Three Ways to Sew a Crownless Sunhat
A crownless sunhat has been on my mind for some time, but not literally…until now! I wondered if the low waste sunhat pattern I made last year (or indeed, any sunhat) could be converted to a crownless version. If a person had too much hair to fit within a hat’s crown, it could poke out…
Read MoreThe fabric made me do it
Just before Christmas, I broke my five-year zero waste sewing streak with a Burda pattern. I wanted to make my older teen a Christmas dress, as a surprise, using a spectacular wax print fabric that I already had. However, the print had a huge repeat of 80cm and really needed to be positioned symmetrically on…
Read MoreWrapping up 2024
Hi Everyone, welcome to the final post for 2024. The blog is now on annual leave until late January-ish. The Craft of Clothes staff Christmas party was on last week – see photo above. Normally it’s just me, being a one-woman business, but Mr Haywood and the younger Haywoods came too. They have all helped…
Read MoreNew Pattern: Zero Waste Belt Bag
Hi Everyone, I have a new pattern. It’s a belt bag that slips onto a belt, and is a great little pattern for offcuts of denim. It’s in my shop now. Please enjoy 25% off for the next month. If I’m honest, it’s technically not a new pattern. I made it almost two years ago…
Read MoreHow to Cut a Jacket Lining When You Don’t Have a Pattern
Have you ever made a jacket and wished you could line it, but didn’t have a pattern and weren’t 100% sure what to do? Here’s a tutorial to bookmark for when you do. There are many ways to make a lining pattern, partly depending on the type of jacket. To keep it simple and give…
Read MoreMaking Cris Wood’s Cinch Belt
Cris Wood is an American pattern designer known for her beginner-friendly, paperless, low-waste patterns. Her most well-known pattern is the Envelope Dress – on Instagram, seemingly everyone in the USA was making one in the hot summer of 2020 lockdowns. I’ve never made one of her patterns (until now!) but have corresponded with her as…
Read More3 Random Tips for Colour Choices
Are you confident with colour? I think I am these days, but I never used to be. Over time I picked up ideas from people I worked with, and also my dad who was good with colours. I really started to enjoy colour to the point where I now feel free to offer my opinions,…
Read MoreSix, Wait! NINE Ways to Style Linen Trousers
The linen elastic waist trousers made for last week’s book review of Couture Zéro Chutes came out so well they deserved another post. The trousers are now the property of my younger teen, who happens to be the same height and size as me (for now…I’m sure a growth spurt is on the horizon and…
Read MoreBook Review: Couture Zéro Chutes
It’s my pleasure to review Couture Zéro Chutes by Charline Durpoix and Mylène L’Orguilloux, which was published last month. The title translates as Sewing Zero Waste, and the book is a collection of six base patterns which can be combined or modified to produce many more styles. Charline Durpoix is a sewing influencer, known in…
Read MoreThe Grey Jacket Makes Progress
To tell you the truth, I was having doubts about this jacket. I’m making a hooded modular jacket as a sew-a-long project for Zero and Zen, a course I’m co-hosting with Kate Ward (we are already underway, but it’s still possible to sign up HERE). The first post on this jacket is here. The jacket…
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