Bremerton is located in Washington state on beautiful Puget Sound. It is home to the famous Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, but Seattle is just a short ferry ride to the east. The Armed Forces parade in May is not to be missed, nor is South Kitsap Park, in nearby Port Orchard. There you will enjoy free train rides during the summer months. Be sure and stop in at Quality Sewing & Vac in Silverdale and check out the antique shops and restaurants in Poulsbo. The Kitsap County Fair is the last weekend in August with non-stop fun including carnival rides, live music, exhibits and the nightly rodeo.Among the expected 80,000 guests are sure to be members of the Kitsap Crafty Crew, a Sew Powerful chapter with a passion for helping girls in Zambia stay in school all month long.

The Kitsap Crafty Crew meets quarterly and they truly value each other. Most of the members make the Sew Powerful purse, but two of the talented crew focus on making the encouragement cards that go inside each purse. They confess to having a love of pretty fabric and enjoy vivid color combinations when making their striking purses. Each member happens to be a mom but that is not a requirement for joining. You’ll have to have a good sense of humor because these ladies spend a good amount of time in “stitches”. If you live in Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Gig Harbor, Holly, Keyport, Kingston, Port Orchard, Poulsbo, Seabeck, Suquamish or anywhere in the Kitsap County area they would love to have you join.

The purses you make will be gifted to schoolgirls in the African country of Zambia. The purses will be filled with reusable feminine hygiene supplies, soap, and underwear so the girl can attend school all month. Sew Powerful hires adults in Zambia living in extreme poverty. They are trained and paid a living wage to make the contents of the purses. The result is a triple benefit:

• Schoolgirls have a chance to excel in their studies and complete their education.
• Adults earn wages to feed, clothe, and house their families, giving them dignity and hope.
• Volunteers use their talents to make purses bringing them immeasurable joy knowing their efforts have changed lives.

Sew Powerful exhibits in many Quilting and Sewing expos throughout the United States and internationally. We would love to meet you in person at one of these events!

Until then, follow the links below to get started right away.

• Get the FREE Sew Powerful Purse Patterns HERE
• Join our Sew Powerful Purse Project Facebook group HERE
• Stay up to date on on-line and in person events HERE.