A Random Bullet Post

My life seems to be random right now so here goes...

• First of all, the winner for the Bias Tape Giveaway is Jeannie D!  I will be contacting you very soon for your address.

• I was floored that so many people signed up to win this little pile of bias tape.  Seems to me that people love fun and colourful bias tape and would have loved to win this pile.  Thanks for stopping by our little blog!

• We've had gorgeous sunny weather as of late.  Great for gardening, not so much for housework (or homework.)

• I am sewing, I just can't show you any of it right now.

• And the 24 table runners for my sister aren't going to be that exciting to show you.  But I did learn how to make a rolled hem on my serger.  (Thanks for the idea, Karen.)

• And equally boring to show you would be the many jeans made into shorts, long leggings made into short leggings and even a few long sleeve t-shirts made into short sleeved ones.  Saves a lot of money!

• My sister is getting married in less than 2 months!  We are all very excited about that.

• Yesterday I did something I've been wanting to do for a long time.  Together with my mom and sister I participated in the March for Life in Victoria, BC.  In Canada we have no laws regarding abortion.  A baby can be aborted at any stage in pregnancy.  And it happens that babies are aborted at the 40 week mark.
I'm a mother with 5 children.  I've also experienced a miscarriage at the 15 week mark.  I held that little baby and marveled at her completeness.  She was most definitely a human being, a person with her own unique features.  Made in God's image and now with her heavenly Father.  Thousands of babies are killed each year in Canada.  It is heartbreaking and sickening to think of it.  It needs to stop!  It was great to hear my brother speak on the steps of the Parliament Buildings.  May God bless the efforts of all in the Pro-Life movement!

• Aside from the March for Life we had a lovely day wandering around the gorgeous city of Victoria, BC.

On the ferry

On the ferry - Me, my mom, Karen, Mike

The ferry on the way home.

Giveaway Closed Giveaway Day - Bias Tape

Hi there!  I'm Alisa, wife to Gord, mom to 5 (4-12 years) and maker of many things.  I have a small etsy shop  - the Busy Quilt Mom where I sell the odd quilt, my bib pattern and my favourite, bias tape.  As a result I have piles of odds and end bias tape and I am going to give it to one of our readers.  Kind of an odd giveaway, but I trust that some of you are making things that could use or need some colourful bias tape. 

I'll be throwing in some extra bits of fun trim from my sewing room as well.  Kind of a surprise package for you!

To enter just leave a comment!  Tell me something you have made or would like to make that includes bias tape/binding.  If that's too hard, just tell me where you are from and what kind of weather you are having lately.  Thanks for stopping by!

Just thought to add that I have a video on YouTube on how to apply bias binding.  Here's the link!

Sleep Sacks Available

I've been busy making sleep sacks lately!  I've made seven and I have 6 available for purchase.  I have several sizes available.  The outer fabric is cotton and the lining is cotton flannel.  The snaps are high quality resin snaps -  the kind used for diapers - so they can handle frequent washing and opening and closing.

I had a tough time taking good photos of these.  I don't have a white board large enough.  So please excuse the photography.  I can sew, but photos aren't my expertise. :-)

I've put the information below each set of photos.  If you'd like one please email me

gordandalisa at gmail dot com

TRAVELLING ANIMALS

MEDIUM - Measures 32 inches from shoulder to bottom.  $37 CAN (plus shipping if you are not local - please email me) 

I have 2 sleep sacks in MUSHROOM.

SMALL - Measures 26 inches from shoulder to bottom.  $35 CAN (plus shipping if you are not local - please email me) 

MEDIUM - Measures 32 inches from shoulder to bottom.  $37 CAN (plus shipping if you are not local- please email me)

PINK PLAID

SMALL - Measures 26 inches from shoulder to bottom.  $35 CAN (plus shipping if you are not local - please email me) 

PINK ARGYLE - I have 2 sleep sacks

MEDIUM -  Measures 32 inches from shoulder to bottom.  $37 CAN (plus shipping if you are not local- please email me)

LARGE - Measures 39 inches from shoulder to bottom.  $39 CAN (plus shipping if you are not local- please email me)

And the last one I made for my nephew.  This one is for you, Yvonne.

I have decided not to list the sleep sacks in my etsy shop for two reasons.  One, I expect to sell most of these locally and two, I am too lazy to figure out the shipping costs to far away lands unless I have a serious interest.

KCW so far...

This week I've been sewing for the kids (well one kid so far!) and joining in with the Spring session of Kids Clothes Week.

On day 1 I cut out patterns and tried to figure out which fabric to put where on each of the three dresses.

By day 3 I had the bodice of Sophie's dress finished...

And today on day 5 it looks like this...

I have to hand sew the bodice lining down, hem it and make a sash/ribbon for the waist.  

It's taking me a while but I'm trying to be careful and do a good job.  Plus, we finally have nice weather here so we've been outside lots!  The snow is finally gone (except for the piles in the shady spots)!!!

4 & 6 and more

This past Friday my little ones turned 4 & 6 years old.  As is becoming customary, I embellished a t-shirt for each of them.

Zachary's was done using knit fabrics.  He wasn't too happy that the 4 was on the side of the shirt.  He wanted it to be in the centre.  I'll keep that in mind for next year. :-)

He is quite happy to be four!

And Carolin is quite happy to be 6!

I couldn't find any plain t-shirts in the stores.  (I found many of the t-shirts to be quite ugly in stores right now.)  I used one that she had in her closet - a hand-me-down from someone I am sure!

This is the best I could do of the two of them together.  They had a great day!

~

We tried twice to have a baby on my s-i-l Kathy's birthday but we missed it twice! :-)  She had her birthday yesterday.  She had loved the pillow I made for her mom in December so I made one for her.  I do believe I am finished with Cathedral Windows now.  It turned out pretty well and she liked it.  The fabric is from the line Juggling Summer by Brigitte Heitland for Zen Chic.

And lastly, our children had their Spring Concert last week Friday. Here they are, all dolled up and looking fine.  I was thinking of writing a blog post called 'How not to sew dresses for your girls.'

Melissa's dress is new, one of the three I bought for my sister's upcoming wedding.  The sash will be replaced with a coral one for the wedding.  Deanna's dress was given to her just recently and it fits her perfectly and Carolin's dress is handed down from Deanna (though I did make it.)

  I did make a little jacket for Melissa as her dress is sleeveless.  It turned out okay, but Melissa doesn't really like it.  I used this pattern, which I adjusted quite a bit.  I was using a fabric that was not recommended and I landed up making a narrow bias binding to finish off the edges.  I also added the ruching on the sleeve and the bow.

I am sure I will use the pattern again, but probably for the winter with a stretch velvet or something.

So, that's what I have been up to lately!  My plans for this week...?  Up in the air still.  Shall I join in Kid's Clothes Week as I had planned, or do the things that are more pressing...?  Suzanne has got fabric, patterns and big plans - it would be fun to join her.  I'll think about it while I hang out my sheets in the fresh, sunshiny air!  Have a good week all of you!

Sara Jane Bibs and Washi Tape

I had two Sara Jane fat quarters waiting to be used since last summer so when I had a baby shower to go to last week I made these two cute bibs for him.  I love the fabric!

Washi Tape...I'm sure you've all heard about it and probably have some of your own but I just got a whole bunch as a gift for my birthday.  So fun!  Doesn't this make a simple cute gift bag?

Great British Sewing Bee

Have you seen this show?  I don't watch much TV or movies but I heard of this from a friend and I love it.

"Amateur sewers take on challenges as they compete to be named Britain's best home sewer."

Something fun to watch while folding that mountain of laundry :)