Making the clothes you love last
About two years ago, I was asked to make a memory quilt for a young boy. This piece was probably one of the most inspiring, emotionally powerful, collaborative and technically challenging pieces I have worked on as a freelance designer. With permission, I am delighted to share a few insights on the process and special outcome of this powerful quilt.
Continue reading “A Memory Quilt Becomes A Comfort Piece During COVID”
I’m delighted to introduce you to my latest pattern which is a beautiful lace inspired floral embroidery. It’s the perfect design to embellish a plain t-shirt or as I did for the piece here, embroider on a different colored fabric and then use as a large patch to cover an old print or stain.
Continue reading “Introducing The Love Floral Embroidery Pattern”
It’s wonderful to see visible mending gaining so much popularity as an option to make our loved clothes last longer. There are situations however, when mending holes with only a needle and threat is not enough. My husband’s sweater is the perfect example where just at the bottom of his sleeve, the knit was so threadbare in one area that it required the intervention of a patch. Here is the steb-by-step tutorial on how to fix a hole or a large worn area in a sweater by adding a home made patch.
A few years ago we experienced the very unfortunate outcome of having a moth infestation in our home. I’m sad to say that we lost many beautiful sweaters to the little critters. Sadly, I was so overwhelmed at the damage they caused that I didn’t even consider the option of mending the damaged pieces. After much cleaning and changing our caring habits, I’m happy to say that we have freed ourselves of the moths. Since sweater season has officially arrived, and in order to prevent this unfortunate event from happening to you, here is my guide to caring for your wool sweaters, coats and accessories.
Continue reading “The Ultimate Guide To Caring For Your Wool Sweaters”
I’ve been dreaming of owning an oversized sweater to throw over my bikini after a swim in the ocean. I love the easy going look and also how flattering it looks, regardless of your body type. Unfortunately, most of theses beautiful sweaters are always quite expensive as they require, among other things, much more material than the classic fitted top. As I love to up-cycle and re-purpose, I decided this dream could become a reality by refashioning 2 sweaters into one fabulous piece.
A few weeks ago, a friend who works as a Nurse at Vancouver General Hospital contacted me to see if I could make her some ponytail scrub caps to prevent the protective glasses and masks that are now mandatory from irritating her skin. Happy to do my part in helping a friend on the front line, I set about to do a bit of research on how these caps are made and developed a pattern and prototype which I felt could be comfortable, durable and just as importantly, pretty.
Continue reading “Making Ponytail Scrub Caps For Nurses On The Front Line”
I can’t believe it’s already been a month since my last post! With the new homeschooling scenario in the context of self isolation, it’s been a very busy time in our household and I had to put a few projects that I’ve been working on aside. This new reality did however push one idea to the top of my list that I have been meaning to do since the opening of my shop a year ago. As many of us are struggling with the stress or not knowing what’s coming up in the next few months, I have found a way to make the basic patch patterns you love easier to use and more affordable than ever.
Continue reading “Making Modern Mending Basic Patches Easier And More Affordable”
Since I’m into mending lace these days, I’ve been thinking about one of my very first mending projects where I used lace appliqués to fix a sweater that had holes at the collar. Here’s a little show and tell of the piece, which 10 years later is still has a special place in my wardrobe.
I’m very excited to introduce you to the latest addition to my Etsy shop: The Adult Biker Knee Patch Pattern. It’s inspiration comes from the technical protective knee padding found in motorcycle gear. Over the past few years, the biker patch look has made it’s way into the mainstream as a stylish detail on jeans and casual pants. The Biker Knee Patch is the perfect addition to not only repair an old pair of jeans, but to give it a designer customized look.
Continue reading “Introducing The Adult Biker Knee Patch Pattern”
A few months ago I wrote a post about how I repaired a vintage quilt for a client by using 3 generations of her family’s clothes. Since then, I have been commissioned with a few quilts from people wanting to restore family heirlooms. Here’s the most recent restoration completed before Christmas.
Continue reading “From Tattered To Shabby Chic: The Restoration Of A Vintage Quilt”