Posts by lizhaywood
Fashion, Puppets and Making: an Interview with Daniel Byrne of Puppets Magic
I recently connected with Daniel Byrne of Puppets Magic in London. His studio makes custom puppets for film, TV, stage, adverts and live events. You may have seen his studio’s work for Aldi, Vodaphone, Marmite, Hofmeister beer and Tonight at the London Palladium, to name a few. A commission for the pre-loved clothing platform Vestiaire…
Read MoreNew (ish) pattern: ROO pocket
ROO is a pocket pattern published back in January in TAUKO magazine, issue 18. The copyright has now reverted to me, and it’s in my shop now; please enjoy 25% off for the next month. The ROO pocket is a modern take on the historical tie‐on pocket. This roomy cargo‐style version has a gusset on…
Read MoreMaking Fabric from Leaves
Making fabric from leaves is something I’ve never tried….until now! My teen saw the idea online and wanted to try it together. Briefly, you soak leaves in a 2:1 water:glycerine solution for five days, then dry them. The now-pliable leaves are glued onto a backing fabric, stitched in place, with another layer of glue brushed…
Read MoreFinishing Birgitta Helmersson’s Panel Dress
The Panel Dress from Sewing Without Scraps is finished, and what an enjoyable make it was. I began sewing this dress last week, had done all the fiddly bits, and just had the main sections (sleeve, bodice, skirt) to put together and hem. The skirt is much fuller than the original (3m instead of 2.2m),…
Read MoreMaking Birgitta Helmersson’s Panel Dress
Sewing Without Scraps is out in the world, and plans are afoot to sew some of the things in the book by the other two designers, Birgitta Helmersson and Danielle Elsener. This week I started making the Panel Dress by Birgitta. It’s essentially the top featured on the front cover, with the addition of a…
Read MoreWrapping Up Me Made May 2026
May has been and gone, and another Me Made May is finished. This was the tenth year I’ve done this wardrobe challenge. My pledge was: I made a big effort to take a photo every day – this isn’t necessary as MMM isn’t a photography challenge, but it’s very helpful to review the month and…
Read MoreMaking a Zero Waste Camera Lens Case
One day, Mr H came home from the second hand shop with a camera lens that fitted our teen’s camera. She uses the lens but it still lives in the shopping bag from the shop. I was thinking about this when I saw Danielle Elsener’s Zero Waste Travel Case, and I thought it could be…
Read MoreVested Interest (a tutorial and more)
I’ve been sewing a vest for my brother, by special request, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to share a tutorial on lining a vest. So, first here’s a tutorial for you to file away for when the need arises, and below that I’ll show you my brother’s vest. Over the years…
Read MoreAttack of the Moths
Moths have invaded! Follow Liz Haywood’s heroic fight back against this almost invisible foe…but how will it end? The backstory Pre-pandemic, Liz began knitting a vest in some lovely natural brown wool her grandma brought back from a New Zealand holiday. It was nearly finished when Liz got long covid and stopped. It fell down…
Read MoreNew Book: Sewing Without Scraps
A new zero waste pattern book has just been unleashed on the world! And I have the honour of being one of the authors. Sewing Without Scraps has new zero waste patterns by Birgitta Helmersson, Danielle Elsener of DECODE and me. The fourth author is Sae Hagino of Mirai Pattern in Japan. The book is…
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