Tag Archives: sewing

Observations from the sewing room with Days for Girls International

6 Apr

https://www.daysforgirls.org

Color/pattern: My strategy for purchasing fabric has been to maximize variation in color and patterns within the Days for Girls guidelines. The goal is to keep it interesting for “me” as well as the recipients of the kits. I photographed three combinations from my latest work…

Apples paired with “quilt shop” prints for pockets
Southwest abstract with pockets that match colors

Contrast of “calico” print with boldness of “poppy” + a “batik” with “quilt” fabric in similar color tones.

By the yard disappointment:

This winter I chose to order flannel online to “save the wait at cutting table” and a trip to the fabric store. Presently there is no option to order fractions of a yard (for shrinkage allowance). As I work through my online purchase of four different cuts of flannel…I came up short each time expecting (16) 9″X9″ squares per yard.

My preference in store is to buy the end of bolt (when it is close). Strange, that feels like a “gain” rather than “loss”. If the shortage is at least 6″ wide it can be used. (I missed that 4 of 4 times ordering online.)

Bundle for chapter to assemble kits:

Supporting 30 kits at a time works well for my space. 30 kits contain 60 shields with wings + pockets plus 240 reversible tri-fold pads. Ah Ha. Rather than using 30 gallon bags plus shopping bags where the contents become topsy turvy or boxes that are never the best proportions…It occurred to me to try 13 gal drawstring kitchen bags. Works better! Delivery time.

Elfcroft completed work in process, ready for team assembly
Easier delivery, Denser storage

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Legacy Quilts

24 Mar

FLASH BACK:

Gifted to baby Embry at the baby shower for her parents April 2021 in Huntsville, AL

Pink Dogwood by Mam-ma Hall
Dutch Girl by Mam-ma Tuggle

Gifts for Birkholz baby girl were hand made in the 1960s by TWO of her Great-Great-Grandmothers. Both quilters are Maternal and Paternal mothers of her great-grandparents (Grandmother on father’s side). Both are made for double size beds.

Hopefully there will be opportunities to share these heirlooms with cousins of the new generation who have the common legacy.

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Drum Roll

29 Dec

Seven years–>10,000 sewn @ home items–>have supported 1000 kits for Days for Girls International. I thought I may reach this milestone. I did not realize how close I was.

I started this journey with the goal of making the the entire kit as well as providing the purchased items of wash cloth plus two pairs of panties. The first run was for 45 kits. The attic space over our garage does not support “spreading” work out. One small table supports a serger plus another supports a standard sewing machine. My sewing cabinet with drop leaves spreads out to support cutting board. Ironing board is set up under the skylight. After developing layout for my workspace, I decided deliver tri-fold pads (8/kit) and shields with pockets and wings (2/kit) to accommodate packing individual kits.

My first shipments were to the headquarters in Washington State. Several years later, they suggested I ship to a local chapter in Iowa. Most recently I have had the opportunity to support a Days for Girls International Chapter in my home town in Indiana.

240 pads plus 60 shields
My goal: Maximize colors and patterns of each shield. Happy!
240 folded pads plus 60 shields

These boxes were picked up yesterday.

https://www.daysforgirls.org

The most recent DfGI newsletter told of a fabulous event in Kenya.

Bridgit and Alice reached 1,000 Maasai women and girls with 1,000 DfG Kits that day, and were warmly invited back to serve more villages in the region. In future distributions, they hope to train a Maasai woman ambassador to help break through taboo-based barriers in the community.
“Through volunteers, through enterprises, and through public and private partnerships, Days for Girls is working to shift how women and girls see themselves and are seen by their communities,” reflects Alice.

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DfGI, latest from Elfcroft sewing room

31 Aug
Shields with pockets and wings (2 per) GO WITH tri-fold flannel pads (8 per) to complete kits supporting menstral hygiene around the world. Design and Quality Control of DfGI chapters around the world make kits that last 3 years and longer.

https://www.daysforgirls.org

Last month I received a donation of “vintage” cotton print fabric from an estate. It appears the “stash” was approximately 20 years old. (upper left) Great opportunity for a great cause.

The finished shields showcase the prints that met DfGI guidelines for color, pattern and durability.

My goal is to maximize the number of colors and patterns of fabrics (meeting DfGI criteria) in each kit.

Why not maximize interest and joy? It makes sewing interesting and joyful, hopefully the recipient feels the same.

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DfGI Days for Girls International

30 Jul

WORK IN PROGRESS at the local level to prepare kits for distribution to women and girls globally.

LEFT: 60 shields with pockets, wings w/snaps and polyurethane liner. CENTER: Features color and patterns of flannel for trifold pad finished with serged edge. RIGHT: 240 pads folded and stacked in groups of eight to prepare 30 kits.

https://www.daysforgirls.org

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Book Review: The Dressmaker’s Gift

9 Apr

Dressmaker is a term that is no longer in our contemporary vocabulary.  A century ago, it was a profession with formal training.

The American College of Dressmaking in Kansas City published The American Dressmaker textbook in 1906.  I assume this instruction became part of Home Economics curriculum some decades later.

I digress… the title The Dressmaker’s Gift understates the powerful story of women in Paris during WW2 resisting the domination and occupation of Nazi Germany.

From making custom dresses/gowns in Paris, to being held at a location for political prisoners (Fresnes), then transferred to Dachau…shocking!  In 2012, I was on the grounds for a walking tour.

Dachau Prison
Prisoner labels, Dachau, Munich 2012

The author accurately related the horrors of life in the concentration camp.

Read for yourself how it is possible to reconcile the trauma, not only for one’s self but also one’s children and grandchildren decades later.

 

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Baltimore Album reimagined

4 Feb

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_album_quilts

By definition, “Baltimore Album” is a style of quilt originated in the 1840s most often appliqué on white blocks. For this project I stacked fabric “blocks” and bound one edge with ribbon (alternative to paper book). The “story” will be from Derek and Zoe’s imagination as bold images are revealed turning “pages”.

Backstory: Some years ago I discovered https://www.spoonflower.com/en/how-it-works in a magazine in a doctor’s office waiting room. Spoonflower.com will print your images on fabric…even bolts of fabric…even offer them for sale to the public! I did upload 10 photos and got proofs in return. The lilac and spruce images on cotton (above, right sides) are two of the ten. Voila! My samples are incorporated in children’s “books”.

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Out for Local Delivery…again

6 Oct

Liners ready for snap
Tri-fold pads (six layers of flannel)

This is my 7th year sewing for Days for Girls International.  What a special year 2020 has been…with months of “Stay at Home” orders to slow the spread of Covid-19 virus.  The opportunity for me has been more time to sew!  As of this post showing 240 tri-fold flannel pads and 60 liners with pockets and wings due for installation of snaps…drum roll…

My total count since 2014 = 7,000 items _____ 5,600 pads plus 1,400 liners, which support 700 kits

Each kit which includes 2 pairs of panties, wash cloth, etc in a drawstring bag with instructions provided by our Avon, IN DfGI Team.  For more information:

https://www.daysforgirls.org

Kits are designed to last three years.  They have been delivered to girls in over 140 countries.

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Book Review: The Winding Ways Quilt

26 Sep

 

I have had quilts all my life…gifts from both grandmothers and a bonus from Great grandmother Hall (photo on the “About” page).

Until I browsed the aisles of the Used Book Store in White Pine, TN I did not know there was a series of books on quilts and quilting.  I bought four of the series by Jennifer Chiaverini.  Jennifer is delightful…delving the reader in the process of quilt making, choosing fabrics, patterns and the network of friendships that develop along the way.

Other books by Jennifer Chiaverini:  An Elm Creek Quilt Sampler, An Elm Creek Quilts Album, Circle of Quilters, The Wedding Quilt, The Giving Quilt, The Winding Ways Quilt and The Aloha Quilt

Of course on my return trip to the Used book store I find two more authors…

Jan Cerney and Arlene Sachitano both with multiple titles.

 

White Pine Used Books, 1703 Main Street, White Pine, TN

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Stay at Home—Encore

3 Jun

Another three bags full for Days for Girls International

60 liners with snap, pockets and wings

240 tri-fold, reversible, serged, flannel pads

https://www.daysforgirls.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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