Sew Powerful Purses #318-321 (for 2025)

4 fun purses! Each different. There is some appliqué, embroidery, and piecing, along with denim jean upcycling. 

This is me sewing away at making all these purses I sew year round 😂. I had a selvage that had Brother written on it and I used that so it looked like a Brother brand sewing machine, which I had years ago until it stopped working. I have other machines now, mostly vintage machines and a couple newer machines too. When I say newer, I mean 10 years old or thereabouts.

Denim jeans upcycled for the purse body.

These are 2 cute little gnomes with sewing items. They came from a couple of kitchen towels that were embroidered by some quilting ladies from the group I used to go to and gifted to me. I knew I wouldn't use them as towels for a few reasons (the embroidery makes them stiff and hard to use the front of the towel and they would have gotten dirty too quick as a towel, and husband doesn't like stuff like this as he wants a plain dark towel), so I put them away to think how I could repurpose them into something else. I found them a month or so ago and decided they would make cute purse flaps instead of towels. I used the rest of the towel as my foundation/interfacing. They are pretty cute on these purses.

More upcycled jeans for purse bodies.

This flap was made from bee theme fabric scraps I was given. I added the bee appliqué.

The purse body fabric was also given to me along with the bee fabrics.

UPDATE: I have completed 96 purses for the Sew-a-thon. My goal was 80 purses, which I achieved and I am continuing to sew more purses as I have a lot more kits cut out ready to sew. I know I will make more than 100 purses by the end of the month, but how many is anyone's guess?

Won't you please consider a donation to fill these purses and more with the monthly hygiene items the girls in Zambia need to help them to stay in school all year? It takes $10 to fill one purse with these items. You can donate anonymously if you want to as well.

Please go HERE to make a donation in my honor by September 30th until midnight Pacific time.

Thank you for your support, it means a lot to the sweet girls who receive these purses with the hygiene items inside.

Sharing this post would really help too!

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Sew Powerful Purses #315-317 (for 2025)

3 more purses finished for the Sew-a-thon. 2 made with upcycled denim jean purse bodies and one with a Starbucks upcycled apron purse body.

I reached my goal of 80 purses for the Sew-a-thon and have even sewn more purses beyond my goal. Yay! I am sure I will sew 100 purses or more at this rate during September. 

These flaps were fun to create.

Denim jeans and Starbucks apron upcycled to make the purse bodies.

Thank you to all who have donated to the Sew Powerful fundraiser. You are all so appreciated!

If you haven't donated yet, please go HERE to make a donation in my honor. 

Thank you for your support, it means a lot! The sweet girls who receive the purses will be able to stay in school and have a better life.

Sharing this post would really help too!

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Sew Powerful Purses #312-314 (for 2025)

3 purse flaps with appliqué bees on these purses. The fabrics are scraps that all have bee related motifs on them. Thanks to Karen for giving me the scraps of bee theme fabric. I made these and several other purse flaps with the bee theme fabric (most without the appliqué bee added).

The left and middle purse body fabric was also given to me by Karen and I was able to get a few purses bodies from that fabric. The wild animals on the lining flaps are a fun surprise.

Thank you to all who have donated to the Sew Powerful fundraiser. You are all so appreciated!

Go HERE to make a donation in my honor. 

Thank you for your support, it means a lot! 

Sharing this post would really help too!

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Sew Powerful Purses #310-311 (for 2025)

For this purse, I had a scrappy neutral background already made, that I was going to use for something quilted, like a small wall quilt. I never did anything with it though. I found it recently and decided to make a purse flap, so I added the appliqués and stitched around them. I like the large circle with the decorative stitching around it as it really pops, and the center flowers add the focal point. I added some crystals to the flowers.

Denim jean upcycled into the purse body.

I sewed denim scraps with machine decorative stitches to create this flap background and then added the appliqué flower. I added some French knots around the flower.

Denim jeans for the purse body too.

Thank you to all who have donated to the Sew Powerful fundraiser. Go HERE to make a donation in my honor. Thank you for your support, it means a lot! Sharing this post would really help too!

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Sew Powerful Purses #307-309 (for 2025)

3 more purses completed for the Sew-a-thon. The bee fabrics were all scraps that were given to me by a sweet woman and I created quite a few purse flaps using those scraps, and you will be seeing more of them soon. The middle purse flap is all small scraps covered in embossed metallic tulle and quilted. The patchwork squares were squares given to me by a friend years ago. I have made a few purse flaps using those squares. 3 more girls can stay in school when they receive these purses filled with the needed monthly hygiene items. 

One upcycled denim jeans purse body, 2 cotton fabric purse bodies.

I'm competing in a Sew-A-Thon fundraiser and I'm doing my best to help as many girls as I can. I am making cute cross-body purses and then the organization, Sew Powerful,

has seamstresses in Zambia who make the pads and soap. This is my heart. You can get involved by honoring me with a one-time gift, or a gift for based on my purse goals. Just go HERE to make a donation in my honor. Thank you for your support, it means a lot! Sharing this post would really help too!

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Sew Powerful Purses #304-306 (for 2025)

Three more purses made during the Sew-a-thon! I used some pieced quilt blocks for the flaps that are cups on saucers. I had to add some fabric all around to make it the correct size for the flap.

2 made with upcycled denim jeans.

Hello sweet followers, I'm competing in a Sew-A-Thon fundraiser and I'm doing my best to help as many girls as I can. I am making cute cross-body purses and then the organization, Sew Powerful,

has seamstresses in Zambia who make the pads and soap. This is my heart. You can get involved by honoring me with a one-time gift, or a gift for based on my purse goals. Just go HERE to make a donation in my honor. Thank you for your support, it means a lot! Sharing this post would really help too!

Hugs!!!

Or use QR Code:

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Sew Powerful Purses #300-303 (for 2025)

These 4 scrappy purses were made with all sorts of scrappy bits and tulle covering the flap and then quilted and embellished. Bodies of the purses are upcycled denim jeans.

Upcycled denim jeans for the purse bodies. 2 have instant pockets from the front jean pockets.

Four sweet girls will benefit from these purses as they will be filled with monthly hygiene items so they can go to school the whole month long every month. This is why I sew these purses to donate to girls who do not have what we have. Please help them get a good education and keep them in school, otherwise they have to drop out and cannot get a good or self respecting job as many have to turn to prostitution in order to earn money for themselves and family to survive.

Hello sweet followers, I'm competing in a Sew-A-Thon fundraiser and I'm doing my best to help as many girls as I can. I am making cute cross-body purses and then the organization, Sew Powerful,

has seamstresses in Zambia who make the pads and soap. This is my heart.

You can get involved by honoring me with a one-time gift, or a gift for based on my

purse goals. Just go HERE to make a donation in my honor. Thank you for your support, it means a lot! Sharing this post would really help too!

Hugs!!!

Pin It Now!

Sew Powerful Purses #294-299 (for 2025)

These 6 purses have brought my Sew-a-thon (SAT) total to 58 purses completed during the SAT so far. My goal is to sew 80 purses, but I could end up sewing even more purses. 

I decided to use some thin flexible type vinyl to make a few purses. I had 2 coordinating vinyl prints.  I chose the stripes for the flap and added some appliqué felt flowers to the flaps. I used the polka dots for the bodies, which remind me of Wonder Bread bags 😂! The vinyl worked well, although I couldn't press with an iron, so I finger pressed instead and it seems fine.

The flower appliqué helped to liven up the flaps

I call these purse bodies Wonder Bread purses 😁.

Added flower appliqué on all flaps for a bit of bling.

Hello sweet followers, I'm competing in a Sew-A-Thon fundraiser and I'm doing my best to help as many girls as I can. I am making cute cross-body purses and then the organization, Sew Powerful,

has seamstresses in Zambia who make the pads and soap. This is my heart.

You can get involved by honoring me with a one-time gift, or a gift for based on my

purse goals. Just go HERE to make a donation in my honor. Thank you for your support, it means a lot! Sharing this post would really help too!

Hugs!!!

You can use this QR Code to make your donation too.

Pin It Now!

Sew Powerful Purses #289-294 (for 2025)

Daughter gave me 4 red Starbucks aprons that were abandoned at her store. They can wear red aprons at Christmas time. I turned them into purses. I actually got 2 purses per apron. I am showing 5 of the aprons here. These were fun to make. I even had some long scraps of cups of coffee that I sewed into the 3 purses below.

3 purse flaps with Starbucks logos and additional scraps. I pieced together the apron neck straps from 4 aprons to create 2 straps for the purse on the right and left, the middle purse I used webbing strap. 

Apron pockets made front pockets. I added those embroidered flowers there to cover up a few holes in the pocket bottom.

Scrappy flaps for the purses without Starbucks logos.

Fronts with apron pockets.

I enrolled in the Sew Powerful Sew-A-Thon to raise funds so schoolgirls in Zambia Africa can have the feminine hygiene supplies they need to attend school all month. I make purses to hold the supplies as a special gift for a girl living in poverty. Together we can help keep girls in school! There is still time to donate through September 30, 2025. It takes $10 to fill each purse with the monthly hygiene supplies the girls need to stay in school all year long. So if you haven't donated yet, please consider at least a $10 donation to fill one purse. Click here to donate or use the QR code below. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

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Sew Powerful Purses #272-288 (for 2025)

I think these 17 purses might be the last of the selvage flaps for the purses I made, but don't hold me to it 😂. I was determined to sew up all the selvage flap purses to get them finished. Some have Kokopelli fabric in the centers and the rest have the prints I had been using before.

I was experimenting by making a smaller patchwork pocket for the front on the purse on the right. I holds the little notecard I placed inside of it, but I think I will stick with the larger slip pocket on the front, like the purse on the left.

I enrolled in the Sew Powerful Sew-A-Thon to raise funds so schoolgirls in Zambia Africa can have the feminine hygiene supplies they need to attend school all month. I make purses to hold the supplies as a special gift for a girl living in poverty. Together we can help keep girls in school! There is still time to donate through September 30, 2025. It takes $10 to fill each purse with the monthly hygiene supplies the girls need to stay in school all year long. So if you haven't donated yet, please consider at least a $10 donation to fill one purse. Click here to donate or use the QR code below. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

Pin It Now!