserves to be finished.  In each block I am outlining the butterfly.  The sashing has been machine-quilted.  I'm not crazy about this quilt, but it is satisfying to give this shape and life. 

I love the Fika Tote pattern by Noodlehead.  It's so well-written and turns out nicely.  This is the second one I've made, and it went to Cristina.  I'm in the process of making another and possibly another.  For years I''ve been cutting from a roll of Soft and Stable that I bought years ago.  That roll is gone, and I actually had to purchase some by the yard from ByAnnie.   Bags cannot be made without it!  Imagine the bag below without the red clips!

 

These little butterfly purses are thanks to the scrap table at the last CMQG retreat.  There wasn't much of it, but I was able to make four flaps from it and think these purses very pretty.  So thanks, fellow CMQG guild member!

I figured out what stitching to add to my Left-handed Leftover Liberal Quilt.  And I like the effect.  I was all set to hang this in our dining room, but John asked me not to.  Hrumpppphhhhhh....

The people in our building are more than friendly.  Daily we open our door and find a little something there, like some chocolate or a little Christmas decoration.  So I've been making key fobs.  In addition to the hardware, you only need a 4" x 13" bit of fabric.  I may have to crank out a few more.

It's a peaceful cold gloomy day.  And I'm pretty content.  

Guild Retreat

 

To state the obvious, our guild hasn't met much in person for the past two years.  There was a retreat last spring, but participation was determined by a lottery.  And I didn't get in.  But the recent retreat was held at a hotel near O'Hare and participation was not limited.  I've been feeling a bit disconnected from the guild and my mates.  And this retreat took care of that feeling.  So good to reconnect with the oldies and meet some of the newbies. 

Guild retreats mean unbridled sewing.  Instead of 6 hours a day, one may sew for 12 hours without getting odd looks!  And so I did.

See those strips in between the big blocks consisting of two dark strips separated by a middle light strip?  I made 72 of those units but waited until I was home with a design wall to construct the quilt top.  It is now 80" x 100".  The big fabrics are by e bond and her Glyph line.  

Before leaving for the retreat, I did the heavy lifting of cutting out all the bits.  So at the retreat all I had to do was assemble.  The two darker colors run into each other more than I envisioned, so I am thinking about how some hand stitching in all areas might bring out the beauty of this pattern, which is Shuttle by Glad Hand Sews.

A really fun part of the retreat was sewing with Ellen.  This fellow guildster has been so supportive of my work with Sew Powerful, and she came to this retreat prepared to make her first purses.  Look at the photo,  Can you count six around Ellen's neck?  Nothing like sewing with someone to get to know them!  

I'm heading back to purses soon.  In fact, I found several fabrics on the retreat scrap table that are perfect for purses.  I have an opportunity to lead a workshop in the new year and am about to put together purse kits!

Guess I’m down to One Blog Post a Month

 

Good news:  our house projects in the kitchen and bathroom are over!  The painters just left today.  Bad news:  there's been a lot of turmoil locally, nationally, and internationally.  But the good news?  I sew a lot when I'm agitated.  And my soul has needed a lot of soothing.  This table runner has been a wonderful diversion.  Its a combination of hand and machine quilting and based on an Instagram post by @tygeroting.  I captured the spirit of their work and must let them know.  

This table runner is batted with Insulbright, the product used for hot pads.  My favorite piece of fabric  is the backing.  I had to go on line to find more of it.  What for?  I don't know.  I just need to have it in my stash! Next are placement made in a similar vein using these fabrics.  If I was to name this table runner,  it would have to be "With a Little Help from my Friends."  Most of these fabrics are from Sarah S and Melissa and one fabric of bones from Lynn B in honor of my broken bones of 2020.

 

While I'm happy during the cold months to sit under a quilt as I quilt it, this doesn't work at all for summer months.  My solution for summer quilting is to quilt small blocks and then later assemble them.  The fabric line Glyph from Crimson Tate caught my eye.  And these fabrics are too pretty and unique to be cut up.  So I cut 10" blocks and used the Attic Windows setting with 2.5" strips for the sashing. I used all my wool batting scraps for the 12.5" blocks, and went through my light neutrals for the backing.  The reversible quilting method by Sharon Pederson has been my go-to for projects like this.  

The three blank spots in the picture below have since been filled in.  

Months ago I bought two charm packs featuring Janet Clare's "Geometry" line by Moda.  And two weeks ago I started to play around with them.  Just as I began, my sister-in-law in Orlando asked if I had any quilts featuring greens.  Why, yes!  Yes, I do.  Setting these simple blocks on point gives this 70" x 70" quilt some nice drama.  It's batted with wool and machine quilted.  Chris wants this for her husband's doctor.  As soon as she figures out what she wants on the label, I'll put this in the mail

Speaking of Janet Clare and her fabric lines, I have been in love with her Wordsmith fabrics, most of which are out of print.  I am squirreling away leftover bit but found enough for another Trip Around the World.  It is pin basted and ready for quilting.  Machine?  Hand?  Hmmm....  and of course through all my sewing purses are at the forefront.  There are five African purses featuring a fabric I bought in Kenya.  They along with purses in process are ready for a demo for a local quilt guild.  

Mid December

  

This wall hanging is 3' x 4' and intended to be the first of a four seasons series for the dining room fireplace.  I do think this is a lovely tribute to autumn but will also admit it's odd. The hand quilting has created a wonderful texture.  But as I thought about above the fireplace, this just wouldn't work there yet.  But look how great it looks in the kitchen.  That wall has been pretty bare, so I've taped this up just to see whether it belongs here.  And I think it does!

Meanwhile during the day I've been working on purses.  It's December 18, and here are eighteen purses.  Because John does all things Christmas, it's been pretty easy to find the time to sew.  And because we think we have finally sold our LaGrange house, there are less distractions!

This year it's Ben's turn for a quilt.  This isn't exactly a Christmas present.  It's just a good time to give him his quilt.  I used a Japanese canvas which has a very manly look.  It's a heavy quilt - hope his rooms are cold and that he needs this warmth.  I quilted this quilt on my domestic machine.  Even though this machine has a large harp, there was still much quilt wrangling that went on - I could only work on this for maybe an hour a day, and only after I finished my purse sewing.  But it's finished, and I'll be happy to hand it off.  Unfortunately we photographed this quilt on an excessively windy day and were lucky to get any decent shot at all! I love doing log cabins.  The backing for this quilt is a fabric of 8" measures.

Now back to more purses!

Yikes, how did it get to be December?

 

In all the flurry of November and my trip to Santa Fe and out of towners for Thanksgiving, I continued to sew, just without blogging.  I’m utterly thrilled with a quilt I just finished, but I’ll do an entry tomorrow about this quilt.  It is just too special for a little mention.  The Santa Fe trip was wonderful.  The landscape of this area is intriguing.  It’s so unfamiliar to me.  The clarity of air is noticeable.  So is the aridity and the elevation.  

Our first Thanksgiving in Oak Brook was a good one - we had 8 around the table.  We are just so happy in this space.  And we’re hoping to get a bit happier - we may have found a buyer for our house.  

Small projects for perfect when sewing time is so broken up.  And I've been wanting to make bowl cozies.  We use ours all the time and they need updating.  Several of these were for gifts, and someone bought two pair although I really don't intend to sell them.  They are satisfying to make and use up the cotton and wool batting scraps.  

But the month ended on two very sad notes.  One is the death of Stephen Sondheim.  He was a brilliant artist whose work spoke deeply to me.  I've blogged about Sondheim before.  The ambivalence he often wrote of is akin to Keats' Ode on a Grecian Urn.  And his music? Just wonderful.  I felt this same sadness when Julia Child died.  Alexa and I have been going through the Sondheim canon.  And I'm still doing it.  But more importantly and sadly the chief cheerleader among Sew Powerful volunteers and purse makers, Shirley Utz, died.  Pancreatic cancer.  She s leaving a huge footprint.  Her grace during these last few months is a model of how to live.  

My life rhythm has been off with the move.   We love where we are but are realizing that the move was not easy.  And the biggest unease has been the house not finding its buyer.  But I'm snapping out of this irregular rhythm.  I'm very good at sewing my way through grief and sadness.  My December intention is to sew a purse a day and get them in the mail.  Being married to the guy to who all the Christmas allows me the luxury of the commitment.