Something New in the Studio: A Sew Powerful Prize

WARNING: THIS IS A LONG READ

 I started making purses for Sew Powerful in 2016.  Intrigued by the mission of menstrual hygiene education for junior high girls in Zambia and fascinated by the purse pattern, I threw myself into purse making.  Here are some of my first purses.  

If you go through my Instagram account @moquilt, you could probably get a number of how many purses I’ve made.  I’m not a counter though, so I haven’t done that.  But I estimate I’ve made over 300 purses, probably more.  Some months I would do a purse a day.  My rhythm the past years has been to do 12 a month.  Someone asked me who pays for the fabrics and strapping I use.  I do.  And I’ve been asked how do I get these purses to California where they are packed in shipping containers for Zambia.  Well, I ship them, paying the postage.  In the first 7 years shipping a box of purses might cost $40 to $50.   But Sew Powerful is now a recognized charity for the Give Back Box, a charitable shipping program.  Now I can send a box of purses for $20.  I too support Sew Powerful through monthly giving.

We know the financial need at Sew Powerful is great.  And these needs have been identified by the community it serves. There is a constant assessment of needs.  In addition to the menstrual hygiene aspect of Sew Powerful, the organization has supported needs the community identifies.  Not enough soap has been an issue.  So there is now a soap cooperative that employs local me.  There’s a sewing cooperative which makes uniforms.  There’s a farming cooperative which provides food for kids who are undernourished. In addition to serving communities in Zambia’s capital city Lusaka, Sew Powerful has begun working in Livingston, the city that’s at the base of Victoria Falls. 

Every year sew Powerful holds a fundraiser.  Our purses are meaningless unless there is also $10 worth of supplies that go into them before they are given to the girls,  I’ve never participated - my reasoning: people I know are already so generous and supporting what’s important to them.  But this year I responded to the email calling for fundraisers because there were more prizes than fundraisers.  Fine, I thought.  I’ll give this a try.  After all, who can’t use a new pair of scissors or one of those nifty scissors sets?  I set a goal of  $500.  And thanks to my sister and my husband, I reached that goal the same day.  I had to keep upping my goal because people were so incredibly generous.  My final tally was $5500.  

Sew Powerful also did a great job with the fundraising communication.  We were easily able to keep track of how much money we were raising and how many purses we committed to making.  My goal was 24 purses, but my final count was 36 purses.  We were also able to see everyone’s fundraising tallies.  The top fundraiser who raised 15k won a trip to Zambia.  The next two fundraisers were eligible to the next big prizes of fabulous sewing machines.  But these two women both fundraised last year and won prizes so they refused prizes this year.  So I became eligible for one of the terrific sewing machines,  I chose the Bernina Bernette - it is a straight stitch powerhouse.  I can’t wait to make a bag or backpack and let that machine glide through all the thicknesses.

After a month during which I waited patiently, my Bernette just arrived,  and boy oh boy is it ever sweet! I can’t wait to get to know it better.  So far I’ve wound a bobbin, figured out the threading, and have done some sewing.  And today I’m starting a backpack to really test out the machine.  Il, wait a week or so before starting my December purses! 

I’m thrilled but also a wee bit embarrassed.  I am not a part of Sew Powerful for any individual gain.  Yet I’m beyond delighted with this machine. Over the years as I’ve gotten new machines I’ve given old ones away.  My niece in Colorado has my first trusty Husqvarna. My buddy Cristina has my old Brother straight stitch machine.  And two others have older machines of mine.  This new Bernette will allow me again to be generous with an older machine - a granddaughter is talking about learning to sew!

Years ago when I was very new to  Sew Powerful, I wrote an essay “So Fiddly But Perhaps Worth It” which was published in “We Are So Powerful”.  At that time I was using the intermediate pattern which had an elaborate flap with an elastic pocket.  The effect was lovely but it was difficult and laborious to do. Shortly after a beginner pattern was published with a much simpler flap, and I took to that pattern very happily! I love that my sewing is productive and has a purpose.   I’m thankful for this Sew Powerful mission and knowing that I am having a positive impact on young woman and the future of their country.  

My 100 Day Project

 100 Day projects are common in QuiltWorld.  The last time I participated was led by the Canadian Quilters Association.  Daily a 6-inch quilt block would be posted, and daily I would make it.  Here’s what I did in those 100 days.  And I bartered this quilt away to a tradesman whose wife loves black and white, 

This 100 day project, spearheaded by the soon-to-be president of my Chicago Modern quilt Guild Lauren, allows participants to define the shape of individual projects.  Two of my quilt sisters are doingg amazing things.  Jenni every day is appliquéing a different symbol of resistance, so necessary because of the awful ICE raids in Chicago and suburbs.  Diane every day is appliquéing a different alphabetic symbol in a variety of languages.  Steff is approaching her project like mine - setting goals for various projects that will be completed by October 1, 2025 + 100 days.  You do the math - early January 2026.  

Despite doing so many scrap projects,  my scraps still have scraps.  I have so many black, white, grey fabrics.  So my project will be to use up these fabulous scraps. But I’m not working a day at a time - I’m working in chunks of time.  Here’s what I have so far - and this is like day 35.

There are 4 blocks above, each 24” x 24” made up of one big nine path surrounds by 12 6” nine patches.  I have 5 more 12 x 12 blocks and need to make 60  6” nine patches. And so far I have 20 complete.  The finished quilt will be 75” x 75”.  But I am putting this away for a bit and using my design wall to get back to the David Own Hastings workshop I took last month.  Let the play day begin!

There was an old woman who lived in …

 … a quilt studio and had so many projects she didn’t know what to do!  Except to maybe try to keep track of them.  So here goes…

It’s all about the design wall.  Currently it has 9 completed purses, three flaps, linings for these last three, and six mushroom blocks for my B Bee mate.  We are leaving tomorrow for a week cruise on the Tennessee rivers.  These mushroom blocks are coming with me because they need some hand appliqué  stitching.  I’ll try to get these next dozen purses in the mail but I don’t think it will happen this week.

I’m sure this picture above doesn’t look like much,  but it contains everything from the past two workshops with David Owen Hastings.  See all the blues and whites?  This was the first workshop.  The second featured using architectural elements in quilting.  Both workshops were terrific.  And I don’t want to lose track of these projects.

This quilt is assembled, hanging now in my closet, and I think I want to hand quilt it.  However, there are already two big quilts in my hand quilting queue.  And this gorgeous quilt is small enough that perhaps I’ll machine quilt it myself.  As I was working on it, I fell in love with two of the feature fabrics.  So of course I located more of these two fabrics at the quilt shop when I was taking the workshops!  Then I found a favorite quilt pattern using big blocks. So this pile of four fabrics and the quilt pattern is on the to-do shelf.  

And an on-going project is my 100 day project - a a handful of us in the guild are doing this, and we have the freedom to tailor this project to our individual needs.  What I am doing with these 100 days is using my black, grey, and white scraps to make a useable quilt.  I’m making 6” and 12” 9-patches.  I’m sort of thinking about layout and have a plan.  Of sorts. I’ll post this quilt 100 days from October 1.  Early January!  But first.  Finish the 12 purses for October and get busy on the 12 for November! 

Sewing all the things…

Once the Sewathon was over, I was itching to put this quilt together.  I saw the design and the fabrics and wanted to make it.  I think I’ll use this design again but with different fabrics,  and I now I need to find some good No 8 Perle Cotton.  I need my design wall so assembling these blocks was the first task.  The completed quilt top is now hanging in my closet.

And what’s been on the design wall is the start of my 100 day project, the goal of which is to make a useable quilt from my black and white scraps.  I started making simple 6.5”  9-patches and throwing them on the wall.  It was kind of overwhelming and cluttered.  So I made some 12.5” 9-patches.  While layout is to be determined, daily I am making additional blocks. October 1 was the start date.  So the end? Early January 2026!   

But what I really needed the design wall for was purses.  I have committed myself to a dozen ourses a month.  So it’s time to get busy.  This time I hit my green scraps to make flaps.  There are 8 in process.  Next step is make linings for these 12.  

I love fall Saturdays when John is engrossed in football.  Although I could do more with purses, I was pretty happy with my progress.  So much so that I decided to start another purse project with my favorite Seth Apter fabric.  Normally I’m would use the design wall to keep track of the various parts of this Sandhill Sling, but the floor will have to do.  Perhaps I should work on this first today!  And then go back to purses.  And of course do some 9 patches!

Last, I’m in love with the Great British Sewing Bee.  Yes, I watch sewing while I sew. 

Time for a New Purse!

 Now that I’m finished making purses, I have time to make myself a new purse.  My favorite purse pattern for me is Hey, Mercedes - a Sara Lawson pattern from her book  Windy City Bags.  I’ve made this ourse several times, usually for myself.  The style suits me - liter slip pocket perfect for keys and phone, 2 zippered pockets, a roomy interior, and a magnetic snap.  

I’m pretty happy.  Now I just need to go somewhere! 😁

Sew Powerful Sewathon 2025 is in the books!

 

I’ve sort of lost track of what purses I have posted.  But I haven’t lost track of how many I made during September.  My goal was 24, but I made 40.  Combined with the 12 from August, I’ll be putting 52 in the mail next week.   And each one of these will have a note of encouragement that neighbor Lynne has created.  The purse below features my latest fabric crush.  But more importantly, people I know have donated over $5500!  I am still stunned by the generosity of people I know.

The photo I used for this years fundraising was 8 years old.  So here is the updated shot, all ready for Sewathon 2026.

Reporting on the Sewathon

The past 19  days of the 2025 Sew Powerful September Sewathon have been so affirming, thanks to the generosity of my friends and neighbors and acquaintances.  And apparently one of my superpowers is underestimation.  I thought maybe I could raise $500.  But I have had to up my goal a couple of times.  Currently my total is almost $4500.  My Weight Watcher group is responsible for $500 of this! I normally do 12 purses a month.  So I thought I’d do 24.  As of today my purse total is 36.

The giraffe purse is courtesy of a scarf my sister bought when we were in Kenya.  Several of the purses below have scrappy flaps.  And I have been buying webbing for straps rather than making my own.  

The busyness of purse making and fund raising almost overshadows why we are doing this and why we are so committed.  This organization has been working with Zambia for over 10 years.  In addition to working with the young girls and keeping them in school, there are adults who have meaningful employment through sewing, farming, and community development. Originally all work was done in the capital city of Lusaka.  But now the programs are spreading to a Livingston, the city that is at the base of Victoria Falls. And the administrative costs of Sew Powerfulfor all the work they are doing is about 4% - remarkable.  

It’s been a good month.  There are a few more purses to finish, and I will have to beg my neighbor Lynne for cards. She’s a genius at making cards! 

If you were one of my contributors, I thank you.  And look out-  this Sewathon is a yearly event! 🙂

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! 

First Work, Then Play

 I know what you’re thinking: all of what I do in the studio is play.  Okay, true!  So even though I loved making these 12 purses for August, it was play,  not work.  September I am committing to 24 purses instead of 12.  And these 24 will all be for the September Sew Powerful Purse-a-Thon.  Since I technically can’t start on these 24 until September, that means some real play time in the studio

I thought I would start a new big bag but then came to my senses.  One of my favorite bag designers Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness has a pretty sweet web site that includes some free patterns. The Persimmon Dumpling Pouch is one of these freebies and comes in three sizes.  So I began to experiment.  It’s a clever pattern that goes together nicely.  I’m eager for my walking partner to test drive these pouches made from Cecilia’s drapes!  And I also made myself a new Run-Around bag, perfect for phones and keys.

                      My grunge project is coming along.  Here’s a process photo.

The rest of my play will include a studio clean up and organization and getting ready for the purse-a-thon.  Sewists like me are brilliant at making purses.  And Sew Powerful is expanding its efforts to include Livingston as well as Lusaka, Zambia’s capital city.   The first year I made purses there were 2000.  Now?  This year's goal is over 30,000 purses.  But here’s the issue: it costs $10 to  equipment each purse with underwear, soap, and reusable pads. So, this Purse-a-thon is a fundraiser!  

I have a hard time with fundraisers.  My friends and family are very generous and support so many great causes that I don’t like to ask for support for what I do.  But it’s necessary because the need is so great. This is my first year participating, and already, thanks to my husband and my sister, I have achieved my goal of $500.  I’m a lucky girl surrounded by lovely people. 

The Journey, not the Destination

Once my down purses for July were finished, I allowed myself a fun project: a new bag.

I saw this bag made up at Thimbles in Lockport. Even though I don’t play pickleball or have anything even resembling a racket, I bought this pattern because I just liked the lines of this bag! 

So I decided on a grey grunge for the body and then chose the purples from my stash. But really this bag is all about  the 36” purse zipper that Holly brought back from QuiltCon2024. 

This front zippered pocket is  pretty darn sweet. And look at the strapping for the handle. Yep, Holly bought this. The back is also pretty spectacular with a big slip-in pocket.   The pattern intended for this to be a backpack, but I already have one backpack.  And I’m not sure backpacks are the best look for 75-year-olds!  So I omitted all the backpack straps. 

I spent 4 blissful days working on this project, preparing all the various parts for this 3-d exercise.  To have no deadline and be thoroughly engrossed in the process is one of life’s joy. That I can leave the studio without having to put things away is an additional joy.  As I put the finishing touches on the bag (which wasn’t easy - there’s lot of thicknesses and layers to sew through), I eagerly turned the bag right side out.  Now I’m not disappointed, but I made an error.  One side should have a water bottle pocket.  Somehow I misplaced it - it’s kind of at the bottom of one side.  Perfect for storing money and not much else.  And the lining:  all edges inside the bag are raw and should be covered with bias tape.  But what a pain!  Next time I’ll go back to the drop in lining method,  the bag is totally usable and gave me 4 days of joy.  A win.