Book Review: Zero Waste Nähen

It’s my pleasure to review Stephanie Kroth’s new book Zero Waste Nähen. Nähen translates as sew or stitch, and this book is a collection of 25 zero waste sewing patterns. [In the interests of full disclosure, I offered to review this book when I heard it was coming out, as I thought you would like…

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6 Ways to Wear a Tartan Skirt

Hi Everyone, I’m back on this blog after 4+ weeks of “sick leave” with covid. Feeling tired but a lot brighter now. Sue Stoney’s blog post on her tartan skirt has given me the nudge I needed to think about tops for my own tartan skirt. The zero waste Clair skirt is my favourite-ever zero…

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Me-Made-May 2022 Wrapup

Me-Made-May is over for another year and I think this was the best one yet! In part, this was because the challenge had a bit of a makeover and clarification. This year, for something different and challenging, I pledged to wear zero waste clothes. Here are the 48 zero waste items I rounded up: Some…

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Making Fibr & Cloth’s ZW Iris blouse

It’s rare that I sew something for myself that’s not part of work, but I was a bit taken with Fibr & Cloth Studio’s Iris blouse. I liked the soft tie neck and the long sleeves. Iris is essentially a classic square-cut shirt, with a choice of cuff finishes. There are also instructions for turning…

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5 Ways to Wear Culottes

The zero waste culottes have been working their way into my wardrobe, very easily in fact. They seem to go with everything. Want to make a pair? The culottes pattern is still 25% off in my shop until mid-April. Here are some ways to wear them… 1. T-shirt, bicycle and waist bag THE traditional activity…

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New book: A Year of Zero Waste Sewing

Hi All, This year I started writing a new book, which (at the moment) is titled A Year of Zero Waste Sewing – A year of exploration, making and musings on zero waste patterns and clothes. I’m hoping the title will bring me higher up in alphabetical book listings! Here’s the plan: I’m going to…

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New Pattern: Zero Waste Culottes

Hi Everyone, I have a new pattern. Introducing zero waste culottes. The pattern is in my Etsy shop now – please enjoy 25% off for the next month. This pattern comes in twenty sizes, to fit a 66cm/26″ waist to a 163cm/64″. The culottes are A-line and have a waistband with a button fly. A…

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New-ish pattern: zero waste tie front top

The tie front top is one of the most popular patterns in Zero Waste Sewing. It was the first pattern I made for the book; I made all the patterns just over 3 years ago now. The pattern in the book only comes in 5 sizes, to fit a 34″/86cm bust to a 42″/106cm. However,…

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Making Mompei trousers

Mompei trousers

Weaver Kaz Madigan of the Curiousweaver studio alerted me to a free pattern on her website for making mompei trousers, a traditional Japanese pattern. The pattern was originally published in Curious Weaver mag 25 years ago and is ideal for narrow widths of handwoven fabric. A Japanese friend said her grandma used to wear them.…

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As it happens: designing a zero waste top (part 1)

zero waste top toile cut out

Many pattern designers and authors, including moi, like to keep their projects under wraps until it’s ready to show. Often it’s to stop someone pinching their idea before they bring it to fruition, but sometimes it’s because they aren’t sure of the outcome or how long it’s going to take. Over the next several weeks…

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