Hi Everyone,
Welcome to the March newsletter.
It’s been a month of highs and lows here at Haywood Homestead.
To begin with the highs…
Some news in the world of zero waste sewing patterns: Cindy of @the_sew_sew has released a Modern Bog pattern which is here, and it’s a very versatile and easy pattern. Maureen of @processofsewing is launching several zero waste patterns this Friday - Maureen lives in Berlin and is donating 25% of proceeds in the first week to German Red Cross’s relief efforts in Ukraine. Zero Waste Design Online (ZWDO) now has a directory of zero waste sewing designers and patterns.
I’m on a podcast! I chatted to Zoe Edwards of the Check Your Thread podcast about zero waste patterns. (28mins)
Last month I began writing a new book, which I plan to publish in installments as a zine (what’s a zine?). I haven’t tried this model of publishing before but I think it will be more manageable. The first installment is free and should be ready in a couple weeks. At the moment, it’s called A Year of Zero Waste Sewing - A year of exploration, making and musings on zero waste patterns and clothes.
A new pattern, zero waste culottes, should also be ready in a few weeks time. I’ve been very happy with the fit tests and look forward to showing you the pattern. Here’s one of the initial samples on me:
Moving onto the lows…
This one is for your amusement: I sewed a culottes sample in a wool plaid to see how it worked in checked fabric, and accidentally re-created my school uniform! I think I can still use it, provided I style it carefully. Very carefully. No photo here sorry.
It pains me to write this next part, but I’m issuing my first pattern errata.
The Sandie shirt has had a small but important change to the pattern on page 19, Step 38. Over the past year I've been wearing the Sandie samples and noticed the underarm points on all of them have pulled free, and now all of them have holes under the arms. Clearly the underarm isn’t strong enough to match the stress of wear.
If you have this pattern, here’s a download for a replacement page 19:
Xanthea has the same underarm construction. Although the Xantheas here at home have been worn lots and don’t have holes, it’s only a matter of time.
If you have the Xanthea pattern, here’s a corrected Page 20:
The patterns have been updated in my shop but unfortunately Etsy has no way for pattern updates to be sent to previous buyers.
I'm very sorry indeed if you've made these and had the same underarm problem. Sandie in particular is a time consuming garment to make and shouldn't need mending so soon after it's made.
In Aussie news
Bendigo Art Gallery in Victoria, Australia, is hosting an Elvis exhibition in partnership with Graceland. 19th March - 17th July. Sure to be some great costumes on display! Priscilla Presley will be at the opening and is doing a talk for members on the 19th of March.
The David Roche Foundation House Museum in Adelaide presents Silhouettes: Fashion in the Shadow of HIV/AIDS. 29th January - 18th June. It looks great - read a review here.
Her Business Collective, a women’s business networking group here in South Australia, are holding a fashion-focused business show case, with fashion parade, this Sunday 6th at Eldredges Winery. I’m one of the speakers! The other two are Emily Riggs of Iris & Wool and Sheri Dixon of Lalt Collective. Tickets are still available.
Some things you might enjoy…
A video of Australia's first national dressmaking competition in 1963. (4:13min) Can you pick the winner? (I did!)
You've heard of Fast Fashion, but Ultra Fast Fashion? Chinese company Shein uses a new selling model for clothes (podcast, 53mins). Related article: The Myth of Sustainable Fashion - a good read, recommended, although a bit depressing.
An overview of how to make Tatsuke, traditional Japanese farm trousers which are zero waste. (3:34mins)
Beth Carroll’s embroidered birds and other things (Instagram).
Researcher Sarah Bendall makes and wears corsets to understand history.
The oldest woven garment in the world, the Tarkhan dress.
The end of an era: the entire Kwik Sew range of patterns will be withdrawn from market at the end of October, and all patterns will be discontinued. Kwik Sew is owned by McCalls. Read a little about how Kwik Sew patterns started.
Looking for a good read on trousers? Check out Well Dressed Dad's Trouser Tuesday blog posts.
A new embroidery book has come out, Improv Embroidery by Carol Cooke. You can buy a copy direct from Carol.
On the blog lately
3 places to get design ideas from, with a look in my sketchbooks at some sketch-to-finished-design examples.
Celebrating 6 years of The Craft of Clothes blog. I reveal the 6 most-visited posts, with some surprising changes since the 5 year anniversary.
Tutorial: mastering fly fronts.
I visited a wedding dress exhibition in a nearby country town and had a delightful time looking at gowns.
From the blog archives
Making a lego playmat from an op shop tablecloth. I bought a selection of old tablecloths to choose from. Sharp eyes may notice the green floral one got cut up into the geometric top for the Zero Waste Sewing book.
Flashback! 1989 prom night.
Thanks for reading!
Cheers, Liz