Sew Powerful Purses #155-157 for 2026

I have been busy making flaps and cutting the fabrics for the purse body, lining and interfacing and making purse kits to have ready to sew for Sew Powerful Purse Project.

These 3 purse flaps were made using only ribbons that I sewed around the squares on point. I used a variety of ribbon widths, colors and prints. I have a lot of ribbon and thought this might be a fun way to use them. I might make some more like these another time to use up some more ribbons I have.

I added some French Knots around the appliqué embroidered flower.

More French knots were added in the tiny holes of the blue lace around the center cotton fabric print. Wool appliqué in the center of the cotton print was stitched by hand.

The wool heart was stitched by hand. The heart got slightly crooked and didn't notice it until later when it was too late to fix 😜. Oh well, wonky is good too 😉.

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Sew Powerful Purses #113-118 for 2026

6 more purses finished to donate to Sew Powerful Purse Project. One purse flap is made with a variety of ribbons, including some Renaissance Ribbon. The other 5 purses was from a print of African women.

The flap here is only ribbons, except for the square of cotton fabric in the center that I set on point and the wool heart appliqué I stitched to the cotton fabric. 3 were Renaissance Ribbons and 2 ribbons were from fabric/craft stores.

The African women all came from one fabric that also had borders in prints like the dresses or head wraps they are wearing. I had to cut the height of the woman shorter to fit properly on the flaps.

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Sew Powerful Purses #64-68 for 2026

5 more purses completed to donate to Sew Powerful Purse Project.

Scrappy pieced rectangles.

This was a Spiderweb quilt block I had that I turned into a purse flap.

Another heart finished for the February challenge at the Sew Powerful Facebook group.

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Sew Powerful Purses #55-57 for 2026

3 more finished purses to donate to Sew Powerful Purse Project. 2 with appliqué and one is scrappy pieced. 

Scrappy upcycled denim jeans for the flaps with added appliqué, ribbons and buttons.

Scrappy pieced bee fabrics. I stitched the button on like a little flower with embroidery floss, but the white beads are inside this button and that makes it an interesting looking button.

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Sew Powerful Purses #49-54 for 2026

6 More purses to donate to Sew Powerful Purse Project. Some with appliqué hearts, some with the word LOVE on them, some quilting, some rickrack and ribbons and flower appliqué added, some with batik fabric, commercial fabric and some upcycled denim jeans.

Upcycled denim jean flaps with ribbons, rickrack, appliqué word, Love, & a flower.

These flaps I used scraps of denim from upcycled denim jeans. The flap on the left I added tulle over the flap and quilted it first before appliquéing the heart. The flap on the right I stitched the scraps and using a zigzag stitch and then added ribbons and rickrack over the joined pieces. I much prefer the tulle overlay and quilted flap. The ribbon was a bit much in the end, but I thought I would give it a go and see how it turned out. I do have lots of ribbons too, so that was another reason to try this. I made another one at the same time as I made this flap as you can see below.

2 more scrappy pieced hearts that I appliquéd to the flaps and then added rickrack all around. Both flaps were started like the other denim flap above, with the denim scraps, tulle and quilting. 

These were finished in February, so I will add them to the Love is in the Air album on the Sew Powerful Facebook page for the monthly challenge. 

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Sew Powerful Purse #2 for 2023

Purse #2 completed for the Sew Powerful Purse Project. 

This purse was made all from donated fabric, with the exception of a couple of small scraps on the flap that I had purchased.

Happy Scrappy pieced flap with added ribbon and button embellishments.

Side view showing gusset and rivet.

I sewed this button on making a little flower. Such a fun new to me way of sewing buttons. I will try a few more flower styles on other buttons I sew. I also added a bit of ribbon scrap I had (on the left with the white and red flowers). I have so much ribbon I have had for years, but never knew quite what to do with it. So I hope to add more ribbon bits to the purses I make. I just need to remember to add it at the right time when sewing so the raw edges on the sides can be sewn into the seam.

I used the flap lining in another purse too as I only had enough for 2 purses. So I had just enough of this lining fabric to use in one purse. These were donated fabrics and smaller pieces, so I have to use them where I can on a purse. So fun to see several fabrics in one purse.

I had enough exterior fabric to add a back slip pocket. Sometimes I don't have enough of the exterior fabric to add a back pocket, so I don't add a pocket here, but I love it when I can add a pocket.

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