Book Review: Zero Waste Patterns by Birgitta Helmersson

It’s my pleasure to review Birgitta Helmersson’s new book, Zero Waste Patterns. Birgitta is a Swedish/Australian designer and pattern maker based in Malmo, Sweden, where she and partner Sam Grose run a shop and studio. She has been making zero waste patterns for over a decade. Take a look at Birgitta’s website, where you’ll find…

Read More

Recommended Reading: Disney, Fibershed and Francis Marshall

A mixture of great books have arrived from the library lately, all very different but so interesting. The Art of Disney Costuming – Heroes, Villains and Spaces Between by Jeff Kurtti and the Staff of the Walt Disney Archive (2019 Disney Enterprises Inc) Everyone at home loved this book! It’s a big book, almost A3…

Read More

3 books for bedside reading

Recommended reading All 3 books together

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 More

Book recommendation: Mend it, Wear it, Love it!

Mend it, Wear it, Love it! – Stitch your way to a sustainable wardrobe is a new, highly-beginner-friendly “mending + more” book. It’s a nuggetty little hardback book. The author is Zoe Edwards, who will be familiar to those who have participated in Me-Made-May. Zoe blogs at Sozowhatdoyouknow. This is her first book. So…you might…

Read More

Yay! It’s publishing day, and blog tour roundup

zero waste sewing book publishing day

Publishing day is finally here for Zero Waste Sewing! A blog tour has been running over the past week, with each reviewer making something from the book. They all made something different, and all of them departed from the instructions at some point to make it their own. This is one of the hopes I…

Read More

Book recommendation: Modern Mending

Modern mending book cover

Mending is trending, but there are better reasons to mend your clothes… Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald’s new book Modern Mending is a comprehensive guide to mending your clothes that combines practical know-how with whimsical creativity. There is a light-hearted, creative vibe flowing through this book; mending can be artistic, stylish, maybe quirky, and add to a garment’s…

Read More

Book recommendation: Measure of a Man

Measure of a Man

Measure of a Man – From Auschwitz survivor to presidents’ tailor is the memoir of Martin Greenfield, considered by many to be the best men’s tailor in the United States. I read this book in one day! Martin Greenfield grew up in a Czechoslovakian village by the Carpathian mountains. When he was 15, he and…

Read More