Zero Waste Fashion
Sleeves, Triangles, and the Arc T-Shirt
Last week’s post had (I thought) satisfied the head-scratching on using triangles as sleeves. But was it “correct”? Here’s a quick re-cap: This is how I thought the sleeves might be formed: Here it is tried in fabric, full-scale. It works OK, although I’m not sure how to control the width of the sleeve for…
Read MoreCutting zero waste sleeves from triangles
Zero waste sleeves have been on my radar lately. Sleeves were the theme of the newly-published September zine for A Year of Zero Waste Sewing, and I looked through lots of new and old sleeve ideas while writing it. Of course I turned to the influential and significant Zero Waste Fashion Design to see what…
Read MoreA Better Hat
Last week’s zero waste hat pattern has had a few tweaks and been re-made in a more…erm…exciting fabric (it’s not hard to beat khaki!). I had mixed feelings about the khaki hat, but on the same day as making it, we had a family dinner and it was enthusiastically tried on by all and declared…
Read MoreThe Hat Challenge
I happened to see that #sewover50 on Instagram have a mini challenge to sew a hat. I thought I might sew one, maybe using the free hat pattern on this website. Then I remembered I had a prototype for a zero waste hat lying around behind my sewing machine – maybe now is the time…
Read MoreThoughts on zero waste bias cutting
The bias cut slip dress/pinafore I started last week is practically finished. To re-cap, I’m exploring bias cut & zero waste for the September instalment of A Year of Zero Waste Sewing, a book I’m publishing as zines. I tried out some ideas I had using the slip dress pattern from Birgitta Helmersson’s new book,…
Read MoreA Skirt for All Seasons: Ways to Wear a Bryer Skirt
This month I introduced a new pattern, the zero waste Bryer skirt. This pattern comes in 20 sizes, to fit an 86cm/34″ hips to a 183cm/72″. It has generous pockets, an option for back waist elastic, and the length can be changed. The pattern is in my shop now – please enjoy 25% off. I…
Read More6 Things I didn’t predict with zero waste patterncutting
It’s been just over 7 years since I first encountered zero waste patterncutting and I’m still as enamored with it. At the beginning of 2020, I decided I would only make zero waste patterns from now on. Here are some things I didn’t predict… 1. Zero waste uses less fabric There are some who say…
Read MoreLiterally, Wearing a Square
Curiosity overcame me during the week, and I tried out the square-shaped top I had in my sketchbook, originally from Pinterest. I was very interested to see what it would look like on a body. For fabric, I had some striped soft double-knit that Mum gave me. The stripes are narrow on one side and…
Read MorePresenting the Zero Waste Bra Pattern
Here’s the pattern for the zero waste bra I’ve been working on. The previous posts about this project are: June 2021 when I thought I could make a bra; this led to a zero waste bra in one size but I put the project aside; then I picked it up again some weeks ago; last…
Read MoreLet the Bra Making Commence
This week, the story continues with the zero waste bra pattern I dug out of the zw archives for another whirl. My teen asked me to have another try making her a zero waste bra, so I’ve revisited the pattern. I’ve been on hold with this project until now because the bra haberdashery I ordered…
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