sew powerful

Changing gears again - a finish, a start, and the germ of an idea from Quilting Studio Adventures

At the risk of sounding dorkier than I usually do, this quilt has been a joy to work on. AGF has free patterns, and this one is Pacific. And look - I still have some Seth Apter fabrics! I love these colors, and I loved hand quilting it. But it’s time to move on. There has been a huge pile of gorgeous greens and blues fabrics just begging for some interesting design. And I’ve decided to repeat the Glam Clam pattern. It’s been pin basted, and it has now been my new evening companion for the past few ...

added by Donna 3 weeks, 2 days ago. under agf pacific , glam clam , seth apter , sew powerful

Projects in Process from Quilting Studio Adventures

Why do I think I need an even number of purses to mail to Sew Powerful? I have 18 completed and think I need two more before mailing. But I’ve been distracted by the lure of other projects. Evenings I’ve been hand quilting a project that I am still so in love with. I’m may be half way done and am enjoying every stitch.

My never-ending supply of scraps and UFO’s call to me loudly. At the beginning of the pandemic I took an on-line workshop with the revered and lovely Carol Lyles Shaw(who sad ...

added by Donna 1 month, 2 weeks ago. under glam clam , scraps , sew powerful

75th Birthday Gratitude and What Makes Me Happy from Quilting Studio Adventures

Today I am 75. This morning’s 4 mile walk was great. The weather is gorgeous - we’re heading into my favorite time of the year. Next week we’re taking a river cruise out of NYC up the Hudson River. And I live in a neighborhood where people have money to decorate in style! Note: These things that make me happy are listed below but not necessarily in order of importance.

Newish guild member Janette wound up with a lot of cork fabric and has shared it. Cork is expensive. I like it but don't often buy it ...

added by Donna 2 months, 2 weeks ago. under bohemian carpet bag , cork fabric , seth apter , sew powerful

Scraps, Purses, New/Old Projects from Quilting Studio Adventures

So much sewing. But space has been limited. The studio has been housing some overnight guests, one for two weeks, but all is back to normal again. Because space was limited I worked with what I could get to: scraps.

These four purses for Sew Powerful are from great niece Cassidy's shower quilt. And the one in the left corner is from Sam's quilt.

The two below? again, favorite scraps. That's the last of the Periodic Table fabric. I used a lot of that for masks.

These four dotty sisters have some of my favorite fabric for ...

added by Donna 7 months, 1 week ago. under fika tote , scraps , sew powerful

All In Process from Quilting Studio Adventures

Crafters have different working styles. Mine is to keep several projects going at once and be okay without a sense if completion. And I’m pretty happy working like this. The fabrics above are for a challenge sponsored by Windham. For a couple of years challenges have not interested me. But this one? For some reason I’m doing it. My goal is to do some fabric manipulation using a pleating process. In the middle is a practice sample in reds right beneath the challenge directions. Guild mate Rob Stoller generously bought fabrics and distributed/mailed them.

My Chicago MQG ...

added by Donna 1 year, 6 months ago. under red door , scraps , sew powerful

Reclaiming Normal from Quilting Studio Adventures

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 ...

added by Donna 1 year, 8 months ago. under scrap quilt , scraps , sew powerful , sewpowerful purses

Guild Retreat from Quilting Studio Adventures

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 ...

added by Donna 2 years, 1 month ago. under e bond glyphs , retreat , sew powerful , sewpowerful purses , shuttle

47 Purses in the Mail - and My Reward from Quilting Studio Adventures

Combined with a few purses done in August, I sent 47 purses to Sew Powerful this week. It is a great feeling of accomplishment and with such a great payoff. There was a team from Sew Powerful in Zambia last week, and they posted pictures of young ladies receiving their purses. Go to SewPowerful.org for these pictures. Along with those smiles were good reports from the various components of Sew Powerful - sewing, farming, soap making, etc. This community-driven initiative supported by the Sew Powerful army makes me know that what I do, along with hundreds of other purse makers ...

added by Donna 2 years, 2 months ago. under fika tote , jinny beyer , sew powerful

Pursing with and for Sew Powerful from Quilting Studio Adventures

Most of the purses I put on this blog or on my Instagram are finished. But several of these I have left unfinished. To the left is a completed purse and then another one whose body must be turned inside out, whose straps need attaching, and whose body need to be assembled with the lining. Have I mentioned this purse pattern has 11 pieces? That seems daunting until you realize that many of the pieces are the same size. Also, this pattern is the beginning pattern, which does not have the side gussets or the little elastic pocket on the ...

added by Donna 2 years, 6 months ago. under sew powerful

Five new ones + fifteen in the wings…and a new way to ship! from Quilting Studio Adventures

Perhaps I was thinking of Ukraine when I made these. Perhaps I was just wanting to use these celestial fabrics. Either way, I like the results. Except for the one when I attached the flap the wrong way. But it still works! These will join the 15 that have been waiting to be shipped. And instead of paying a small fortune through Wrap, Pack, and Send, I am packing these myself and using the Give Back Box, a terrific non-profit which allows donated items to be shipped cheaply. For $15 I am sending 20 purses to Renton, Washington. This is ...

added by Donna 2 years, 7 months ago. under give back box , sew powerful

Pretty Batik Purses from Quilting Studio Adventures

These Sew Powerful purses are unique for a two reasons. First, I used some pre-made straps instead of making my own straps. And I must admit that this streamlined the process. I do like how bright these straps are. However these are nylon, which means I must be careful when ironing. Second, these batiks are from former guild mate Mary Radnor. So I use these batiks, think of her, and smile. and I'm just barely making a dent in the pile of beautiful batiks she gave me.

So here are 13. I know this is dorky, but I won ...

added by Donna 2 years, 8 months ago. under sew powerful

Mid-March Pursing from Quilting Studio Adventures

Here's a batch of 8 purses. I've been more productive in other months. What's special about these purses is that they are primarily from scraps and odd bits that have been begging to be used. Working with scraps is satisfying, but it is also a slower way of working. And for now? That's ok.

The black-and-white fabric for the straps started this grouping of 4. You can see a red-white-and-black print, enough for a couple of flaps and bodies. The black polka dots are left over from a quilt. And the red and black fabric is ...

added by Donna 2 years, 9 months ago. under sew powerful

Double-Sided Tape: My New Love from Quilting Studio Adventures

My design wall is working just perfectly! None of my taped batting-covered insulation boards have come loose. Pins go in easily, and single-layered bits just stick so nicely.

The design wall also holds the finished purses nicely, too. Most of these four use recycled blue jeans for the body. And the flaps are from other deconstructed quilted projects. I am having a serious love affair with double- sided tape!

Now that the weather is cooler, I am getting back to this quilt. Most of it is quilted except for the areas surrounded by the fabrics. Here’s what I tried ...

added by Donna 3 years, 2 months ago. under design wall , sew powerful

Catching up on this, that, and the other from Quilting Studio Adventures

My tuning fork quilt is coming along nicely with some horizontal quilting and quilting in the bigger forks. Once it's finished, I plan to face this rather than bind it. It will be my first time for facing.

In the studio I've been working on bringing things to completion. This "Get Happy!" quilt for my doctor which has been finished since late March now has a label and is wrapped. I just need now to get it over to her office.

But mostly the studio has been all about purses - Sew Powerful. I'm working on a ...

added by Donna 3 years, 8 months ago. under piano tuner's daughter , sew powerful

2021 Sew Powerful Purses from Quilting Studio Adventures

Here are my first seven purses for Sew Powerful's 2021 goal. A guild mate gave me a terrific but odd piece of Marimekko fabric, perfect for straps (each one is 4" x 55" - that's a lot of fabric) and the purse back and fronts. I have had a couple of odd fabrics that haven't played with anything else in my stash - maybe because I bought them in Kenya - but they love this Marimekko print. I think these are gorgeous.

My purse rhythm is changing. Last year I devoted 2 months to doing a purse a day, the ...

added by Donna 3 years, 10 months ago. under sew powerful , sewpowerful purses

Pursing from Quilting Studio Adventures

I thought February might be a purse a day month, but it’s not - the end of the month will be QuiltCon 2021 - virtually. But still - QUILTCON! I have signed up for two classes and a ton of lectures. Meanwhile I do have 7 purses in process. Guild mate Ellen gave me a 60” square of an odd ombré-ish fabric which pairs so nicely with two other odd bits I’ve had in my stash. There are 7 straps (4” x 60” x 7 straps), 7 purse front, back, and pocket linings. Below you’ll see the flaps for each ...

added by Donna 3 years, 10 months ago. under sew powerful

December: A Purse A Day from Quilting Studio Adventures

What works for me is to devote the studio to purses for a month at a time. Each purse has 11 pieces, most of which are interfaced. So to do the same step several times makes the best use of my time. With this batch I used some leftover pieces that I was experimenting with and some leftover bits from other projects. But best of all, for me, are fabrics with text. I’m not sure whether the girls in Lusaka, Zambia, like this. But I am confident that we are making something to suit everyone’s taste. Sew Powerful ...

added by Donna 3 years, 11 months ago. under sew powerful , sewpowerful purses

My Guest Appearance on the Sew Powerful Podcast from Quilting Studio Adventures

In 2015 I made a couple of Sew Powerful purses. The mission of resonated with me then and has continued to impress and inspire me. The Sew Powerful initiative focuses on menstrual hygiene to promote the education of junior high girls in Lusaka, Zambia. This initiative is community-driven and also features a sewing cooperative, a farming effort, and a soap initiative.

These purses are very specific, and the pattern confused me - and I'm an experienced bag maker! I made a couple in 2015. I made some more in 2016. And then by 2017 I was cranking these purses out ...

added by Donna 4 years, 2 months ago. under chicago modern quilt guild , sew powerful

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