As a garment sewer conscious of waste, you know how quickly fabric scraps leftover from your projects can build up. But imagine you run an entire clothing brand range committed to saving and using up every piece of scrap. Designers Birgitta Helmersson and Sam Grose tell me about their brand, Helgrose, that operates in precisely…
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Do you enjoy hearing the whys and the hows behind other people’s sewing projects? Previous-guest, Judy Williment-Ross, is one of the most prolific, resourceful and creative makers I know. In this episode, Judy talks us through the ideas and development behind some of her more recent projects. She also shares her secrets to creating professional…
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Want to hear about an exciting new development in zero waste sewing? ZW designer Birgitta Helmersson has written an incredible new book that presents a fresh approach to making your own clothes with minimal waste. Birgitta is back on the podcast to tell us all about it, plus she shares tips on using second hand…
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My conversation with Alexis Bailey of Fibr & Cloth Studio continues. We chat about the celebration of Black pattern designers during Black History Month. Alexis also shares her approach and commitment to creating zero waste sewing patterns, and her thoughts on the responsibility sewers and designers have towards waste. Support the podcast over on Patreon!…
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In last week’s episode, we heard about the journey that led designer Birgitta Helmersson to create clothing and sewing patterns that follow zero waste principles. This episode (#55) features the second part of our conversation, and in it we get stuck into Birgitta’s process and the challenges faced when producing ZW designs. Birgitta also talks…
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This 54 is the first of two featuring a conversation with Swedish-Australian designer Birgitta Helmersson. Known in the sewing community as a zero waste pattern designer, Birgitta also produces a range of ZW clothing which she sells from her shop/studio in Malmö. Prior to this, Birgitta had a diverse and convoluted career in fashion design,…
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Daisy Braid, AKA DIY Daisy, produces fantastic garment-making tutorials. Available via her website, and in a newly released book called ‘Sew It Yourself’, Daisy has made drafting and sewing simple, stylish garments incredibly accessible. By removing the need for prior experience of drafting or even using sewing patterns, Daisy’s designs can be created for bodies…
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For this episode, #31, I got to speak to Liz Haywood, a very talented designer who creates zero waste sewing patterns. After a 20 year career in clothing production, and writing and self-publishing a book called The Dressmaker’s Companion, Liz discovered ZW design and started making her own patterns using this approach. Two years ago,…
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Welcome to Episode 17! So whilst clothing made using zero and low waste practices is as old as clothing itself, zero waste patterns available for home sewing is a relatively new phenomena. This episode is an introduction to the topic, and I plan to build on it in the future with conversations with zero waste…
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