July Workday and News

OUR JULY WORKDAY

Our next workday is next Sunday, July 17.  I hope you can make it.  As usual, we have a variety of tasks to choose from.  Please bring standard tools--sharp scissors, rotary cutter with sharp blade, seam ripper, empty bobbins, etc., depending on what job(s) you want to work on.  And if your chosen task involves using a serger or machine, please bring yours.

LEARN TO SEW SHIELDS

Are you an experienced seamstress who would like to do slow, precise sewing on your domestic machine? I'd like to train some more people to work on shields.  

Currently all of our shield makers sew at home, after making one or two that passed the quality check with me.  Would you like to be part of that group? On Sunday, I'd like to teach any new people who are interested -- say at about 2:00. Please bring your machine threaded with medium blue to navy thread--bobbin too.

DONATING SUPPLIES

If you bring any supplies to donate, please list the quantity on the spreadsheet as you sign in.  This information is part of what I report to headquarters each month.  If you don't make it to a workday, but drop something off at Our Sewing Room on another day, please leave a note or email me with your name and what you donated. This includes items you sewed at home.  If you'd like a receipt for tax purposes for your year's in-kind or monetary donations, please ask me or Mary Jo.

You all have probably read the orange half-sheet flyer that has our wish list on the back. What you may not know, is that I update that every month or two as I print more.  The main place for changes is on the wish list side, which has supplies we use "listed in order of current need."  Our need for supplies is ongoing, so I hope you're buying mostly when you see a price is reduced.  Right now, a good thing to be on the lookout for is polyester serger and sewing machine thread, in medium to dark colors.  Our liners look more professional when the thread matches, and we go through a lot of it!  Another item we seem to run out of quickly is Fraycheck, which we use on the ends of the drawstrings on our bags.  This doesn't mean we don't need any more briefs, soaps or washcloths, etc.--it just means we have lower inventory of the items near the top of the list.

Rather than your having to remember to pick up a new flyer every month, I'll start pasting any updates into this blog.  That should save some paper and ink!  But, of course please feel free to take one of the orange handouts and keep it in your purse or car.

NEW KIT OPTION

The design of the kits we make and distribute is based on feedback from the women and girls who use them.  Over the years, Days for Girls has changed the shapes of the shields and liners, number of items included in a kit, and many other things thanks to the suggestions they hear from the recipients.

We currently have been offering two "absorbencies" of kits--regular and postpartum.  Now the postpartum kits are being replaced by a newly-designed "heavy flow kit."  Our chapter hasn't had any requests for postpartum kits yet, other than a handful that were taken to Kenya as samples, but I suspect we will be asked for some heavy flow kits in the future.  

Here's a short video featuring founder Celeste Mergens showing the design of the heavy flow kit and how it works.  Design version/tweak #28!  I like the idea of a smaller liner being folded inside the larger one, doubling the absorbency but making it no more difficult to insert in a shield than a single liner.

UGANDA

In the DFG works currently is a September shipment of 5000 kits for Ugandan refugee women and girls.  Our chapter will be part of that!

KOREA

Here's an article on the menstrual challenges faced by Korean girls and women.

GARAGE SALE

We are hoping to raise some money for our chapter's kit expenses with a garage sale which will be held the last weekend in August.  I hope you can contribute lots of appealing items and also stop by to find some things you can't live without.  Of course, we will also need folks to volunteer.  And spread the word!  Details soon.  

UPDATED INSTRUCTIONS

Days for Girls recently updated the look of their sewing instructions on their website.  No major changes other than the new heavy flow liners, but they're easier to follow.  Go to daysforgirls.org, and click on "Get Involved," then "Make DFG kits." You can get patterns, instructions, and also watch videos on making the different components.  If you want to attend my shield-making training on Sunday, it would be a good idea if you'd read the instructions and watch the video in advance.  I'll have materials for you to sew--just bring your sewing machine and have medium/dark blue or navy thread on the machine and bobbin.

SEE YOU SOON!

Hope to see you all on Sunday at Our Sewing Room.  Stay as long as you can between 10 am and 5 pm.  We have lots to do and talk about this month!