May 2025
Making Zen, Humpty Dumpty, zero waste news, and some links you'll enjoy
Hi Everyone!
Welcome to the May newsletter, and a warm hello to new subscribers.
I feel a little silly admitting this, but lately I was challenged with the notion that clothes and fashion are two different things. I know, a crazy revelation for someone who’s worked in the fashion industry their whole career, but I never really gave it any thought. In my mind they were always the same thing: fashion=clothes, clothes=fashion.
Maybe I have a different angle on the word “fashion”? Back when I trained, “fashion industry” encompassed any type of clothing manufacture too, be it Dior or school uniforms, and learning to make clothes was a huge part of it (otherwise, how could one design them?) When you get down to the actual process, every item still needs to be designed, patternmade, cut and sewn.
Anyway, I’ve been mulling over this idea of clothes and fashion and their connection. Sure, I can understand clothes can exist on their own outside of fashion, and that clothes are (one of) the medium for fashion. And yet, clothing that’s considered outside of fashion (uniforms, sports clothes, dance costumes, workwear, traditional clothes etc) does indeed go through cycles of fashion, even if it’s in its own sphere and not necessarily the choice of the person wearing them. But we wouldn’t call those clothes fashion.
Out of interest, I asked the younger Haywoods (both Gen Z) if they thought clothes and fashion were the same thing. Younger teen said Sort of. Older teen said Fashion is expressing yourself creatively, and clothes are what you wear so you don’t get taken down to the police station for running around naked. Spot on.
Making Zen is back!
The big news is that registrations for Making Zen open today. Making Zen is a FREE five-day online event for hand stitchers and crafters. From 26th-30th May, 30+ textile artists will guide you through workshops on a range of stitching techniques and creative processes, and we will create along together.
I’m presenting one of the workshops! We will be making a zero waste toy: Humpty Dumpty. It’s suitable for a young child and can be sewn by machine or by hand.
Humpty has an old-fashioned toy kind of vibe, sort of 1930s, and can be embellished any way you like (or not at all); it’s a blank canvas for your creativity.
If you've never used a zero waste pattern before this is an easy place to start. As I guide you through the workshop I'll be talking about the design process and giving you sewing tips you can use for other things. The session goes for about half an hour (I'm not yet sure which day mine will be on.)
Making Zen is a great way to be introduced to new artists and techniques. If you’re homeschooling, it’s an opportunity to explore some new crafts together.
If you want to revisit the sessions and get a bundle of additional resources, there’s an option to buy an VIP Pass.
I hope you can join me there!
*Note that the links are affiliate ones; if you decide to order a VIP pass, the artist benefits.
In zero waste news…
Waste Insight is a digital tool built for design teams to simplify and automate how much fabric a cutting layout uses. Using advanced algorithms, the tool can test thousands of multi-size pattern variations in just a few hours and deliver a report highlighting the top-performing options. The design team defines the parameters according to what they are willing to change on the pattern - its negotiables and non-negotiables - and then the tool will look for all the possible transformations of the pattern within the parameters.
The National Zero Waste Conference in the USA is happening on October 22-23. There’s no need to travel - it’s all on Zoom. The call for speakers closes May 1st.
Are you a fashion company in New Zealand? Emma La Rocca of emroce swimwear is offering a chance to participate in their FREE zero waste design trial. Details are here. Registrations are also open for anyone to participate in the 2025 Online Zero Waste Masterclass, Friday 8th August, at a very reasonable price.
Some things you might enjoy
Jill Bearup's thoughts on designing armor for women's bodies, be it costumes, historical, modern real life, or computer game characters. So fascinating!
Paynter jackets include a care label for the jacket and a care label for the wearer. Btw, Paynter did a collaboration with Merchant and Mills to produce a sewing pattern of their jackets.
Sports equipment and attire generates enormous quantities of waste. Joanna Czutkowna buried a synthetic footy top, a cotton t-shirt and a wool/cotton jumper in the ground for 6 months to demonstrate how quickly they decomposed (or not).
Eleven school jackets rescued from landfill with some time and sewing skills.
Do you have Netflix? The Quilters documentary will be screening from May 16th. It’s about some men in prison who sew quilts for foster children. Listen to a podcast interview with the film maker here and also here.
The Future Fabrics Expo is on in London on the 24th & 25th of June, and visitor registration is now open. Here's a walk through of the last one in NYC. (Thanks Joanne for this one.)
The Outdoor Recreation Archive at Utah State University seeks to develop a historical collection of books, catalogs, periodicals, photographs, and manuscripts documenting the history of outdoor gear. Flip through their Instagram for a heavy dose of nostalgia.
Do you know what a prong keeper is? Take a look. I’m going to include one on my next pair of trousers.
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.
A patternmaking tutorial for tessellating pattern pieces, something I use fairly often for zero waste patterns.
Making SKFK’s Habene dress, a zero waste pattern.
Laying plans for Me Made May 2025. Are you doing it this year?
The lost wedding dress photos and the curious tale of the green neckline.
Making Zen, and more about the Humpty Dumpty project I’m presenting.
From the blog archives
Dad’s Jumper. As we enter cooler weather, I’m planning to wear this and try some new outfits with it during Me Made May.
Three buttonhole woes and how to fix them.
Cheers,
Liz x