New pattern: the Smith Pinafore Dress

Smith Pinafore dress

Hi Everyone, I’m excited to introduce a new pattern: the Smith Pinafore Dress. It’s in my little Etsy shop now; please enjoy 25% off during October. This pattern comes in 12 sizes, from an 87cm/34″ bust to a 142cm/56″ (but can actually be made bigger than that). It’s designed for traditional non-stretch (rigid) denim and…

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The official Zero Waste Sewing blog tour

Blog tour dates

Tomorrow the blog tour for Zero Waste Sewing begins! Each stop on the tour has a review of Zero Waste Sewing and shows a garment from the book made by the reviewer, with their own fabric choice, interpretation and aesthetic. Monday 9th Jane Milburn of Textile Beat Jane is a sustainability consultant, TEDx speaker, upcycler,…

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A lifetime of sewing patterns: a tribute

A lifetime of sewing patterns

Last week I got a call from a man offering me his late wife’s sewing patterns. Her name was Carol. I took the patterns to my sewing class, but before the class I looked through them all. Carol’s pattern collection reflected a lifetime of sewing, beginning in the late 1960’s with some cute maternity patterns…

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A day at the country show

A day at the country show

On the weekend was our town’s one-day country show. I had decide two years ago to enter something in the dressmaking section, but last year I was too busy with The Dressmaker’s Companion and didn’t get around to it.  There were hardly any entries that year, and I vowed to make sure I was organised…

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