A selection of projects and gifts that can be sewn for yourself and others throughout the year.
Who here struggles with finding gifts for friends and family? Snap. Which is why I think it’s a better idea to create a list of Christmas gifts that you can sew for friends and family, and then space the projects out throughout the year. I know that some people dislike the idea of making gifts …
I love bow ties. I love them for myself and for others, and I’ve made quite a few in my time because they make great gifts. Today I’m sharing a tutorial on how to make a bow tie out of any fabric. In this tutorial, I’ll also be sharing the two ways I use to …
It’s getting close to that time of year (again) and you may be a bit like me, thinking about all the things your dad already has and what you could possibly get him that he doesn’t already have… Of course, it’s a tad late to be sewing up a big project in time for Father’s …
This padded glasses case tutorial was part of a DIY gift series I created for my YouTube channel in December 2022, and for some reason never made it to my blog. I love the padded glasses case I made in this tutorial, and usually have it with me when I leave the house so that …
This tutorial on upcycling brogues into DIY mules came about after I popped onto Pinterest and searched for tutorials and found nothing. I also searched Google, and again came up empty. But why was I looking to refashion some mighty fine brogues you’re surely asking? Well, I have always wanted a pair of brogues, and …
I love the start of a new year. I find that it sparks a burst of creativity in me and a desire to invest more time into a variety of creative hobbies. Yes this does taper off as the months go on and I get ‘burned out’ from too much creativity – one of the …
In this tutorial I’m going to show you how to make a bandana, for yourself or others. I’ve been growing out my hair, and during the hot months I have struggled with the back of my head getting really hot where my hair is thickest, so I thought I would make myself a bandana to …
For a long time used to make those last minute purchases for Christmas gifts – the ones where you’ve dashed into a general store, frantically searching for items that can be gifted the next day. Yes, I was a Christmas Eve shopper. As I got older, and more aware of sustainability, I realized it was …
Several years ago I created my first sewing planner, to help me better plan my sewing projects. And every year since I have continued to update the planner, having received so much great feedback from those who have purchased and used them. This year, I decided to do things a little bit different. As well …
It’s that time of year, and with it comes the need to buy gifts for people. Or does it? What if this year we focused on DIY gifts, those handmade beautiful items that we make from what’s in our stash and gift them to loved ones in lieu of splashing cash on things few people …
If you’re a guy and have decided to start sewing, you may want to dip your toe in and feel the water with some beginner sewing projects for guys first. That’s not to suggest that sewing is harder for men than it is for women – this same advice holds for anyone who wants to …
Making your own clothes is a great way to show off your personal style. And for others it’s a way to save money instead of spending so much on fashion in stores. The great news is that there are many different ways to make clothes for yourself and others, and each of them can be …
Every year I mean to write an article about spring sewing projects and every year I forget until it’s too late. Not this year! I’m currently sewing up a storm so that I have some summer clothing to wear and I’m sharing the different sewing patterns that I’m using as well as details on the …
I recently made a DIY corset top for my Drape & Contour for Beginners course, which teaches beginners new to draping how to drape a bodice block, skirt block and corset style top. I show the process of designing the DIY corset top using a larger sized adjustable dress form and in May this year …
I thought it would be great to write an overview of what I made in 2021 to sit alongside a recent video I added to my YouTube channel. In that video I also shared my makes from 2020, being that there were so few in 2021 due to personal reasons. If you’d prefer to watch …
Today I’m sharing another sewing pattern with you – my free sleep mask pattern and tutorial so that you can make your own DIY sleeping mask for yourself or as gifts for others! I created this pattern by holding a piece of paper over my face and marking in key points with a pen onto …
So you want to know how to make a gathered skirt with an elastic waistband? This rectangle skirt tutorial is not only one of the easiest skirts you can make, but if you follow the instructions, it’ll be a DIY zero waste skirt too! This skirt is lovingly referred to as a ‘grandma skirt’ after …
If you saw my recent YouTube video about some of my unfinished projects, you’ll know that I have a few shirts lying around, waiting to be refashioned into something new. And then this week, while cooking a sunday roast, I realised that a simple project would be to make an apron from a man shirt, …
Back in December 2020, I saw a paid of Derek Lam cargo style jeans on Net-a-porter that I loved the look of, but in my head they needed to be more deconstructed and tactile. So, I set about creating the pattern for myself, and then using two pieces of denim remnants, two pairs of old, …
It’s that time of year where we often need a quick DIY project to either keep little people happy during the school holidays *or* provide a fab small gift for unexpected visitors. That is where my faux fur pom pom keychain (DIY style) comes in! In fact, this tutorial has been so popular with readers …