September 2025
The kangaroo, new patterns, zero waste news, and some links you'll enjoy
Hi Everyone!
Welcome to the September newsletter, and a warm hello to new subscribers.
Meanwhile, in Australia…
A kangaroo has decided to move into our backyard.
He first visited almost 6 years ago. He’s at the end of this blog post, and after that we didn’t see him for some years, but he returned last summer, with a busted hip probably from an altercation with a car, and a case of kangaroo flu (Q fever?). We knew he was the same kangaroo because one of his ears is clipped. He was in very poor condition, however he slowly recovered. On very hot days, Mr H gave him buckets of water to drink and hosed him down, which he liked. He stayed on to chew down my fruit trees, and one time I saw him eating peaches straight off the tree. Not that I blame kangaroos for this - drought conditions meant there was nothing else for them to eat.
Kangaroos live to be about 20-25 years, and we reckon he’s maybe only 8, yet he has the attitude of a grumpy old guy. Is the old hip injury giving him grief? He gets around but can no longer jump, and spends most of the time lolling in the grass.
Billy, the zero waste kit toy
Is this possibly the world’s first kit toy using a zero waste pattern?
Introducing Billy, a kit designed in collaboration with artist Meg Mader. Meg did the art and I designed the pattern and instructions. The kit is in my shop now.
Read more about this happy collaboration here.
New pattern: Cotton Time jacket
A new zero waste pattern is featured in Cotton Time magazine, a lovely Japanese craft magazine. It’s a cropped jacket with a front tab closure and pleating detail on the sleeve. It’s only a single size.
Read more about how this opportunity fell into my lap, and enjoy a styling post for this or any cropped jacket.
In zero waste news…
Pinafore lovers, get ready for Jane Gordon’s new zero waste pinafore pattern. It’s coming on September 27th; pre-order it here (and do take a look at Jane’s other patterns too). The pinafore has large side pockets and patch pockets, and uses between 80cm and 120cm of fabric depending on fabric width, dress size and length.
Sewing with Scraps, a new book by Birgitta Helmersson and Sam Grose, is coming out this month. How cute is the vest on the cover! Pre-orders are now open.
Some things you might enjoy
How to make Mira Musank's 7-square wrap top and 10-square trousers.
A surprisingly wearable shirt, made from Lego! The man explains how it’s made.
Nannup’s crocheted couch. Nannup is a small town of 2000 people, located 3 hrs inland from Perth, Australia. The couch is located in the main street outside a shop and people make a gold coin donation (ie $1 or $2) to sit on the couch and have their photo taken. Last year, the previous couch was covered in teddy bears. The couch has raised $5,000.00 in two years to support the Nannup Community. Funds raised from the current couch will be donated to the local aged care facility.
New book alert: Patchwork, a Sewist's Diary is a memoir that chronicles the sewing journey of Maddie Ballard.
Sewing machine mechanic Carl Schoenberg explains the relationship between the thread, needle and fabric to product a perfect machine stitch.
Something to file away: A YouTube tutorial for making inseam pockets in French seams (15mins). (Thank you Terri for alerting me to this.)
Podcast listeners, Handmade History digs up stories and busts myths about the materials, people, and practices related to your favorite handcrafts. Episodes are about 20-30mins long. Watch an interview with the co-host Alicia de Los Reyes on Instagram.
Designers: Tauko magazine’s design call for issue 21 is open until Oct 5th. The theme is Redesign, rethinking fashion and clothing to make it wearable and lovable for longer. Tauko’s make and share sewing call for issue 17 is open until September 7th; the theme is Happiness.
Is there absolutely nothing that cannot be improved with dress-ups? Spogomi is a game invented in Japan where picking up rubbish is a sport, and apparently it's sometimes done wearing dress-ups (highly approve!).
Jackie Chan creates an outfit from fabric while on the run from the bad guys. (30secs)
Giorgio Armani has died, aged 91.
Clare Valley friends: The Clare show is on the 18th Oct and entries are open now.
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.
When the right hem stitch matters. The choice of hem stitch really does make a difference. Take a look.
Making Birgitta Helmersson’s Slip Dress (again), this time for a nightie for my teen. A good exercise in following a design brief and listening to the recipient.
Introducing the Cotton Time jacket, and here’s five ways to wear it (or any cropped jacket).
From the blog archives
A very short blog post on zero waste toys. Related: my thoughts on designing toy faces.
Cheers,
Liz x