Making a zero waste top: episode III

zero waste hoodie top

Hi Everyone, welcome to week 3 of this zero waste top project.

So far…..

Week 1 showed the idea I started from. I made an initial pattern, cut one out and pinned it together.

In week 2, I sewed a proper sample, had a think about making multiple sizes and found some fabrics to use.

Here’s the sample, sewn in curtain fabric:

zero waste hoodie top size 10 first sample
Part 2 zero waste top prototype

I tried this sample on several appropriately-sized bodies during the week and all went okay.

I’ve spent the past week creating multiple sizes – I’m doing 12 sizes. 12 sizes is ambitious even for non-zero waste patterns and to be honest it was really hard. So hard I felt like giving up. However, perseverance is what gets you there in the end so I pushed on.

To manage the sizes and hopefully achieve clarity in the cutting instructions, I grouped the sizes into four sets: 8-10-12, 14-16-18, 20-22-24 and 26-28-30.

I cut out three tops (sizes 16, 22 and 28 – the middle sizes of each cluster) even though I wasn’t 100% happy with the pattern yet, but things became clearer as I sewed and on Friday afternoon I had a revelation and got the cutting layouts sorted.

Here’s a size 16 in checked fabric. This top works well in checks.

zero waste hoodie top size 16

Here’s a size 22 in the tiny gingham:

zero waste hoodie top size 22

Here’s a size 28 in the lovely blue poplin:

zero waste hoodie top size 28

Erm…yes…at the time of taking this photo the size 28 was still in bits.

However, I’ve now finished sewing all 3 samples (except for hems and buttons) and will try them on fit models and any hapless visitor to the house who happens to be the correct measurements – I have no inhibitions about saying: Excuse me, but what size would you be? Would you mind trying this on? Would you mind if I quickly measured you?


The Japanese work-wear style indigo chambray from The Drapery arrived at the end of the week. It’s possibly THE perfect fabric for this top. It’s actually 148cm wide so I’m cutting it around the other way (need 112cm x 148cm).

zero waste hoodie top japanese chambray

Apologies to Donna-in-the-comments; the green vintage argyle knit fabric didn’t get made during the week, but possibly this week 🙂

So this week I’ll be trying the samples on bodies and beginning to write the cutting and sewing instructions.

Please come back next week!

2 Comments

  1. Donna on August 5, 2020 at 6:10 pm

    Wow! busy week and I’m really impressed that you are doing such a wide range of sizes. Looking forward to seeing the results on bodies! x

    • lizhaywood on August 10, 2020 at 5:12 pm

      Cheers Donna!

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