Wrapping up 2022
Hi Everyone, this is the last blog post for 2022. The blog is now on “annual leave” until late January-ish.
Many thanks indeed for reading, commenting, and suggesting useful stuff. I send each post off into the digital realm each week with little idea of who actually reads it (other than my mum) so it thrills me to connect!
Finally, I again have a “subscribe to blog” button in the sidebar, so please feel free to subscribe, but if you don’t need more emails in your life, I do a round up in my monthly newsletter.
Before signing off for the year, here are some of the highlights…
Two new zero waste pdf patterns got unleashed – zero waste culottes, and doll’s clothes for the zero waste cloth doll. The doll clothes and original doll pattern are still 25% off until 25th December.
At the beginning of the year, I felt the urge to start writing a new book: A Year of Zero Waste Sewing – A year of exploration, making and musings on zero waste patterns and clothes. This time, I’m experimentally publishing it in instalments as an e-zine. January is here (free), February to May are done, and June-July-August are underway.
A big highlight was doing freelance work with some other zero waste patternmakers for Decathalon, the world’s largest sporting clothes retailer. Decathalon spent a year trialing minimal waste patterncutting to see if it was worthwhile $$$-wise. It turned out it was. The program was broadened to their 80+ brands and part of it was inviting freelancers to look at their existing patterns and generate ideas for reducing the fabric yield. We chose which garments to work on and gave a zoom presentation at the end. I’ll admit I found it incredibly stressful and hard, but ultimately it improved my confidence and helped me cement some zero waste ideas including tessellations. I don’t normally do so much patternmaking in one hit so it was a change.
Alas, I got covid in June, which stretched into long covid, and 6 months on my brain is not so sharp and I get very tired easily. If there’s any silver lining, I have absolutely no problem getting off to sleep at night!
It’s been a year of collaborations, including the Making Zen Online Retreat, a lecture on zero waste sewing for Create + Sustain, and a jacket-with-sashiko stitching collaboration with artist Kate Ward. I also continued to write learn-to-sew blog posts for The Pattern Pages.
I was honoured to be a guest on episode #31 of the Check Your Thread podcast, hosted by Zoe Edwards, creator of the Me-Made-May challenge. Chatting afterwards, she queried whether I could do a zero waste Me-Made-May, and I gave it a whirl – here’s the wrapup.
Gee, now that I’m writing this, it looks like a pretty full year!
Thank You for following along with my creative adventures during the year! I hope you’ve been inspired and encouraged to try something new. Wishing you an enjoyable Christmas, Festive Season and New Year.
Cheers! Liz x
Hi Liz,
Just want to say “hello” and thanks for the newsletter. I read every one and enjoy them from the other side of the world in Olympia Washington in the US.
Happy new year!
Victoria
Hi Victoria, thanks so much for reading. Happy New Year to you too – here’s hoping 2023’s a good one!
I admire the work you do. Your blog is one of my favorites. Have a great holiday!
Thanks so much Carol. I hope you have a great holiday too!
Merry Christmas Liz. I love reading your newsletter/blog, I enjoy and am encouraged by your view on life and how to not leave such a trail of mess through our living on this wonderful and precious planet.
Thanks Lesley, I’m so pleased you enjoy reading. Merry Christmas!
Thank you for sharing with us! I love seeing what you’re doing. I guess I waited too long to get you that measurement
Have a great holiday season, & we’ll see you next year
Thanks for reading and taking the time to write comments, Laurinda. I hope you have a great holiday season too.
It’s not too late for that measurement!
I only found your blog relatively recently, but I’ve been enjoying it immensely. I even found your Zero Waste Sewing book in the local library and gave the Tie-Front Top a whirl for my eldest, with very satisfying results. I made the smallest size in the book from just over a square metre of fabric – not sure I could have managed that with a similar “traditional” pattern!
Your zero-waste patternmaking has been fascinating and instructive to read about, even as a novice sewist who’s more at home with medieval construction methods (I re-enact as a hobby). I look forward to trying out some of your other patterns in the new year after I finish the pile of Christmas sewing for the kids!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoy reading it, and thanks for giving the tie front top a whirl. I’ve had a lot of fun with zero waste and I hope you will too. Best wishes for your Christmas sewing!
I got your Zero Waste Sewing book for Christmas, a gift from my daughter. I told her one of the highlights of my month was getting your digital newsletter! So happy to have your book; I can’t wait to start some projects. Happy New Year from Kalamazoo, Michigan!
Hi Deb, your daughter has excellent taste in gifts!
Many thanks for reading my newsletter and blog, and best wishes for your zero waste sewing plans 🙂
I really enjoy reading your blog – as a novice sewist, I’ve found it to be very informative and I’ve learned a lot. Enjoy your Christmas and New Year holidays – good to hear you’re taking a break!!!
Thanks for reading, Amanda, and best wishes for your sewing adventures!
You’ve had a lovely year and I am enjoying many of your patterns. I am looking forward to the next editions of the e-zine. Have a wonderful festive season Liz. x
Many thanks Sue, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog this year too.
I hope you have wonderful Christmas with your family.