Would you like to have new types of creative fun whilst saving money AND reducing your environmental impact? Sewing clothes from fabric scraps gives you all these things, AND the results are always completely unique. Today I’m sharing everything I’ve learnt over the years about sewing clothes from scraps. And although there’s never a right way or wrong way to approach sewing with scraps, these pointers will help you get started quickly if it’s something you’d like to try.
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**Download the guide that accompanies this episode ‘How to Sew Clothes From Fabric Scraps’**
Listen to the following related episode:
Fast track your fabric knowledge with the downloadable ‘Introduction to Garment Fabrics’ guide.
Pattern suggestions for self-piecing:
Brindille & Twig (all children’s)
Grainline Studios
Helen’s Closet
Named Clothing
Tessuti Patterns
True Bias
Waves and Wild
Pattern suggestions for pattern-led piecing:
Bel’Etoile
Blueprints for Sewing
Elizabeth Sweetwater
Jennifer Lauren Handmade
Matchy Matchy Sewing Club (most of them)
Megan Nielsen
Misusu Patterns (most of them) which include childrens as well as adult designs.
Sew Liberated:
Tessuti Patterns
Tilly and the Buttons:
Here are some wonderful, creative businesses and individuals who are creating awesome garments with piecing fabrics:
Improv quilters, modern quilters and boro practitioners are also a fantastic source of piecing inspiration. Take a look at the following:
Two more resources that might be useful:
#110: Knitting & Stitching Show 2023
#109: More Sustainable Thread Options with Richard from James Tailoring
#108: A More Sustainable Halloween
#107: Sewing is Political
#106: Reframing A Relationship with Clothing with Heidi Parkes
#105: A Habit of Curiosity with Heidi Parkes
#104: How to Successfully Shop for Second-Hand Sewing Machines
#103: Swimming in A Sea of Scraps with Meg Grandstaff
#102: Sustainability in Food Production with Helen Metcalfe
#101: How to Prioritise Sewing with Jenny Drew
#100: 100 Lessons from CYT
#99: Sewing Confessions with Julia and Naomi
#98: Zero Waste Patterns Book with Birgitta Helmersson
#97: Introduction to Garment Fabrics
#96: Pattern Fitting Q&A with Kate Roberts
#95: Refining Fit with Kate Roberts
#94: Garmology Podcast – Design for Repairability with Rosanna Watson
#93: Sewing for Social Empowerment with Poornima at Kundakala
#92: Self Coaching for Sewing Success with Kim Witten
#91: Self Knowledge for Sewing Success with Kim Witten
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