New Pattern: Beach Towel Kaftan
Hi All, I have a new pattern, a kaftan cut from beach towels that’s almost zero waste. It’s a collaboration with alterations styling guru Nicole Akong, who I met on Instagram. If you’re a Great British Sewing Bee watcher, Nicole was in the 6th series. The pattern can be ordered here, and there’s an option…
Read MoreDad’s Jumper (a true story)
Today is Father’s Day here in Australia, where Dads are eating breakfast in bed and doing family stuff. An enjoyable day for many, and a reflective day for others. Father’s Day was never a big thing in our family. According to my dad, Father’s Day is a bad idea – fathers should be celebrated everyday!…
Read MoreCuriosity and the Two Hats
(or the boring title: An analysis of textile wastage and yield: a case study comparison of two head coverings.) Lately I wondered how much of a fabric saving the zero waste warm hat delivers, compared to a conventional pattern. The zero waste warm hat is a new pattern, and the culmination of 18 months of…
Read More1920s, 1930s, 1940s: More Gems From The Sewing Library
Following on from last week’s post covering the 1950s, 60s and 70s in the Museum Section of my home sewing library, here’s some beaut books from the three decades before. 1940s The 1940s is represented mostly with Home Ec textbooks produced by the Education Department of South Australia. 1930s Neither of these books has a…
Read More1950s, 1960s, 1970s: Gems From The Sewing Library
Do you have a sewing library at home? I bet you do! I’ve been cultivation a sewing library since I was a fashion student in 1990. It’s a collection of sewing, fashion and patternmaking books, but it also has a Museum Section. The Museum Section contains old books that I inherited, found at garage sales…
Read MoreNew Pattern: Zero Waste Warm Hat
After messing with zero waste hat ideas for the past 18 months, I can now present to you a fully zero waste hat. Introducing the ZW Warm Hat, a hat for the winter months. The pattern is now in my shop. Please enjoy 25% off for the next month. This hat is self-lined with a…
Read MoreLove a Cardi! Making the Eccles Cardigan
The Eccles Cardigan is a free zero waste pattern by Emily Handler of Empty Hanger patterns. It’s a “wardrobe staple” style, with a classic crew neckline, and long or 3/4 sleeves. Eccles comes as part of a collection of other free zw patterns, with an option to pay for them (recommended). It comes in 17…
Read MoreMum’s Sheepskin Vest (and the change of plans)
Many years ago, my mother was given a sheepskin vest by a family friend. I remember Mum wearing it on camping trips when I was a child, although she doesn’t recall this. An exhaustive search through the family photo archive to back up my claim failed to bring up a single image. So who knows?…
Read MoreFinished! Optimatium Denim Coat
This past week I’ve been busy sewing a coat version of the Optimatium dress. The Optimatium dress is a zero waste pattern which appeared in Tauko magazine last year, and is now a pdf pattern in extended sizes. The pattern is in my shop – please enjoy 25% off until June 26th. For the coat,…
Read MoreOptimatium in Denim (Part 1)
A conversation with my tech editor last week, combined with the happenstance of surplus-to-requirements denim in the house, let to cutting out a denim Optimatium pattern on the weekend. The Optimatium dress is a zero waste pattern which appeared in Tauko magazine last year, and is now a pdf pattern in extended sizes. The pattern…
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