Practical Pieces

By Linda McGowan—Wilton, Maine

From the earliest remembrances of my life, I have had a love for needle and thread and the possibilities these tools allow me to accomplish. Those first stitches were large and the projects small. As I matured in age and ability, my stitches became smaller, and the projects larger.

By the time I was 12, my mother encouraged my talents and allowed me to use her Singer sewing machine. It was love at first stitch!

When I bought my first sewing machine, the salesclerk told me, “No other machine in your home will pay for itself over and over if you use it well.” He spoke truth.

For 60 years, I have sewn clothing, home decor of all sorts, sports equipment, wardrobe accessories, quilts—you name it, I’ve tried it!

The LORD has given me ability and allowed me to purchase tools to pursue my love of sewing. I have been blessed to share all with young girls and older women, teaching them to express themselves in thread and fabric.

Practical pieces have always been my project preference; so when my adult daughter introduced me to this Sew Powerful purse program, I couldn’t wait to get started. We shopped for fabric thinking of the young African girls who would use the purses. The process of completing the purses was a joy, given a good pattern and clear directions.

As a woman, mother of two girls, grandmother to five girls, and mentor to many young girls in homemaking skills, this cross body purse project and the reason behind the purse program struck a chord in my heart. It was with great joy that I completed a dozen purses and now support the program financially.

For those in the Zambian sewing cooperative, I pray they may know the same sense of fulfillment for their efforts at their machines as I have for nearly 70 years.

Blessings to Sew Powerful for this opportunity and the blessing it has brought to my life—touching lives outside of my state and country.