31.5.10
Mending Week: Just Checking In
Pretty ugly, isn't it?
First I duct taped the ugly spot.
Then I covered it with a patchwork rail cover. Just like on my playpen. And I know, this isn't technically mending, but it certainly is a fix that I have been meaning to do for a long time.
And if you are wondering why my photos are blurry at times. This guy is quick! He's trying to attack the camera.
Mending Week: Ready, Set, Go!
Are you ready? Do you have your pile of mending sitting right beside your sewing machine? Needle threaded? It's Mending Week here at Making More with Less. We aim to get that mending pile out of the way (or at least most of it!)
For more information about Mending Week and what it's all about you can look at our original post.
You know what I just realized? I looked at a 2009 calendar when making the Mending Week button. It says June 1 - 6, but it's May 31 today. So, my apologies, but Mending Week starts today.
I've made a list, because I'm a list type of person. I like crossing things off.
Today I plan to plug away at this list amidst taking care of my children, housework, laundry and baking bread.
Now, over to Suzanne...
Here's my list:
about 4 pairs of L's holey pants to make into shorts
T's pink shirt - fix seams that are coming out
2 pairs of L's "good" jeans with holes that need patches
make A's brown leggings into capri or short leggings
fix a stuffed animal with it's ear off
I think that's it. Mostly bottoms as you can see and mostly our 6 year old sons! He went through so many pants this year I finally figured out how to put a patch on (thanks to my SIL!) and I'll share that with you later this week.
PS Don't forget to email us with photos of any creative mending you've done so we can feature it here on the blog. Also, any links to mending tutorials would be welcome!
29.5.10
Old to New
It took me 30 minutes and could have been faster with pre-made bias tape.
I didn't use a particular tutorial but there are many out there. Just google "Pillowcase Dress."
And doesn't she look adorable. Even though it's unseasonably cold right now she still wants to wear it. She says it's soooo comfortable.
Have a blessed Sunday. See you all Monday for Mending Week!
28.5.10
My Quilt Festival Quilt
I'm almost too late but here's my entry for the quilt festival! I wanted to blog about my first quilt I made but I can't seem to find the pictures anywhere. So those of you who've been around for a while would have seen this quilt but it is my favorite from last year.
It started 3 years ago when my sister and I were having a wonderful day out together as our family was visiting for a few weeks that summer. We were at Quilt Essential Fabrics in Abbotsford where they were having a sale and selling all there sample fabrics by the pound! We had so much fun pulling stuff outta there! So I had the fabrics in my stash and every once in a while I'd do this...
...with my little helper(s). Then last fall I pulled them out again and started cutting and piecing. I ended up using the "Lucky Stars" pattern from Atkinson Designs. It's a great pattern and perfect for scraps. It has become our Bright Quilt for the basement and sometimes a bed and it makes me very happy!
27.5.10
Mending Week
Join us for Mending Week here at Making More with Less!
Here's the plan for Mending Week:
1) Join us! Gather up all your mending and get to work. Mend or fix and then tell us about it. We'll have a Mr. Linky up on Thursday and you can link to your blog post or flickr photos from Thursday through Saturday.
2) Email us! If you've finished up some creative mending (past or present), we'd love to feature it here. Just email a photo and caption to gordandalisa at gmail dot com or email with a link to your blog.
3) Features! We'll be featuring some creative mending as well as a list of mending tutorials from all over.
4) Win! We have some great prizes for those who participate in Mending Week. Two winners will be drawn randomly from those who link up.
We have a couple of wonderful prizes thanks to two great sponsors.
First prize will be for a three-pattern package from Leila & Ben! The patterns are for crochet and sewing, designed by two moms (from Alberta, Canada.) The patterns are modern and simple. See?
They also offer a free pattern for a vest on their site which I would love to make for Zachary this coming fall. Adorable.
Our second prize is a charm pack from Above All Fabric. I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to deal with Melanie at Above All Fabric. She goes above and beyond and answers email questions fast. Her online shop is great and she leans heavily toward the apparel end of sewing (rather than quilting) which I think is fun and refreshing. She has a ton of stuff on sale right now, but it ends very soon so get it now.
A charm pack is a great prize for Mending Week. Think patches. Fun! What would you pick?
So, is anyone else on board? Who wants to take care of that mending once and for all? (Yeah, we know. There will always be mending as long as we have kids around.) If you'd like to pass it around, please do! The more the merrier!
25.5.10
Blogger's Quilt Festival Spring 2010
Some of you may have seen this quilt before, but it is one of my favourites so here it is again.
A friend of mine gave me a fat quarter pack of Momo's Wonderland, just because. It was a thank you for teaching her to quilt (a few years ago.) I had been drooling over the fabric for quite some time so it was a wonderful gift.
I used 7 fabrics from Wonderland by MoMo. I also used a linen that I've had in my stash since I was 18 (really 13 yrs! I bought it in Brazil.) As well, a repurposed cotton/linen dress shirt from Gord, a vintage fabric that I've had for a number of years and a brown cotton that is left over from another project. How's that for a mixture?
The quilt is now in the bottom of the playpen, which is in my living room. I see it all the time. It doesn't scream 'baby', but it's so child-friendly. Does that make any sense?
I also love the quilting on it. The piecing and the quilting was inspired by Red Pepper Quilts, but I can't find the actual quilt on a blog post.
I also made some rail covers that match.
Don't forget about Mending Week, coming up next week. More tomorrow.
23.5.10
Quilt Top, Victoria Day, Rotary Cutter
In reading the comments we noticed that:
a) You all like tutorials alot.
b) Many of you like photos of quilts.
c) Many of you also like our Thrifty Threads posts too. This makes us happy!
I've been working on a quilt top for my mom. I started making her star blocks last year in May (for Mother's Day actually.) I posted about them here with a tutorial on how to make them. Every couple of weeks (or months) I would give her a couple more. Sometimes I sent them in the mail. It was fun! She got quite a collection and then I took them back and put them together in a quilt top with a border around it. The top is together, but it may be a while before I get it quilted.
I showed it to her last week and she likes it. It will look even better when it is quilted, mom.
Tomorrow it is Victoria Day in Canada. For us, it means a day off and we are planning to head up to my brother-in-law's 'ranch' in Merrit. My kids were interested in what Victoria Day was all about so we looked it up in the World Book Encyclopedia. You know, the encyclopedias on the shelf, the book kind, not the online kind.
Victoria Day commemorates the birthday of Queen Victoria on May 24, 1819. The people of the Commonwealth Nations have always celebrated the birthday as a patriotic holiday. Did you know that Queen Victoria succeeded to the throne after her uncle, King William IV died? He had no heirs. She was only 19 years old when she began her reign and by my calculations, she reigned for 63 years. One more thing. She had 9 children. And, obviously, she was well-loved by the people if we celebrate her birthday every year.
Are there any Australians reading this? Do you celebrate Victoria Day tomorrow too? Just curious.
Has anyone had their child cut themselves on their rotary cutter? Melissa (7) just cut off the tip of her finger a few hours ago. My feelings were mixed between feeling horrible, guilty and angry (because she has been drilled about not touching my cutter and scissors.) Rotary cutters are sharp! And yes, the safety was on, but she can take it off, of course. She was showing her friend how it works. ( I wonder what her friend is going to tell her mom.)
And don't forget about Mending Week, next week. More on that in a couple of days.
20.5.10
And the winner is...
19.5.10
Party Time!!
Anyone have an creative idea for a game that would involve picking a bag? I thought maybe just musical chairs and when they are "out" they get to pick a bag...
Any other ideas?
17.5.10
Mending Week
We are excited to announce that we will be hosting a Mending Week here at Making More with Less.
Mending Week you say? How can that be exciting?
Mending does not usually excite us. Making new things is much more exciting and that's why our mending sits around in piles for so long.
So we've dedicated a week to our mending and we thought you'd like to join us. We hope to mend and fix our way to the bottom of our piles. Along the way, we will showcase some of our own and some of your mending. And there may be a prize or two...
What constitutes mending? I'll give you an example of what is on my list...
Holey jeans - these will be made into shorts
Buttons needed (yeah, I'm that bad)
Roller Blinds that need fixing
Crib rail that needs fixing and covering
New cuffs needed on a sweatshirt
Shirt that needs hemming
and the list goes on...
Please feel free to copy our button and link to our blog to spread the word about Mending Week.
Are you an online fabric shop or etsy shop? Would you like to sponsor Mending Week by providing a prize? We would love that and will advertise your shop in exchange. Email Alisa for more information.
16.5.10
Giveaway Day! - CLOSED
13.5.10
Thank you all...
Just in case you are wondering, yes, I will make quilts to donate again! Of course. Donating a quilt is very different than an auction quilt. In this case I would have rather just donated the money (or more baking for the bake table.) I look forward to making baby quilts again for the pro-life society.
Two years ago I made a quilt for the auction with a friend of mine. It also didn't go for a terribly high amount. But, I really enjoyed collaberating with my friend. The making was fun! Here's the quilt.
It was all from scraps and stash fabric.
I don't know about you all, but this time of year seems to be b-u-s-y. We've been working outside in the yard planting some bedding plants, pots and baskets. And then there is trimming, weeding, digging, cleaning, painting and planting seeds. I love it! Then I have this problem in my mind. I would like my house cleaned, organized and dejunked before the kids are off for summer holidays. (So they can mess it all up again, right?) And then there are all the things I want to sew and make. Not enough hours in the day, that's for sure. Anyone want to sell me some?
10.5.10
My Happy Garden Baby Quilt
I won a set of fat quarters about a year ago (and I can't remember where from and it's bothering me.)
It was fun to make a quilt with such an easy and familiar pattern (this is at least the fourth time making it.)
The fabric was wonderful to work with, very satiny. I backed it in a teal flannel.
The quilt didn't sell for very much. I'm not making a quilt again for an auction. Ever. Friends, remind me of this okay?
7.5.10
Baby boy coin quilt
6.5.10
Modern Meadow
A set of 10 fat quarters and a cute birdie! Thank you so much.
Now... what am I going to make with them? Quilt, patchwork skirt for one of my girls, patchwork skirt for me, totes....?
Any suggestions?
4.5.10
100
100 Things about Alisa & Suzanne
I (Alisa) am going to start by telling you 50 things about Suzanne. I hope I can do this without giving too much away. (We're pretty close you know.)
1. Suzanne's middle name is Elizabeth.
2. She's named after both of her grandmothers.
3. They used the nice names for me so they fell back on family names. :-)
4. Suzanne is 28.
5. Her birthday is on March 26.
6. She got married on August 17.
7. She had her first baby on May 17. (You can do the math.)
8. Suzanne and Conrad have 4 children
9. 3 daughters and 1 son
10. They lived in London, ON for 6 years.
11. They've lived in the Alberta for nearly 2 years.
12. They are going to move to Chilliwack soon.
13. That last statement was wishful thinking.
14. Suzanne has 5 brothers and 2 sisters.
15. She is a great seamstress.
16. And a very good baker.
17. And a good wife.
18. And mother.
19. And sister.
20. She is a good friend to many.
21. She is always willing to lend a hand.
22. She listens.
23. We are planning to go camping together this summer for a week.
24. We are both looking forward to it very much.
25. If I was to pick a best friend it would be Suzanne.
26. Oh boy, this is getting harder now.
27. Suzanne can be stubborn.
28. She now has a daughter that can rival her for stubbornness.
29. Suzanne can cry easily.
30. Especially when she's pregnant.
31. She did not cry at Tom and Yvonne's wedding.
32. Until I got married, we always shared a room.
two Sister-in-laws on the sides.
Enjoying a very bonding trip to Hamels a couple of weeks ago!
Alright...now I get to tell you a little bit about Alisa. Here we go:
...that is now a full blown forest fire that I'm trying to control :)
...I wish I’d catch that!
...who now in turn are teaching others!
1.5.10
Thrifty Threads #14: Round Neck Top
I think I've made this top 5 times so far. I bought it from thatdarnkat's etsy shop. It has been worth every penny. I plan to use it again and lengthen it for a sundress for Deanna soon too.
The red polka dots have been in my stash for a very long time. The floral is a fabric I bought for $4/m (if that) a long time ago. I've used it in outfits for my girls, in a quilt and also for the backing of a table quilt. I have a wee bit left. And the buttons? They cost me a whole quarter at BFM Thrift Store.