No Sweat! Xanthea becomes a fleecy top
I’ve just whipped up a fleecy top using the new zero waste Xanthea t-shirt pattern. The pattern comes with a long sleeve option. The Xanthea pattern is in my shop with 25% off for the next two weeks. If you’re thinking of making a fleecy top from a Xanthea pattern, here’s the ribbing measurements based…
Read MoreMaking a scrap-busting heat bag
During the week I made a couple of heat bags designed for the neck and shoulders. I made them out of scraps. Wait a minute, don’t I only do zero waste? Why am I doing things with scraps? Yes, I do generate scraps, but now they’re all of the useable rectangular type. Typically they’re the…
Read MoreXanthea in stripes
Thank you All, for your positive reception to the zero waste Xanthea t-shirt pattern last week. A couple of people asked to see what it looked like in striped fabric. If you’re reading this with a view to making a Xanthea in stripes, here’s some details… Here’s an exclusive excerpt from The Dressmaker’s Companion on…
Read MoreNew Pattern: Xanthea Zero Waste T-shirt
Hi Everyone, I have a new pattern: introducing Xanthea, a zero waste t-shirt. It’s in my Etsy shop now; please enjoy 25% off for the next month. The Xanthea t-shirt comes in nineteen sizes, to fit a 86cm/34″ bust to a 177cm/70″. The fit is loose and slightly boxy. It’s designed for knit fabrics such…
Read MoreTutorial: how to sew on a button FAST
Here’s the fastest way I know to sew on a button by hand. The key is to use four threads instead of two. But how do you thread a needle with four threads without getting in a terrible tangle? Here’s how: With four threads you can sew a two-hole button with three passes through the…
Read MoreMaking a zero waste bra
Last week I shared my bra-making exploits which led to trying to make a zero waste bra pattern. The prototype got worn this week. The fit was fine and the pattern works – Yay! There were some problems to report though: I used an elastic that was too rough next to the skin and I…
Read MoreA bra-making odyssey…but can I do it zero waste?
Folks, these are dire times: since Target Country closed their doors in April, there isn’t a bra shop within a 2-hour drive radius of here. As daughters have growth-spurt after growth-spurt, something must be done – but alas, the options are few. With these distances, it’s quicker to sew a bra than drive to the…
Read More3 books for bedside reading
The Haywood Household has been laid low. After the first few days in bed feeling utterly wretched, one migrates to the sofa in a dressing gown. Absolved of all household responsibilities, the time passes with reading, watching TV, nose blowing, taking little naps and eating ice cream with a teaspoon (to soothe the throat). This…
Read MoreBrrrr! A sundress in June
Yep, it’s a bit chilly for sundress wearing here in southern Australia, but I made this dress as a Sew together for Summer Instagram sewing challenge. Obviously the theme works better for the Northern Hemisphere! The idea is to sew a sundress and post a photo using #sewtogetherforsummer. If you also use #s21entry, you could…
Read MoreFibres fantastic! at the inaugural KSW Fibre Craft retreat
Gee, I’m so fortunate to go on not one but two road trips this month (and even more fortunate to get back from Mary Quant before Victoria’s lockdown). On the weekend, my daughter and I went to Knit-Spin-Weave‘s inaugural Fibre Craft Retreat. Neither of us had been on a craft retreat before. The venue was…
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