Sewing
Sewing success! A bigger bumbag
The larger size bumbag I started sewing last week is now finished (and my children’s predictable bum jokes continue…). I’m so thrilled with how this bag turned out! I took the zero waste waist bag pattern I made 2 years ago and simply got it printed it out at double the size, to make a…
Read MoreOverlocker Woes: The Curse of the Lower Looper
Dear Lizzy, How do I stop that blasted lower looper from coming unthreaded all by itself, especially starting off? Dear Friend, Yes, it happens to me too. Sometimes the thread on the looper jumps out of its hole and keeps on sewing – HOW? I can offer no absolute solution, but here’s a list of…
Read MoreFinishing that Sashiko Jacket
Have you ever started a project without thinking the design through clearly? “Guilty, your honour!” I’ve now finished adding sashiko stitching to the jacket I cut from an old army blanket, which I’ve been making for Zero and Zen, a course I’m presenting with textile artist Kate Ward. (Btw, it’s not too late to register…
Read MoreSashiko meets Jacket
Right at the beginning of this year, my friend Kate Ward of ZenStitching said I’d like to make myself a jacket and put some stitching on it. Would you like to do a collaboration? Would I! Kate is a textile artist who is passionate about recycling and mending, and is also the person who really…
Read MoreThe Last Book Week
Here in Australia, it’s Children’s Book Week. Primary schools across the country are reading, visiting libraries, doing book activities, and arriving at school for one day dressed as their favourite book character. Or whatever character can be conveniently tacked together from available costumes at home. I understand that some parents loathe the dress ups part,…
Read MoreThat old army coat
Early next year I’m planning to make a zero waste coat. I plan these things ahead: a few zero waste layouts are rolling around in my head, I’ve found/bought fabric for samples (despite the number of sheep here, it’s not easy to buy wool coating in Australia in January) and I’m considering the garment details….and…
Read More“Let the fabric inform the design direction”
Let the fabric inform the design direction. What does that really mean, practically? It sounds a little nebulous and mysterious, like a departed guru appearing in a dream and bestowing wisdom in that echo-y voice they use in the movies, something like: You must listen to your inner voice, or Use the Force Luke, or…
Read MoreScrapbag confessions
This was going to be a post about my home sewing scrap bag, and the result of doing zero waste sewing, but it turned out I couldn’t really measure the effect because I didn’t start with a clean slate. To explain: at the beginning of 2020, after dallying with zero waste for several years, I…
Read MoreZero waste with hand woven fabric
Last year I had a very special sewing experience: I got to sew hand woven fabric for the first time. The fabric was woven by Tracy of Knit-Spin-Weave, our local yarn shop. You may remember she made a zero waste bolero in hand woven fabric for the Zero Waste Sewing blog tour. I dropped in…
Read MoreThe Cendre Top blooper reel
It’s not often that I misjudge a fabric/pattern/thread combo, but it happens! Please take a look and enjoy a giggle. How can it look so wrong? On reflection, the babycord looks a little like velvet, the taupe thread looks like old-gold trim and probably the puffed sleeves add to combination. So the message is: match…
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