When the Daughter Judy Coe trousers were released last summer, they went immediately on my list and I even bought purple linen for them. Of course, it took me 9…
- Recycling and wasteSustainability thoughts
BOOK REVIEW: Well Worn by Skye Pennant
by Kate June 13, 2024Well Worn by Skye Pennant is a how-to book on visible mending, primarily with hand stitching. I was sent a copy by the publisher for review purposes, and I must…
It’s that garment that’s been doing the rounds and now it’s a pattern: the Fleur dress and blouse by Fabric Godmother. I’ve seen plenty of hacks but was always too…
- DressmakingSewing
SEWN: Fibre Mood Cheryl bodysuit & Modern Sewing Co Worker trousers
by Kate February 25, 2024Wearing or sewing a bodysuit – in this case, the Fibre Mood Cheryl (affiliate link) – wasn’t ever really on my list. I’ve never worn one (ready-to-wear ones never fit)…
A lot of sewing happened in 2023. According to Instagram, here are the top 9 that you, my lovely audience, liked the most! How many things? No official garment count,…
The Harrison hourglass dress by Eira of The Pattern Line has been on my backlog for a few months. I spotted some sparkle stretch denim in April from my favourite…
Be still my beating heart … the Style Arc Palmer woven dress might be my favourite shirtdress ever. And gingham linen? I don’t know anyone who would say no to…
- #makeyourstashDressmakingSewing
SEWN: Pattern Fantastique Terra pant + Top Down Centre Out
by Kate August 31, 2023The Terra pant by Pattern Fantastique has been re-released and I used the Top Down Centre Out method to fit it. I have many things to say on both, so…
The Daughter Judy Teague dress in this delightful strawberry cotton jersey fabric is a match I made immediately in my mind’s eye when I saw the pattern online. Disclaimer: sponsored…
Did you do Me Made May this year? I have some short reflections on Me Made May 2023 since it was a bit different from other years. My loose motto…
Silk bias skirts have been on my radar recently and I have plenty to say about the two I made: Fibre Mood Madeline (affiliate link) – with zip and facings…
- DressmakingOpinion piecesSewingSustainability thoughts
SEWN: favourite makes 2022
by Kate December 29, 2022Rounding up favourite makes 2022 – another year of a lot of garments sewn up! As well as my own things there was also made a bunch of things for…
Last month I was in Barcelona and Nunoya kindly gifted me a piece of fabric … and I made Fibre Mood Rhonda! A match made in heaven methinks. Although clearly…
Fibre Mood Giselle (affiliate link)… made for pre-quilted fabric which can be challenging to come by, and sometimes also challenging to sew. I thought I’d share a bit about this…
- #makeyourstashBuying behaviourSewingSustainability thoughts
5 ways to think about your fabric stash
by Kate May 12, 2022How do you like to think about your fabric stash? Do you love having a stash or does it stress you out? If you’re a keen sewist, chances are you…
The Petite Knit Festival Sweater has such a fun design, why not make 2?! That’s what I thought anyway when I finished the first one. But really, after making 2…
The Fibre Mood Rya pattern (affiliate link) was one of the top Fibre Mood patterns of 2021 and it is a total winner in this boiled wool! I always wanted…
This Sunday Cardigan by Petite Knit was my third knitting project, and I made it in yarn from Barcelona yarn shop All You Knit Is Love. For every garment, I’m…
- #makeyourstashBuying behaviourDressmakingOpinion piecesSewingSustainability thoughts
A sustainable wardrobe in 2022 vs sewing all the things
by Kate January 25, 2022In 2021 I did a lot of sewing for work, and you can hardly call that contributing to a sustainable wardrobe (depending on your definitions). So what is going to…
Ah, the sustainability of all the sewing .. a challenge when I reflect on what I made in 2021! A bit late to the party on this maybe but January seems…
Fibre Mood Clemence top from the new issue 16 is a nod to the 80s revival. Are you into the 80s? I wasn’t sure but one thing is certain: Fibre…
- Opinion piecesSustainability thoughts
Book Review: How to sew sustainably by Wendy Ward
by Kate September 9, 2021How to Sew Sustainably is the latest offering in Wendy Ward’s sewing books – there are four other ones focussed on dressmaking. There are many ways one can try to…
The Peppermint Milton pinafore is a new sewing pattern made in collaboration with Just Patterns (and it’s free! You can download it from the Peppermint website here). For once I’m…
New favourite dresses alert! The Just Patterns Helena Wrap Dress is newly released but it has been months in the making. I worked on the pattern instructions for this and…
The Peppermint Paddington Top is the latest freebie from Australian lifestyle Peppermint Magazine. Every time they release a new issue they also have a new (free) sewing pattern and they…
- DressmakingOpinion piecesSewing
Blogger / Instagrammer marketing and income in sewing
by Kate May 19, 2021Marketing via social media and blogs – with the use of “real” people (vs. paid models for example) – is prolific in the sewing world (and fashion, beauty, and a…
McCalls 7969 (M7969) -sewist cult favourite – is about big sleeves, so I thought the Merchant and Mills cotton hemp blend would work well. More than likely you have heard…
- DressmakingFabric infoSewing
SEWN: Fibre Mood Aila in sustainable (ish) fabric
by Kate April 21, 2021Seeing as it’s Fashion Revolution week again (my post about it is here), it seemed fitting to be writing about sustainable-ish textiles from which I made my Fibre Mood Aila.…
- Buying behaviourOpinion piecesSustainability thoughts
Fashion Revolution Week 2021 & sustainable sewing
by Kate April 19, 2021Fashion Revolution Week 2021 is here again. It is something I’ve been following for some years now and I like everything that it stands for. In particular, it is the…
Indie sweater (and tee) patterns are everywhere. But actually, how many patterns do you own? You can do a lot with just ONE pattern, if you hack away at it.…
- InterviewsRecycling and waste
Fibersort & textile recycling with Hilde van Duijn
by Kate March 8, 2021Fibersort is one of many innovation projects happening in the textile recycling sphere. As you might have guessed from the name, it’s about fibre sorting! The project, which ran from…
A simple no pattern gathered skirt refashion this week – a spur of the moment project. It’s rare to go from “I like this” to “ta dad” within 48 hours,…
- Fabric infoOpinion piecesRecycling and wasteSustainability thoughts
Challenges with fibre blends and recycling
by Kate January 27, 2021Late last year I heard Dutch sustainable fashion consultant Roosmarie Ruigrok speak about fibre blends and textile recycling. The context: the talk was at Impact Hub Amsterdam and mostly about…
Do you make sewing plans? Mine are always super loose, ideas on a postcard if you will. For 2021 I have decided that this is the year of fashion, starting…
- Buying behaviourOpinion piecesSustainability thoughts
A conscious consumer still consumes
by Kate January 6, 2021The conscious consumer – a sustainability buzzword that many of us have probably heard by now. In the aftermath of the end of year Black Friday / Cyber Monday shopping…
In the second half of 2020 I still sewed all the things. I think this year, in particular, many hobbyists turned to sewing as a creative outlet. For me, sewing…
- DressmakingSewing
SEWN: Just Patterns Tatjana Trousers in Meet Milk Tencel™
by Kate December 18, 2020Be still my beating heart, because I have Just Patterns Tatjana Trousers! The story begins some months ago. I was lamenting to Delphine that I could not buy the high…
The Lotte Martens Cypres Box is a sewing kit containing all the necessary items to make a sweater. Don’t know Lotte Martens? I have been a long time admirer of…
I refashioned an unloved dress into a Fibre Mood Holly! (affiliate link) Sometimes things just don’t work out and earlier this summer I made a dress as part of a…
- DressmakingSewing
SEWN: All the turtlenecks (Papercut Rise and Fibre Mood Daniella)
by Kate December 3, 2020This year I want to wear all the turtleneck, so I made four. 3x Papercut Rise and 1x Fibre Mood Daniella (affiliate link). Excessive? Maybe yes but winter does not…
The Just Pattern Tyra Tee was released in August, and I’d already made 2 versions. Then I saw that the Sewcialists are having a mini #SewcialistsTNTee challenge (TNT = Tried…
- Opinion piecesSewingSustainability thoughts
Sewing and fashion marketing – transparency in ads, gifts and sponsored posts
by Kate October 14, 2020Do you have a blog or Instagram account that includes ads, gift and sponsored posts? For example, did the owner of a sewing or fashion business give you something for…
A new make – a hacked version of the Fibre Mood Giulia dress from the latest edition of Fibre Mood (affiliate link). If you’re active on Instagram you’ll probably have…
When I first saw the Fibre Mood Norma pattern amongst the issue 9 spring/summer offerings, this was my favourite. Turns out it was also everyone else’s favourite! And it was…
For someone who is supposedly into sustainability, I’ve been sewing all the things in the first half of 2020. A few things happened: I started working in sewing, which gives…
Of all the sustainability topics out there, the issue of greenwashing is pretty problematic. Organic textiles – especially organic cotton – if certified GOTS, is one of those textiles widely…
- DressmakingSewing
Indie patterns: elastic waist pants comparisons and how to choose
by Kate May 31, 2020If 2019 was all about dungarees and jumpsuits patterns, then 2020 is the year of elastic waist tapered leg pants. Or trousers for my UK friends. I’ve seen 5+ indie…
- Buying behaviourOpinion piecesSustainability thoughts
Fashion Revolution and a sustainable-ish life
by Kate April 21, 2020Fashion Revolution has rolled around again, can you believe it’s been 7 years? Last year I wrote about the big issues in fashion, and the year before that it was…
It’s been quiet around here in these parts, no? Besides us moving house fairly recently, like many parents we find ourselves suddenly more busy and more tired than before. Having…
As I write this, the Instagram hashtag #makeyourstash started by myself and Pilar 2 years ago has reached >8000 posts. Whilst it’s not all sewing challenge related – wow! What…
Did you see my last post thinking about the sustainability of natural dyes? I’d pretty much decided that if I was ever going to try it, then it would be…
Natural dyes – another buzz term in the sustainable world and I’m starting to see it become more popular in the sewing world. Being sucked in by pretty pictures of…
- CoutureInterviewsSewing
Sewing inspiration: in conversation with Kathryn Brenne
by Kate December 29, 2019What’s the difference between a home sewist and sewing professional? How do you take your sewing to the next level to turn your homemades into couture pieces? Want to know…
- Fabric infoSustainability thoughts
Should my choice of fibre to make clothes be top priority?
by Kate December 6, 2019One of the most common questions I get from friends, family, random emails in my inbox is about the choice of fibre for clothing. I had it again the other…
- Recycling and wasteSewing
Me made upcycled leather labels for sale (and notes on upcycling)
by Kate November 13, 2019Ever made jeans, accessories or casual trousers? (I’m thinking Lander pants). A leather label on the outside for me is the ideal finish for stuff like denim but I never…
- Recycling and wasteSewingSustainability thoughts
The sustainable tote bag kit: now available for sale
by Kate November 6, 2019Did you see my recent blog post on a recycled fabric collaboration? It’s available for sale: a DIY sustainable tote bag kit with all the sustainable sewing vibes. *UPDATE 5…
- Fabric infoOpinion piecesRecycling and wasteSustainability thoughts
Fabric production: choosing local or offshore?
by Kate October 30, 2019Local or offshore production? Transparency in the fashion business is a funny beast. I love everything about apparel fabric and for the past few years I’ve always wanted to do…
- Fabric infoSewingSustainability thoughts
Recycled fabric coming soon: a collaboration with Enschede Textielstad
by Kate October 16, 2019If you’ve been following me on Instagram you might have seen I’ve been hinting at a new project. And you heard me right, it involves sustainably produced fabric woven with…
- Fabric infoOpinion piecesRecycling and wasteSustainability thoughts
How dead is deadstock?
by Kate September 25, 2019Deadstock. Over the last couple of years, I have heard a lot of people talking about buying deadstock (or overstock) as their method of incorporating sustainability into their sewing. The…
- Buying behaviourFabric infoOpinion piecesSustainability thoughts
What are you paying for when you buy fabric?
by Kate September 11, 2019Ever thought much about what’s behind the amount of money you pay for your fabric? The questioning around how a could t-shirt could possibly cost £3 at a low priced…
- InterviewsOpinion piecesSustainability thoughts
An interview with Clare Press – the way forward for sustainable fashion
by Kate September 1, 2019If you’re into sustainable fashion you’ll have come across Clare Press, sustainability editor at large for Vogue Australia as well as the author of the books Wardrobe Crisis and Rise…
- Fabric infoInterviewsOpinion piecesSustainability thoughts
What’s the most sustainable textile to buy?
by Kate August 17, 2019The title is a rhetorical question – it is I believe a truth universally acknowledged, that there is no such thing as “most sustainable” when it comes to textiles. (Sorry,…
- DressmakingSustainability thoughts
SEWN: solving a sustainable maternity wardrobe crisis
by Kate August 5, 2019Guess what? Come November, my toddler is going to be a big brother. Of all the joys that come with pregnancy, there are also a lot of pain points, whether…
- CoutureSustainability thoughts
SEWN: Crazy about couture: the 60-hour jacket (part 2)
by Kate June 23, 2019Construction of a double faced wool crepe jacket with couture techniques – part 2 on pockets, collar and topstitching
Construction of a double faced wool crepe jacket with couture techniques
Do you make quilts? Today I’m sharing the first quilt I ever started, and the first one that was made solely by me. As it was for my son I…
- Opinion piecesRecycling and wasteSustainability thoughts
A solution for wastewater treatment from small scale textile dyeing (research project)
by Kate May 10, 2019A potential solution for small scale artisan textile dyers in developing countries to treat dye effluent
- Buying behaviourOpinion piecesSustainability thoughts
The big issues in fashion: #FashionQuestionTime
by Kate April 29, 2019As Fashion Revolution gets bigger each year, so do the high profile events. This year’s Fashion Question Time event on 24 April had a panel discussion about the future of…
- InterviewsOpinion piecesSustainability thoughts
How making can make a difference: from a sustainable fashion insider
by Kate April 17, 2019April to me means Fashion Revolution. Today I’m thinking of one of the most dedicated changemakers I know. Clare Farrell – academic, fashion professional and environmental activist – taught me…