Do you sew for DFG at home?

CHANGES TO KITS

Days for Girls appreciates and relies on feedback from the field to make sure every part of our kits is the best it can be.  Because of all that research and feedback, changes are occasionally made that the DFG experts feel will improve the kits and better serve the girls and women who use them.  In 9 years of existence, DFG has made 29 major and minor tweaks to our kit components.  Some (since I've been involved) have to do with quantity of items included, shape, dimensions, wrappers, how to assemble kits, patterns of fabric prints, and drawstrings we use.  

The nonprofit DFG headquarters used to make the kit instructions available to anyone on their website.  Then, as recently as last year, they asked you to sign in with your email address anytime you wanted to access a pattern or directions, and agree to only use it according to DFG guidelines.  Now, you need to be a team or chapter leader, or register as a solo sewer.  There were a few problems with the easy access--one was people using DFG patterns to make kits to sell for profit.  Another was similar--people making the supplies to sell in competition with our Days for Girls Enterprises in their countries.  

I'm seeing a few problems with our volunteers not having access to the patterns.  Mainly, they're not aware when a change has been made, and if they're not sewing with us at our monthly workdays, may make many of a changed item without realizing that the pattern or directions have been revised.  

I've asked headquarters if they could list the most recent revision date for each item on their website.  We'll see if that happens.

In the meantime, please know that the size and sewing instructions for the drawstring bags were changed a few months ago.  We use 5/8" polyester grosgrain for the drawstrings (no more drawstrings sewn of fabric, and we won't be buying anymore twill tape--it doesn't last as long) , and they're a longer length now too.  

And as a matter of fact, we get a great price on the grosgrain in a riot of colors, so actually prefer that you turn in your bags without drawstrings, so we can pick the perfect color for them.  We have a wonderful non-sewing volunteer who cuts, seals and inserts the grosgrain.  

So, if you're somebody who occasionally brings or sends us items you've sewn at home, please contact me about updating your patterns and instructions.  

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

This is so important.  I've heard people infer that because the recipient of a kit had nothing before, anything we give her is an improvement.  I disagree. My philosophy is that she deserves the very best we can possibly provide!

What does this mean for you?  Checking your work!  Make sure your measurements are exactly correct.  Evaluate your sewing/serging as you go, checking each item for messed up thread tension, skipped stitches or screwy serging, and carefully evaluating when you finish, making sure you've caught all fabrics in a seam, removed thread tails and basting stitches and that the finished size is right.  If you can't make it perfect in every way, please set it aside.  We occasionally have an opportunity to use these seconds for women with a short-term need, such as after a natural disaster.  A few weeks ago, I sent three boxes of useable but not DFG-perfect components for women in Houston.

For many, if not most, of the girls and women who receive our kits, this is the nicest thing they've ever had.  Let's make sure we've followed all the guidelines and done our absolute best work.  

VIDEOS TO WATCH

YouTube has dozens great videos for you to watch: how-tos, introductions, history, distributions, workdays, thank yous, etc.  Just type in Days for Girls in the YouTube search bar and you'll see lots of choices.  One I like to show occasionally is narrated by an actress, condensing lots of feedback we've gotten from the recipients into one short video.  I hope you'll take the time to watch this.

DO YOU SEW SHIELDS?

Some machines have trouble on the thick corners of our shields.  Of course we always recommend that you diagonally cut off the corners on the long ends of the PUL before layering the parts, which removes some of the bulk.  

If your machine still struggles, here's a tip from a volunteer in St. Louis:  

I made a little video to show how I edgestitch the corners of my shields. I taped together some cardboard (my red jean-a-ma-jig was too thick) to help me get around the corners without getting stuck. Thought someone else might like this tip. You can see how nicely they turn out.    NOTE:  It appears that you have to click on the circular arrow in the rectangle below to get to her video.

KENYA PLASTIC BAG BAN

Official Update: Kenya Plastic Bag Ban

Dear Teams & Chapters!

Thank you for waiting patiently on solutions to the Kenya plastic bag situation. It has been determined after further communications and the latest information we have received, from Kenya, that we will not include any plastic bags in DfG Kits for Kenya. There are several containment options currently being prototyped. One is a small PUL pouch constructed with 1/4"wide french seams to the outside. A water sealant at the seam line is on the inside. These are not yet official patterns as more than 20 suggestions (thank you) are currently being reviewed. Until we have finalized the replacement option, please do not include any replacement for the plastic bag. 

We expect that within coming weeks we will have determined best practice going forward. 

REGIONAL CONFERENCE

In Lebanon last weekend, I had the opportunity to speak about Days for Girls  to a regional conference of Methodist women.  The organizer had heard me speak elsewhere, and shared our supply wishlist with the attendees in advance.  I went home with wonderful donations!  Thank you for your generosity, ladies!

OUR NEXT WORKDAY

We'd love to have you join us for our first Saturday workday at Our Sewing Room, October 7th.  If you sew or serge, please bring your machine and basic sewing supplies.  If you can help us with all the non-sewing tasks, we welcome you also, and will put you to work!
We'll be there from 10:30 to about 4:30 or 5:00.  Come for as much time as works for you.