It’s been a busy year or two with family health complications, the passing of parents and loved ones, and a demolition and reconstruction of the back end of our house! But the calm in the storm has been the sewing shed, and filling orders for midwives all around the world. Some sweet quilts coming from our offcuts as well. Hope you all are enjoying the pleasures of the season whenever you can .
Our current fundraiser features beautiful fabrics and another worthy cause.
From fabric to finish, they help support Indigenous families and midwives in Canada. With design by Ojibway artist Pey-sim-away-apey-binasi / Mark Anthony Jacobson for Northcott Fabrics, a portion of revenue will be donated by Northcott to a charity that supports First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities. At our end, we will be contributing not only our usual portion to MSF, but 10$ from each of these slings will be donated in support of Indigenous students pursuing studies in healthcare and for improving access to local healthcare for children in Indigenous communities in Canada through the First Nation’s Caring Society. For more information: https://fncaringsociety.com/what-you-can-do/awards-scholarships/jordans-principle-scholarship
Miigwech!
Unfortunately we’ve had to increase flat rate domestic shipping costs as Canada Post parcel rates have almost doubled. If you are ordering a single sling, we can ship these for $5 by letter mail service / untracked if you would like some savings this way.
Here’s some good news to start of your year. As of January 1, 2022, we will no longer be collecting sales tax on our orders! Hopefully that little bit of extra money in your pocket is a help, or feel free to pay it forward to someone in need.
The only way to get through this winter is going to be to stick together ( but apart!) And support your independent, local sellers. Invest in your communities rather than corporations.
To help you out, we’re offering 25% off with coupon code smallbuz25. Coupon valid until November 30.2020.
Catch some special savings on midwifery weigh slings crafted from quality quilting cotton batiks! More patterns coming on line shortly, but catch the first few now!
From time to time, we make a mistake — a over zealous brush of sissors while trimming threads, a fallen sharpie that leaves a little dot on the fabric– or, fabric turns out to have a small manufacturing or printing flaw that we didn’t notice when purchasing.
Rather than throw the entire sling out, (well, take it apart and repurpose it as “wool” or sewn into a shipping sleeve), we repair the slings and offer a deep discount, well below costs.
Check them out! perfect for spare slings, or for the super thrifty. Stock varies — check back from time to time to see what we have!
“We’re not fast, but we’re slow! ” Seems to be my motto these days as we balance family, gardens, side jobs, sewing, packing and shipping. Adding products to the website is always low on the list. (though it is slightly higher than book keeping!)
This week swim diapers have made it to the site! We’re still adding inventory, but check out the quality, Canadian made swim diapers we have on offer.
Bright colours, super fit, and amazing value, as you use them over and over again, and pass them on as hand me downs.
Things are heavy these days. And as Mr Rogers says, when things are rough, look for the helpers. Midwives have had an important place in the lives of our family, and those of many of the people we support through our business.
We’ve been sewing some special slings, with 100% of the purchase price going towards this important cause — not only for our usual donation to MSF, but also to support the Ontario Black Midwifery Student fund, organized by the BIPOC Midwifery Collective.
Access to education is never a simple meritocracy — it is always a function of class, race and income, of geography and just plain luck. Hopefully these small gestures will allow us to be one of the helpers. And we can look forward to a time when funds like this aren’t needed.
If you’re a midwife, buy one for yourself. If you’re a friend or family to a student midwife, buy one for them. If you just want to support a midwife, pay it forward, and we’ll donate it to a midwifery group in the Canadian city of your choice. We only have a limited stock of this sweet fabric, so be warned!