Sustainable Sewing: Zero-Waste Product Swaps

For the last six months or so I've been seeking out swaps I can make around the home, switching our usual products for non-disposable versions. There are, of course, heaps of fancy-looking, eco-products now available in ethical shops and online to help with this. But I've been relieved to find that a basic level of sewing ability and the reinterpretation of textiles we already own has saved me a stack, even if my versions aren't so pretty! I know that a lot of people are trying to make similar changes, so in the hope of providing inspiration, here's what I've been making:

1) Dish scrubbers. There was a surprisingly involved discussion in the comments section of my IG post about possible alternatives for what to use to when washing up. I bought a couple of VERY cute, fruit-themed, crocheted pads from Etsy, however they disintegrated pretty rapidly when they were put to the task of actually washing up multiple times a day. I finally landed on making these towelling circles for washing up, instead of the disposable, synthetic, sponge scrubbers we were using. I cut up an old, 100% cotton towel that was already pretty abbrasive, and overlocked/serged two layers together. You could even stuff them with scraps if you wanted to make them bulkier and possibly easier to grip. I made three so that I could chuck them in the wash regularly, and after six months of intense use, I can report that they are only just starting to develop a couple of holes. I don't think this is bad going, considering we don't have a dish washer and therefore do A LOT of washing up. And because these are 100% cotton, I feel much happier about eventually chucking them in the textile recycling bank (which may actually mean landfill because sadly who knows where it all actually goes).

2) Surface wiping cloths. Instead of using the same synthetic sponge scrubbers that we used to use to wash up with, or those foam-y sponge cloths that eventually disintegrate, I cut up yet more of that sacrificial towel (which we got via Freecycle about 10 years ago) and simply overlocked around the edges. Pat actually prefers these to wash up with as well; I think I made the circle ones a bit small for him. Anyways, these have been great.

3) Hands/face cloths. A former baby towel that got too ratty for bath-time got cut up into squares and the edges overlocked. We use them dampened for dealing with sticky toddler hands and faces after meals times. I'm not proud to admit that we used to keep a pack of disposable wet wipes/baby wipes on the dining table for this purpose. Marilla Walker recently shared on IG that she'd made some far more attractive ones of these using scraps of vintage towelling, but whatever works!


4) Nappy changing wipes. When we emerged from the 'milky and puke-y' stage of babyhood, we were left with a mountain of muslin cloths. I've still got some on hand for mopping up spills and covering the table when it's painting time, however, I've given a couple of the softest muslins the old cut-into-squares-and-overlock-around-the-edges treatment. I've been using these to further reduce the amount of disposable wet wipes/baby wipes we get through by dampening one before a nappy change to use if it's just a wee-based situation. I then chuck the used wipe directly into the washing machine to be washed in the next round of laundry. I still use regular wet wipes for dealing with pooey nappy changes, but these muslin squares alternative have meant we are buying the disposable kind far less frequently. I'm kicking myself for not doing this when my daughter was a baby/toddler too; I shudder to think how many of those things, plus the plastic packets, we've sent to landfill.

5) Handkerchiefs. I wrote about my foray into making fabric hankies to use instead of paper tissues here, but they have since been embraced by the whole family, so we needed MORE. This batch are bigger, 'man-sized' hankies (45cm x 45cm before hemming) made from a soft, old, bed sheet. I've discovered that when choosing suitable fabric for making them, softness really is the most important factor. Even though we have this new stack in addition to the previous ones, we still don't have enough if one of us has a cold or a bout of hay fever, so more are on the way. Plus Dolores has lost most of hers at school. 


6) Menstrual pads/Panty liners. Last year I made a batch of menstrual pads/panty liners, and I'm pleased to report that they are still going strong. I have not bought any panty liners since making these, which is a total win.


7) Wash mitt. I made a basic wash mitt for myself from yet more of the sacrificial towel. I zigzagged two layers of towelling together that I'd cut into the shape of a mitt. I used some leftover bias binding to finish the edge of the hole where your hand goes in, and some grosgrain to make a hanging loop, although I never actually hang it up. Picture an oven mitt made from an old towel. It didn't warrant a photo, but it does gets used everyday.


8) Cotton pads. I don't use cotton wool pads very often because I prefer to remove my make up with a foaming face wash, rather than specific make up remover. However, when my current stash of cotton wool pads runs out, I plan to make some like these from the Helen's Closet blog for taking off nail varnish.




So what about you? Are there any product swaps you've made that have been made easier and/or cheaper because you have a sewing machine and stash of textiles? Have you made any alternatives to products not listed above? I'm always looking for new ideas!

Finally, A Range Backpack

A backpack has been on my list of things to make for an embarrassingly long time. There have been  many trips to the woods, beaches, parks, playgrounds and so on with my kids where my shoulder bag/s kept getting in the way, and having my hands completely free would have made the experience easier and more fun (for me). The last straw came about six weeks ago when a friend and I took our little boys for a walk in the woods. I was carrying my usual shoulder bag and a cumbersome changing bag on my shoulder, and Frankie refused to walk, demanding to be carried round the whole trail. I decided that enough was enough, and later that evening I purchased the Range backpack pattern by Noodlehead that I'd been eyeing up, and set about collecting all the materials to create my ultimate backpack. 

(image source: Noodlehead)

Pattern:

Let it be known that working on a Range backpack project is no act of whimsy. There are A LOT of pattern pieces (even the front pocket has its own lining) and it requires at least three different fabrics plus fancy, profesh-looking hardware. Following the #rangebackpack hashtag on Instagram showed me that wildly differing looks could be achieved by the choice of fabric, and that it wasn't necessary to cut the pattern pieces from the fabrics that are suggested by the pattern (for example, the pattern suggests to use the same fabric for the lining and the strap pieces). 

However, I don't want to give the impression that it is not a great pattern nor an unnecessarily challenging project. The pattern is very well designed and thought out, with excellent and very detailed instructions. The pattern itself is given as dimensions rather than actual pattern pieces because it's comprised entirely of rectangles, and the designer has thoughtfully included a sheet of little square labels that you can cut out and pin to all your pattern pieces so you don't get confused by all the rectangles of fabric that you've amassed after cutting. I found these little labels particularly useful for planning which pattern pieces I was going to cut from what fabric as I was decided to not to follow every fabric/pattern piece suggestion, partly for aesthetics and partly because of fabric limitations. 

The cutting out part took about the same time, if not longer, than the actual bag construction part. Putting all the pieces together was straight forward and methodical, even with the painstaking pattern matching I'd signed myself up for. I made this bag in small instalments of time over a period of about a week, and it was thoroughly exciting to see the pile of rectangles slowly take shape into a 'real' bag!

Fabric and hardware: 

Because this project was going to be a bit more time-consuming, brain-taxing and financially costly than most of my sewing projects tend to be, I wanted to get this as close as possible to my Ultimate Backpack. The main way I was going to achieve a finished bag that was totally 'me' was through the fabric/colour choice. I scratched my head and poured over the hashtag seeking inspiration. Eventually, I found two remnants (some striped pique and some mustard denim) at Fabric Godmother, and I knew the hunt was over. What says 'Zoe's Style' more than navy/white stripes and mustard?! 

As I mentioned previously, I didn't tie myself to the fabric suggestions of the pattern. I wanted to use the heftier denim rather than a lining fabric for my straps, for example. However, the mustard denim remnant wasn't quite big enough to cut all the pieces I had hoped it would stretch to, and I didn't want to over-use the stripes, so it became clear that I'd need to introduce a third fabric. Luckily, my stash contained some scraps of lovely solid navy peachskin cotton twill that I ended up incorporating quite a bit, plus some spots-and-anchor print cotton for the lining. 

I was able to keep costs down further by turning to my stash for interfacing as well. The pattern suggests that you interface EVERYTHING, so I used up all sorts of weird scraps and leftovers of fusible interfacing for the various pieces. I decided against interfacing the lining pieces as I didn't want to bag to end up too stiff or heavy, and in the end I peeled the interfacing off some of the other pieces that I decided wouldn't need it.  

I searched the internet for a zip with an anchor or nautical shaped zip pull, but failed on that one, so ended up using a silver coloured metal teeth zip from my stash. The pattern calls for D-rings to fasten the closure, but I'd seen on Instagram that some people had swapped this for a hook/catch type fastening instead, which looked like it would lead to quicker and easier access. I found all the hardware I needed from U-handbag (owned by my lovely friend Lisa Lam) and ordered my swivel snap hook, D-ring, rectangle rings and rectangle sliders. 

Thoughts:

As you can see above, this bag performs its task of containing my stuff whilst allowing my hands to child-wrangle perfectly! It's surprisingly spacious as well; I can now carry water bottles/sippy cups, snacks, emergency-nappy-and-wipes along with my usual purse, phone, sun glasses case, fabric shopping bags, hand cream and so on without feeling loaded down. The front pocket allows for easier access to a hanky, keys and lip balm. 

However, as useful as I have found this bag so far, I still prefer to use my regular shoulder bag (made with my Anya shoulder bag pattern, of course!) when I'm walking around on my own or going shopping with the pushchair. My Anya bags allows for much quicker access to my belongings, and hangs on the handles of Frankie's pushchair better than this backpack does: the latter ending up a bit too low. 

But back to this backpack. For walks and adventures I feel I'm now set. And although this project cost quite a bit more than most things I make, by using sturdy materials and picking fabrics that fit my style to a T, I'm hoping this backpack has years and years of service in it. I'm sure that in terms of £s-per-use, it'll eventually work out to be a bargain! Now, I just have to get over the fear that it's going to get dirty...

Free Pattern Friday: Women's Knit Headband

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes a women's one. I publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those of you who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

So I've taken a slightly different tack for this month's free pattern project. It's not an entire garment, like usual, but a quicker accessory make that may appeal to A) beginners, B) sewers looking for useful ways to use up some fabric scraps, or C) a time-poor sewer who would like to make something from beginning to end in a very short amount of time. Thanks to Caroline Hulse via Janome for sharing her work on this pattern for free.  

Pattern type:

If truth be told, it probably wouldn't be a complete stretch for most sewers to figure out how to make a halfway decent headband. However, why not let someone else figure out the dimensions and method for us?! In case you were in any doubt, lemme tell you that there are about 300,000 headband tutorials and patterns available on the interwebs that people are generously sharing for free. I picked the Knit Headband pattern by Sew Caroline, which is actually downloadable via the Janome website here. I liked the width of the band, and the knot detail, which I hoped would help attract attention away from my greasy hair on days that I didn't get to wash it!

Sizing info:

This is billed as a 'one-size-fits-most' pattern. I'd say my head is on the large end of medium, and this fits me fine, however I'd be tempted to make it a bit shorter for future versions so that the tie ends don't stick out quite as much. Of course, the final size will also depend on the properties of your chosen fabric. 

(image source: Caroline Hulse)

Fabric info:

The good news is you only need ¼ metre/yard or less of fabric for this project, so if you've been sewing with knits for a while, it's possible that you've already got something suitable in your stash or fabric scraps collection. The bad news is that the only guidance given for what to use is 'knit fabric'. I would very much urge you to pick a jersey knit that isn't too thin, and has a sizeable (at least 5%) elastane/lycra/spandex content with very good recovery. 

For my first attempt at this pattern, I used a leopard print off cut from a refashioned garment, and it was a total flop (literally). The jersey was too thin, and despite a noticeable elastane content, the recovery was weak. Second time round, I used some jersey that was more substantial (this one from Girl Charlee UK) and it's perfect. I think anything you'd be happy to make leggings from would be fine for this project. 

Findings:

The pattern and tutorial take the form of a nicely designed four page PDF doc: two of those pages containing the pattern piece that you stick together. As mentioned, more info should have been given for choosing suitable fabric, particularly for beginners (and me, evidently!). Plus, there are no images or illustrations for the construction steps, which might have been helpful for a sewing novice, and I reckon the additional step of trimming away some of the seam allowance would lead to a slightly more polished headband. 

That said, it really was a fun and super-quick project, and the finished headband turned out much nicer than I thought it would. I'm sure I'll get a lot of use from it, on worse-than-usual hair days, and to keep my hair out of the way whilst I'm washing my face. 

Customisation ideas:

• You could try adding some contrast top stitching around the edge of the headband with a lightning or zigzag stitch, or a cool decorative stretch stitch, if your machine has any.
• To copy Caroline's headband (third from the top in her image above), you could try mixing two different fabrics in the same headband. 
• Monkey around with the dimensions, making the band wider or thinner for different looks.
• I saw on a different online headband tutorial (sorry can't recall now where), someone added some squiggles of hot glue from a glue gun to the underside towards the back of their headband. Apparently, this makes them much less likely to slip off, which is especially helpful whilst exercising (so I hear).

Would I make it again?

If I came across a scrap of the right type of knit, I would be very tempted to bust out some more of these, for myself or as gifts. If you've got lots of suitable pieces of knit to use up, these could make great stocking fillers for Christmas. Trying this pattern/tutorial has also inspired me to scale down the pattern and make my little girl some headbands too. 

More Mittens

November just gone was a really tricky time for me. My overlocker broke. It was being temperamental, as it can sometimes be, which I forgive due to being over 30 years old and only costing me about £60 a decade ago. But this time it just wouldn't respond to my usual solutions to its difficult behaviours. And then it got jammed, and when I forced it by turning the hand wheel a tiny bit of metal pinged off, and then it REALLY didn't work anymore. I was able to take it to the legend that is Richard Mouland (Brighton-based sewing machine repair and servicing dude), and I waited with baited breath for the verdict. Long story short, he was able to re-weld the teensy bit of metal back on and now it works better than ever. PHEW. 

But those were a tense few weeks, and I was left twiddling my thumbs a bit, sewing-wise. Of course, I know that no one needs an overlocker to sew great clothes, but as most overlocker owners would probably agree, once you're used to having one to sew the seams on knit projects and finish the raw edges on woven ones, it's hard to go without. I did a lot of cutting out, and sewing as much as I could on a few projects before having to set them aside until an overlocker came back into orbit. And I FINALLY got round to making these mittens. 

This must be the 200th pair of mittens I've made (I'm exaggerating, but only a bit), but the first in about four years. I started making them in my former job sewing for the textile recycling charity TRAID, and making the first pair of my own from a felted leopard print cardigan with cashmere lining. Two years later, that pair got recut and reworked, receiving a new lease of life with the introduction of a red wool jumper. Around that time I got back into making these on a larger scale, and made a TON which I sold at craft fairs one Christmas under the name 'Smittens'. 

My plan was to continue reusing whatever section of my own mittens was salvageable each time holes appeared, creating a perpetually renewing pair of mittens, kind of like a wooly Doctor Who. However, I'd let four-winter's-worth of wear pass by without remaking them and they has got so hole-y that they weren't really worth recutting. So I treated myself to making a new pair from scratch. My stash of felted and moth-eaten knitwear is dwindling and this is the best combo I could cobble together: lime-y yellow for the outsides and lower insides, geo-grey for the palms, grey/teal for the cuffs and some grey for the lining. Sadly, the lining isn't cashmere so they don't feel quite as soft as my former pairs, but they are snuggly enough. 

Because of the two layers of wool, these really are the warmest of mittens, and I'd whole-heartedly recommend anyone who lives somewhere that gets chilly to harvest some felted or ropey old knitwear and have a go. This is the pattern that I used, it includes seven sizes including men's and children's, and they are really speedy and satisfying to make. So if you're stumped on what to buy someone (or you've run out of funds) this Christmas, this might be the answer. You're welcome. 

Singin' in the Rain Hat

Well no one could accuse me of not trying to get my money's worth from the free Oliver + S children's bucket hat pattern! Rather than simply keeping the sun off, I figured it could also be used to keep the rain (or shower water!) off too. 

Pattern:

I used the size medium (approx. age 3-5) and made no alterations to the pattern. You can read more of my experience of and thoughts on this pattern here when I made using cotton, and also over here where I used it to refashion some unwanted jeans. I fully intend to use this pattern many more times; not only is it a satisfyingly quick make and a great scrap buster, it also produces a genuinely useful item. I can vouch for that, Dolores used her denim one almost every day for several months last summer.   

Fabric:

I'm a big fan of Rae Hoekstra of Made by Rae and all her designing output. Her fabric print designs for Cloud9 fabrics are amazing, especially for kid's wear IMO. I was lucky enough to be given a piece of needle cord from her Small World Cloud9 range which I used to make Dolores this dress. about 18 months ago. It remains one of my very favourite makes and never fails to elicit some compliments when she wears it. But as you may know by now, I try to use my stashed fabric and secondhand textiles in most of my sewing projects, however I love that all Cloud9 fabrics certified organic, and ensure ethical and ecological practices have been reached at every step of the fabric production, not just during the growth of the cotton plant, so didn't feel particularly guilty for buying this piece of Cloud9 laminate called 'Signin' in the Rain'. 

Although this fabric is laminated, it doesn't feel any thicker than a heavier-weight quilting cotton. Whilst using it I didn't treat it particularly differently than regular cotton, except for making sure all pins went through the seam allowance to avoid any pin pricks in the finished item, and using a pressing cloths and wool heat setting when pressing the seams. I didn't even bother getting out the walking foot for my sewing machine, but I did lower the foot pressure to help it go through evenly. 

Thoughts:

Such a fun project, both to make and to see in action as a finished item. My only gripe is that I didn't take a very holistic approach in regards to what bits of the print I used for what pattern pieces when I was cutting it out. Therefore the same bits of print are repeated a bit too closely than I would have preferred, but that's something to learn from for future projects I guess. It's great to have on hand, as I often find that the hoods on children's coats are designed more for appearance than practicality, and tend to blow off her head in any kind of wind. 

Cost:

Pattern: £0

Outer fabric: £5.50 for 0.25m from the Brighton Sewing Centre, enough for two hats

Lining: £0 a gift from a friend's de-stash

Total: £5.50, which will be halved when I use the rest to make Frankie one in a smaller size the autumn 

Other People's Anya Shoulder Bags

(vibrant Anya shoulder bag by Instagram user abi_norman)

Nearly a year ago I released the Anya shoulder bag PDF sewing pattern. Since then, some seriously lovely versions have been popping up on the interwebs that I've been dying to share with you. I find it very exciting to see how different the pattern looks when made up in a variety of fabrics, and what kind of looks can be achieved through fabric selection. Possibly one of my favourite fabric choices for an Anya shoulder bag was the Melody Miller amazingness pictured above, created by one of my favourite sewers in the whole world, Abi Norman (abi_norman on Instagram). 

(denim Anya shoulder bag by Handmade Jane)

Kind of on the other end of the spectrum is this gorgeous dark denim version made by the very lovely Handmade Jane. She has omitted the optional button tab for a super sleek look. I'm struggling to think of an outfit that this bag wouldn't work with! 

(Vicki Rowe's lovely and practical denim-and-owl-print Anya)

Vicki Rowe also made a lovely dark denim Anya bag (with awesome owl print lining!). The bag pattern has pleats in the bag body which secretly make it pretty voluminous. I'd like to thank Vicki for sending me the picture above of all the things she can fit inside hers!

(Joke's ditsy floral Anya with additional ribbon detail)

Joke from Brugge made the super cute ditsy floral corduroy Anya pictured above. Note how her simple but clever addition of satin ribbon on the yoke really draws the eye! 

(mixed fabric Anya with bronze piping by Prolific Project Starter)

Speaking of customisation, check this one out. For the Prolific Project Starter's third Anya, she not only used an clever mix of fabrics, but she also deployed some lovely bronze piping. I'm bowled over by how neatly she has applied it, such an incredible make this one. 

(blue and white printed fabric Anya by knitwitsowls) 

This delightful Anya has been made by Frankie (AKA knitwitsowls on Instagram), and has something of a Japanese kind of vibe to it (or is that just me?). A clever use of an interesting print that makes me want to rethink what I may have lurking in my stash....  

(IKEA fabric Anya bag made by Alex's Adventures in Fabric)

And finally, Alex gives a reminder of how good the Anya shoulder bag pattern looks in a bold, retro-y print. This IKEA furnishing/curtaining fabric is the perfect weight to give structure to this shape. 

Thanks everyone who has bought the pattern, made and shared their Anya shoulder bags! If you'd like to see more versions of this pattern, check out this Pinterest board. 

Refashion Friday: Vintage Beach Towel to Swimming Poncho

They see her rolling, they hatin'. So this refashion was probably one of the quickest I've ever undertaken, but also possibly the one I love the most! I did it whilst cooking dinner a couple of months ago before our holiday to Spain, and lemmetellyou my dinners do NOT take long to cook. 

My glamourous assistant is pictured above holding the 'raw material': a thrifted vintage printed beach towel featuring Alicante, which is the part of Spain that we went to in fact. This embarrassingly simple refashion started with me folding the towel in half, cutting a hole in it for Dolores's head, and binding the raw edge of the hole with some wide, soft fold over elastic from my stash. 

I then managed to convince her to stay still for 0.5 seconds so I could roughly gauge where her arms would go, and stitched rows of stitching from the sides towards her armpits to create armholes. In hindsight I made them a bit too high and deep so it's a bit tricky to get on, but I'll unpick and redo them at some point. 

The final task was to cut away the ratty old tasseled hem and apply some pompom trim that I bought especially for the job. Aside from making it look holiday-tastic, the trim aids in weighing down the whole thing. 

Thoughts:

Sadly, it never got warm enough during our Spanish break to go swimming and bust out this poncho. However, it got its debut when we spent a lovely sunny day last month at the outdoor water fountains in Bexhill, the next town along the coast from where we live. That was nice because Bexhill was where I charity-shopped the towel from originally. As I say, the armholes need a touch of adjustment, but aside from that this epic refashion is a total WIN, IMO. 

Cost:

Towel: 50p

Elastic: £0 (from stash bought longggg ago)

Pompom trim: approx. £2.80

Total: £3.30 

Much cheaper and so much more fun than the ubiquitous Peppa Pig towelling ponchos most little girls seem to own.  

Scrap-busting Bucket Hats

Today I want to share with you another sewing project that I've found to be ideal for using up small pieces or scraps of nice fabric. What is particularly awesome with this one is that the pattern is a freebie, so if you're using up fabric rather than buying some new stuff, it's effectively free! 

Pattern:

A couple of months ago we went on a week-long holiday to Spain. Dolores only had one sun hat from last year that still fitted her, and knowing how her hats seem to always disappeared when you're in a rush to get out of the door, I thought that making another would be sewing-time well spent. I can't remember where I first saw the Oliver + S free children's multi-sized bucket hat pattern (let's be honest, it was probably Pinterest) but I downloaded it, printed it out and then had heaps of fun raiding my scraps box to find the perfect combination of fabrics for the project. This pattern has been graded into four sizes that should span the ages of six months to eight years. And the best thing? It's reversible!!! That means you can choose two different contrasting fabrics so one hat will match twice as many of your kid's outfits. 

So how did I find this pattern? Confession time: as if I'd never encountered a PDF pattern before, I somehow cods up the printing part and despite even measuring the test square like you're meant to, I didn't figure out that I'd printed the pattern out too small UNTIL I FINISHED SEWING THE HAT. I had attempted to make the Medium (approx. aged 3-5) but it came out much smaller and only just fitted her (she was two and a half at the time). Embarrassing!!! Can I blame that brain-fart on being pregnant please?! 

Aside from that, everything else was fantastic! As with every other Oliver + S pattern I've used, the instructions are great and very user-friendly. The second time I used the pattern (for the larger of the two hats pictured in this post) I altered the order of construction a bit to complete the processes quicker, and added 2cm to the outer edge of the brim for extra coverage from the sun. The only other change I made was to use fusible interfacing for the brims on to both my versions rather than sew-in interfacing as recommended by the pattern because that is what I already had in my stash, and it worked fine. 

Fabric:

Picking combinations of fabrics for these hats was very enjoyable. I wanted both pairings to be different enough that each side would work well with different outfits, but complementary so that the hats looked appealing as a unit. For Dolores's hat (the first one that came out too small), I chose an awesome piece of quilting-weight cotton with writing on a yellow background that was given to me yonks ago by the lovely Handmade Jane, and some scraps of navy double gauze with little white anchors on (I made this hat before Dolores developed her obsession with pink stuff). The double gauze was probably too thin for this project, but the quilting cotton literally has its back on this one! I really love how these two prints and colour schemes go together, and I'm glad that the outcome is very unisex now that I know I'm expecting a boy! 

The second hat was made for Dolores's slightly older friend Hazel. Hazel's mum runs a toddler sensory class that I take Dolores along to, but instead of paying to attend we have a bartering arrangement by where I sporadically make Hazel garments in exchange for the classes. Hazel is a girly little girl, so I picked this pastel-y piece of Liberty print cotton that was kindly given to me by Sewbox.co.uk (left over from this Geranium dress) for one side, and some floral quilting cotton scraps that were left over from a dress I made for The Village Haberdashery's spring window display. Unsurprisingly, Hazel always wears her hat pink-side-out. 

Thoughts:

This was such a fun project, and a really nice way to showcase some small pieces of lovely fabric that just couldn't be chucked into the textile recycling. I doubt I'll ever buy my children a sun hat from a shop. The optional topstitching round the brim gives the hats some substance, however I think thicker weight quilting cottons or similar would work better for this project than a thinner fabric. As a relatively quick and relatively cheap make, these would be fantastic gifts to make for other people's kids. 

Cost:

Pattern: £0 (available from Oliver + S here)
Fabric: £0 (all pieces were either originally given to me, left over from a commission or I found them in a scraps bin)
Total: £0

Kerching!!! Got to love that total. Have you tried this pattern or something similar? If so, what fabrics did you find worked the best? Have you used any other free children's (or adults for that matter) hat patterns?

Five Genuinely Useful New Baby Makes #3: Drawstring Bag

(image source: The Village Haberdashery)

Hi everyone! I’m a little late in my monthly instalment of my 'Five Genuinely Useful New Baby Makes' series of posts (originally published on the Village Haberdashery's beautiful blog 'The Daily Stitch').  But fear not, I'm back to state my case for another genuinely useful new-baby sewing project. 

This one, at first glance, may not scream ‘new baby’ to you, but hear me out. When my daughter was almost brand new, a friend (blogger Handmade Jane, to be precise) gave us a drawstring bag similar to this that she had made. We have used it, in one way or another, almost every day since she gave it to us. Almost every day for two years! That’s a lot of days. Nothing we were given or bought for Dolores has been used so consistently, which is why I suggest you make one the next time someone you know reproduces.

‘Well, how is a drawstring bag useful for a baby then?’ you may be asking. Well, from my experience, the use of ours has changed a bit, as Dolores has got older. This next sentence requires a graphic description warning: when babies are tiny, they do lots of wees and runny poos, which oftentimes leak onto their clothes. A parent attempting to leave the house with their baby for more than an hour without at least one entire outfit change is, quite frankly, a fool. We used to keep our drawstring bag loaded with a change of clothing at all times. It was useful to keep the change of clothing in a separate bag, as the changing kit would sometimes get transferred between the main changing bag that lived on the pushchair and her dad’s backpack for when more outward bound type travels were being attempted.

Now that Dolores is a toddler, the drawstring bag is still useful for changes of clothes that are, thankfully, these days usually required due to mud or food-based mess. It is also really useful for chucking in just a nappy, pack of wipes, a drink and snack for mini trips out.

Convinced of their worth as a new-baby sewing project?! Good! Well, I guess the next question is how to make one. For this one, I decided on what the final dimensions should be and kind of made it up as I went along. I was pretty pleased with my efforts because all the seam allowances are enclosed which gives a nice neat finish. But there are heaps of tutorials and how-to’s out there each with their own variation. This tutorial by Quilting Bees looks like a good contender, IMO, but a simple Google search for ‘lined drawstring bag tutorial’ will bring up heaps of other options.

Perhaps even more so than the baby trousers or baby shoes, with this project you can really go to town with your fabric choices. We used some 100% organic Cloud9 cotton called Whimsical Wood  from the Sweet Autumn collection, which was complimented by some solid lilac cotton for the lining. And you needn’t hold back with the trims either, as the simple addition of a row of ribbon, ricrac or braid like this neon pom pom trim used here, are easy to apply and can really make your project pop. I’ve seen some fantastic garments and craft projects via Pinterest recently that combine delicate ditsy floral fabrics with a POW! of neon, which was the inspiration behind this bag. What fabric and trims would you pick?

Perfect Pattern Parcel #7: The Daphne Bag

It feels to me like the Perfect Pattern Parcels have come thick and fast this year, but this is the final one of 2014 (umm, where did this year go?!). If you don't know what the PPP's are, let the organisers themselves explain: How Pattern Parcel Works: Here at Perfect Pattern Parcel, we believe in supporting independent pattern designers. It’s our opinion that indie patterns are just, well, better than big box patterns, and we’re pretty sure our customers think so too. So, we allow customers to show their support in naming their own price for each Parcel. We also encourage customers to allocate part of their Parcel price to the charity Donorschoose.org in order to help classrooms in need. Pattern Parcel donates all profits after expenses from Parcel sales to the charity as well. Its our goal to raise over $20,000 for Donors Choose this year.

The patterns in this parcel are:

Barcelona Bag and Wallet by Pat Bravo 

Butterfly Sling Purse by Emmaline Patterns 

Evelyn Hangbag by ChrisW Designs 

Midtown Messenger Bag by Betz White 

Betty Bowler by Swoon Sewing Patterns 

BONUS PATTERN: Daphne Bag by Clover & Violet 

When I was invited to take part in the promo tour of Parcel #7, I was really excited when I saw that it consisted solely of bag patterns. In terms of the ratio of 'sewing-time : amount-worn', bags have got to be up there with jackets and coats when it comes to useful things to spend your time making. And yet I've only made one bag from a purchased sewing pattern (RIP, vintage curtain bag), having previously only used self-drafted patterns. When I see bag sewing patterns though, I must admit I usually get a bit turned off by the fabric choice. I tend to wonder what the bag would look like if it wasn't made from Amy Butler quilting cotton (no offence, Amy Butler or her fans, it's just not my aesthetic), but instead in something, oh I don't know, nautical perhaps? Time to find out...

The Pattern: I chose to make the Daphne Bag by Clover & Violet which is the bonus bag if you choose to pay at least $32 for the parcel. It looked casual enough to suit my everyday style and it had a zip closure which I wanted for security because I travel round London a lot. Plus, the pattern looked like it might have a couple of features that I haven't tried before. I feel my sewing has got in a bit of a rut in recent years, so I wanted to try out some new-to-me techniques, as well as use some bag-making notions and hard wear like plastic canvas stuff for the bottom and sliders (?) and rectangle rings (?). 
The Daphne bag isn't a pattern as such, it's a list of cutting instructions (it's all rectangles) and constructions steps with clear photographs. It was very easy to follow, which is handy coz my brain is in a bit of a fog these days. I made a couple of changes: I omitted the little pleats on the bag body because I wasn't a fan of them, and I didn't bother making the internal zip pocket. I did bother making the 'slip pocket' inside so I can easily access my phone, but this bag isn't exactly cavernous so I didn't think I'd need both the pockets.

The Fabric:

The checked nautical fabric I used was a scrap left over from a curtain my mum bought. She'd picked the curtain up in a charity shop to make cushion covers for my dad's boat and gave me the rest. There was just enough to make this bag (as long as I made a join in the strap section). Seriously, there's virtually just dust left, so I feel this fabric and pattern combination were meant to be. The base section is made from some navy blue faux-suede I've had lurking in my stash for a while. I'd been hoping to use it for a bag somehow, and there's still a lot left for more projects. The lining is some tomato-red and white polka dot poly-cotton that I've had in my stash since before the dawn of time which, quite frankly, I'm pleased to get out of there.

Techniques/notions/hard wear:

This project did provide me, as I'd hoped, with some learning opportunities. It was interesting to see how the zip closure was dealt with, for example. I really enjoyed using the plastic canvas stuff. It gives a fabulous stiff-but-flexible base and I'll definitely use that stuff again. I bought it, along with the slider and rectangle rings from U-handbag.

Now you may well be thinking, 'Zoe, where are the sliders and rectangle rings then?'. Well, I ordered them, they arrived, and then I promptly lost them. I spent (wasted) a whole damn evening trying to find them, to no avail. Ordering another set and waiting for them to arrive would have meant missing the deadline for my scheduled blog post slot. I was really looking forward to using them and I think they would have taken this bag up a notch, but it didn't pan out that way so I just chose a fixed strap length and went with that.

Further notions dramas ensued... The pattern calls for a 14" metal tooth zip for the main closure. I ordered one from eBay that had swanky gold teeth and red tape for contrast, but when it arrived I realised I'd ordered a 14 cm one instead! DUH. Back on eBay, I couldn't find a comparable one the correct length, but found this chunky nautical plastic one instead. Eventual-WIN.

Thoughts:

I really enjoyed making something different to my usual projects and am very grateful to the PPP organisers for providing me with the push to do it. If you could use a new bag, then this parcel would give you a lot of great options. Plus with Christmas just round the corner, you could use them to make some very special presents.