Sew Powerful

sewpowerful.org  Just go there. 

Two more in process

So Fiddly...But Perhaps Worth It

 This cross-body purse has 10 pattern pieces.  And I didn't have a finished product in front of me.  So it's been a frustrating day of sewing.  QFF Wayne told me about the Sew Powerful Purse Project.  This organization solicits purses made from this pattern that "are used in local schools and clinics in Lusaka, Zambia as part of Menstration Hygiene Management (MHM) programs. This simple gift – combined with re-usable sanitary pads and health information can make a tremendous difference in the lives of adolescent girls...  Our ministry partners work hard to educate and inform the girls in their community so that they stay in school and grow in confidence and self-esteem. It really is sew powerful!"  I do love making purses, and he thought this would be right up my alley.  But after downloading the pattern and seeing the degree of difficulty and fiddliness, I thought perhaps I could send one of my own purses.  But this organization is pretty specific and wants only this pattern.  So I wanted to make at least one and see whether I want to do more - or strongarm any of my guildsters - into doing more of these.

There's a long front flap that covers the entire purse.  This front flap has a small pouch on the out side.  Lift up the big flap, and there's another pocket.  You can see my pin cushion tucked into this pocket.  And then there's the interior of the purse.  There's a long strap securely attached.  I may have to make one more of these before I make a final judgment.  And I'm not even going to mention the number of seams that had to be unsewed.  Perhaps it might be easier to donate money to this organization...

Whole Lot of Sewin' Goin' On...

Using scraps for a tote bag, I am testing out some vinyl covered fabric.  I used this vinyl previously but gave the bag away and I need to see how this product actually wears.

The pattern for this bag is the one I'm using for the bag above.  I made this bag before but created by own color palette.  And clearly this was before I discovered my deep and abiding love for Soft and Stable.  So this kit will allow me to make the bag properly.  Besides the kit was on sale.  Magic words...

This is a free download pattern for a cross-body purse.  Go to Sew Powerful.  This organization's goal is to provide purses for young African girls so that they don't have to miss a week of school each month.  What a great idea!  However, this purse pattern looks fiddly.  So I want to do one before I start to strongarm some of my fellow guildsters.  Here's a better picture of the final product.

Two totes from one set of sale fabric.  I made some modifications on the left one, including a too-short purse zipper, side pockets, and zipper tabs.  I like these bags, but the size is wrong - just a bit too small for what I was intending to make.

This kit is calling out to me gently.  Maybe Saturday...

Meanwhile I am sashiko-ing this quilt of Marcia Derse fabrics on the front and a fabulous Art Gallery backing AND - wait it get even better - wool batting.  Can you tell from the picture below that about 3/4's of the quilt has been quilted?

And of course the Molly Market tote.  I definitely want to crank a couple of these out.

The backing fabric came in for what's on the design wall.

And of course key wristlets.  

I blog for many reasons.  The prime one is usually just to get out of my head what I need to without annoying my husband.  He's good for listening but only for so long.  A great secondary reason is that I have a record of what I have done over the years.  But the most immediate reason today is that when I am in a frenetic sewing stage, getting projects down on e-paper helps me priortize and calms me down.

Much better.  We are heading to my aunt Marjorie Long's funeral.  She's the reason I went to college and into teaching.  What a great role model.  John and I would run into her at the Goodman Theatre until she stopped going, maybe 6 years ago.  And I just had a flashback of her reupholstering her furniture.  Like my parents' deaths, Marge's was peaceful.  I hope her children are as at peace as my sibs and I are.

Today's Observations About Totes, Duffels, Kits

I bought a kit to make this Cargo Duffle, designed by Noodlehead.  The kit came with some Robert Kaufman canvas.  In fact, it came with too much.  The black and white diamond fabric was the suggested lining.  However, I am going to make a second bag out of this.  This fabric is too pretty to use as a living.  And I'm not sure I'll follow the Noodlehead pattern again.  I like the Satchel shown here on the cover of Stitch - the one I made is in the background.  It's a bit larger and has some features, like hidden outer pockets,  that I like.  I tried to use the suggested snaps for the feature pockets, and that didn't go so well.  I wound up using magnets and hiding them with an additional tab.  The next bag will also have black fabric and not feature fabric for the bottom gusset.  This bag finishes nicely except...all seam allowances are visible on the interior and need to be covered with bias tape.  The suggested handle - at the bottom of this picture - just didn't feel right to me, so I went rogue and used the kind of handle I know works with a bag like this.  What started this particular bag is fellow guildster Debbie Pine.  She did a Sew Sweetness Tudor Bag using this fabric.  Luckily, Debbie is comfortable with my shameless copying of her fabric choices!   So, just to recap:  the next bag will be a bit bigger, have a dark bottom, pockets on the outside but not with snaps or flaps, pockets on the inside, and handles like I like to make.

Design Wall: Waiting for Background Fabric

A medium grey textured fabric is on its way.  That leaves me a couple of days to continue to look at this and rearrange and make changes.  Input is welcome. 

Design Wall

Trying to decide whether I can use several light grey fabrics for the background or if I should place an order for a uniform background fabric...  And I know the answer.  These six blocks are too special.

Three Turn Into Six

Finishing the final three of six paper-pieced blocks hold the key to progress in the studio.  All the reds and greys need to be put away.  But not until I use the scraps.

These will eventually be a zippered shopping tote. 

And then I can move on to some of the other things I want to do! 

Key Wristlets and Paper Piecing

These key wristlets were demoed at the September CMQG meeting and are addictive to make. 

There are now two 12" blocks of six completed from Amy Garro's Paper Pieced Modern.  

This quilt top is on its way to Terri and Frank's to be long-armed.  More about this later...

Projects: Too Much!

 

a 12" x 12" paper-pieced block from Amy Garro's Paper Pieced Modern

Projects - oh, do I ever have a list of projects.  What is worse - not having enough to do or having too much to do.  Not having enough fabric or having too much fabric?  Clearly, I fall into the "too much" category.  But I am pretty happy about this glut of things I have on hand and want to do.  It's like I'm getting my sewing mojo back.

This is the suggested layout for these beautiful blocks.

This is the preparation for the paper-pieced blocks

These Doe kitted fabrics for a Trail Tote were just too reasonable to pass up.

Same with these fabrics for a Cargo Duffle.

Same with this kit of Jinny Beyer RJR fabrics.  I made one of these totes years ago, and now I want to do one with Soft and Stable as the foundation!

Don't even get me started on what I want to do with this fabric (yes, I have made one bag from this fabric already - what's your point?)

This is a quilt backing.  Quilt front still to be determined...

Maybe from these fabrics.  Just not sure...

Compression hose do make fabulous thread catchers.  Seriously, these threads won't come off, even with masking tape.

Wedding Shower Present for Amber

My White cousins grew up in Indiana.  The youngest is my cousin Kathy, the only White girl cousin.  Her daughter Amber is getting married in North Judson, IN, this Saturday to Derik Lenig.  This belated wedding shower present is an insulated casserole carrier, complete with a 9" x 13" covered pan and a spoon for a carrier handle . But this isn't just any spoon.  This spoon is one made by my cousin Jerry White - Amber is his niece.

The church where Amber is getting married is one I sat in many times when as i child I visited my grandparents Jack and Eloise White.  My uncle Leonard, my dad's only brother,  and his wife Elizabeth were married in that church.  My grandpa Jack's funeral was in that church.

 Making this shower present has put me into a "Circle of Life" mood. A former student and his wife just had a baby. Amber's getting married. A guild friend just last night sat with her father as he passed from this life. For now, I rejoice in Amber's new life as a bride and a wife.

The carrier opened up

The top and bottom portion folded over the 9" x 13" pan