May 2024
The FREE sunhat pattern, getting ready for Me-Made-May, and some links you'll enjoy
Hi Everyone!
Welcome to the May newsletter, and a special hello to new subscribers. I hope you enjoy reading.
Lately I’ve been thinking about sewing and Home Ec classes. Our local high school has compulsory sewing and cooking for younger students, and our youngest teen started sewing classes this week. As predicted (by me) it’s not her favourite class; her creative interests lie in other areas. Still, it won’t hurt her to use a sewing machine.
Our older girl had similar feelings towards Home Ec with the added layer of knowing that the teacher knew I sewed, and there might be an expectation that she liked it or was amazing at it. I told her that’s what it’s like to have a famous parent! Haha!
It made me reflect on my own Home Ec sewing classes in the 1980s. I enjoyed them as I was already enamoured with sewing my own clothes, but our teachers were so…old fashioned. They were older women (sure, most adults seem old when you’re a teen, but I’m pretty certain they did their teacher training in the 1950s or earlier), and very strict on “how things should be done”. Their ideas on clothes and fashion were (I struggle for the right word here) un-fun?
Having said all that, I’ve noticed something very interesting in adult sewing classes: anyone who did sewing at school, even just a semester, was far more cluey than those who’d done none. It happened reasonably often. People who’d never touched a sewing machine found it much more difficult to get how it worked and how clothes went together. Which leads to the conclusion that introducing young people to skills such as sewing, cooking, woodwork, drawing and growing things, even a little bit, is a big help when they’re adults.
That Sunhat Pattern
Please join me for the Making Zen Online Retreat, 27th May-31st May. This is a FREE event - register here (and read more).
I’m presenting a new pattern, a low-waste sunhat. The sunhat comes in 5 sizes (54cm head-56cm-58cm-60cm-62cm), has an unusual construction and less than 5% waste.
Making Zen is a free event featuring 20 artists who will present video workshops over 5 days (4 artists each day) on a range of textile art subjects. If you’re home-schooling, this is a great resource for learning crafts. The session will be free to view for 24 hours (I think my day is Tuesday 28th), with an option to order a VIP pass and watch at your leisure.
Me-Made-May 2024
Me-Made-May starts today. Are you doing it? Me-Made-May is a wardrobe challenge to help improve your relationship with your handmade clothes. The aim is to intentionally wear your self-made items more and/or in different ways, and have fun at the same time.
This will be my eighth time. I’ve tried different ways of doing Me-Made-May in the past: a capsule collection each week; wearing only zero waste clothes; wearing going-out clothes mixed with at-home ones (bad idea); doing a wardrobe clear-out at the same time, and so on.
This year is different as I’m at home all the time with Long Covid. Sartorial standards have slipped somewhat as I have daytime lie-downs and sleeps (= can’t wear linen!) and feel the need for very comfortable clothes. I do get out of pajamas every day.
I pledge to:
Wear me-made clothes every day, with at least one item zero waste. Enjoy them. Where possible, try to incorporate a #ZeroWasteTrifecta ie three zero waste items worn together.
Aim to wear the same item in multiple ways during the week, partly to discover new ways of wearing things and partly to cut down on clothes accumulating on that chair in the bedroom.
Finish three sewing UFOs. Here’s the current catalogue.
In zero waste news….
Introducing the Twota, a zero waste bias cut jumpsuit inspired by Thayaht’s Tuta. It was unveiled recently at Kingpins - a trade show for the denim industry.
The pattern is available for free from Decode. You can read more about the original Tuta by Thayaht here.
Want to take a class in zero waste design? Emma La Rocca of emroce swimwear in New Zealand, the world’s first and only zero waste swimwear brand, offers zero waste masterclasses for individuals, businesses and universities. Read more and register here.
My new book, A Year of Zero Waste Sewing, is available to order direct from me if you’re in Australia, or from your local bookshop/online bookseller for the Rest of the World (the distributor is Ingram).
Some things you might enjoy
The Craft Video Dictionary is a a video library of craft techniques. It’s not a how-to; rather, it’s for understanding how objects are made. It will be added to over time.
Weaver Mira Musank explores square based garments which hang beautifully on the bias.
An interview with Paul Vasileff of Paolo Sebastian. I met Paul and had a tour of his atelier, and he's as friendly and approachable as in this interview.
Habitat modules for astronauts made from special fabric, being tested for NASA.
Treekind is a flexible, leather-like material, made from urban plant waste, agricultural waste and forestry waste. It’s home compostable and PETA vegan certified.
Italian designer Roberto Cavalli has died. Retired for some years, he was known for his fabulous prints, especially animal prints. (The tale of the Roberto Cavalli paint rags lives on in our memories: a long time ago I worked for a fashion designer who used European deadstock fabrics including Cavalli - I took advantage of access to the scrap bin when Mr H and I were painting our house.)
The Laura Ashley brand turns 70 this year, and is re-launching.
Fashion Revolution week marked 10 years of ethical clothing activism.
On the blog lately
A roundup of the past month’s blog posts from my website, lizhaywood.com.au.
Feel free to subscribe to my blog for weekly posts direct to your inbox, however, if you don’t need more emails in your life, I always do a roundup here.
The handiness of a tiny pincushion, and a pattern for the one on the cover of A Year of Zero Waste Sewing.
Read more about the sunhat pattern.
How not to make avocado buttons.
Revisiting the boho dress, a pattern I made for the Zero Waste Sewing book.
From the blog archives
In preparation for Me-Made-May, here’s a selection of “Ways to wear a...” posts.
6 Ways to wear a tunic dress.
Ways to wear a Bryer skirt.
6 Ways to wear a tartan skirt.
5 Ways to wear culottes.
4 Ways to wear a Petrea blouse.
Cheers!
Liz x
Full of goodness here Liz! I remember both my Home Ec and Sewing teachers at High School. They were both very strict and a little odd. I'd learned to sew from my maternal grandmother when I was young on her Singer sewing machine. I gained many of my sewing skills from her and it stood me in good stead at High School and then in later life. I taught Home Ec for a while at a High School then it was called Food Technology. Later I was a Kitchen Specialist for a primary school as part of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program. I wish all schools could have the SAKG program. :)
I recommended to my daughter that she not do home ec, and that if she was interested, she could do it at home, as I'd met the teachers in a school tour. She already had basic skills - when she was five she sewed a hooded tshirt, which my grandson recently wore, and it still looks fantastic.
One day she had to drop something off in the home ec classroom, and overheard the sewing teacher blithely telling the students that you don't bother pressing seams, just iron the garment at the end.
She was utterly horrified - and so glad she'd not signed up for the class!