Sustainable sewing, part three: ways forward

Can we resolve the conflict between our creative passion and the waste it produces? The final instalment in this series on sustainable sewing explores some of the ways we can promote greater sustainability in our sewing practice…

Sustainable sewing, part one: magic or myth?

Sewing can feel like magic – paying creative dividends in wellbeing and self-sufficiency – but is it really sustainable? Kicking off with a confessional, this short series explores our sewing habits and how the drive towards sustainability can sometimes turn out to be anything but…

Sewing for your nether regions: new thrills for the jaded sewist

I’m just going to come right out and say it: I made sanitary towels. And do you know what? The process delighted me as much as, if not more than, sewing a pretty dress. Making things from scratch you previously considered impossible to make from scratch – the things that fall into the category of ‘I buy them’ – is a uniquely satisfying proposition. So read on (if you dare!) to find out why our ‘unmentionables’ might be just the ticket for sewjo joy…

Studio debunk: five mantras to save money on your sewing space

It’s time to look beyond the seductive facade of the Instagram sewing studio. If you don’t have a designated space, let alone your own room, or you worry you can’t even afford to get started, read on – with a bit of thrift and creativity you can begin your journey towards a dream sewing space today…

In pursuit of stash zero: sewing sustainably in lockdown

A quest to use up every last bit of fabric in my stash over the course of lockdown has changed my sewing style: coveting new fabrics and patterns has been superseded by a heavy itinerary of mopping up. It may not last forever, but for now it’s a creative, sustainable and thoroughly enjoyable shift in pace…