Many of us sewers feel confused and even wary of the term deadstock fabric. Does buying fabric labelled ‘deadstock' really save it from landfill or incineration? Or are we enabling fabric producers and fashion brands to get away with overproduction, incentivising it even? And what’s the difference between ‘deadstock’ and ‘overstock’, and how, as consumers, can we tell the difference? 

This week, you’ll hear my conversation with Hannah and Rosie from London-based The New Craft House as they unpick this topic for us, leaving us all with a greater understanding. From school friends, to craft bloggers, to workshop facilitators to fabric purveyors, the current incarnation of their business is made possible by navigating the excesses and waste of the fashion industry. In this conversation Hannah and Rosie are super open and candid about how their business runs, and their plans and hopes for its more sustainable future. 

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Find The New Craft House online, via Instagram (@newcrafthouse) and IRL at their London studio:

They explain the nature of deadstock fabric on their website:

#sewyourselfsustainable is the hashtag they created to encourage the sewing community to explore more sustainable practices during September. 

Do you want to hang with me and regular guest Meg Grandstaff as we grill each other about sewing plans and goals, and cackle over basically everything? This episode is a chatty conversation in which we have a catch up about our current creative obsessions, projects and plans. 

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You can follow Meg’s sewing and knitting endeavours, as well as learn more about #scrapbustingseptember via Instagram (@the_grand_stash).

Previous episodes with Meg Grandstaff include:

Meg has been working on:

Meg tried the Seasonal Stash organisation system I came up with. You can hear about it and check out the FREE downloadable PDF version. 

Meg took an alterations class at Sew On Central in Evanston, IL, USA

Check out Meg’s incredible, reversible fabric:

…and her Gingham with lobsters fabric!:

Meg’s thinking of using pattern McCalls 6696 to make her shirtdress. 

During Scrap Busting September last year, Meg pieced together scraps of black jersey to make a Lago Tank:

My downloadable resource, How to Sew Clothes with Fabric Scraps, can help get creative and resourceful with scraps. 

I highly recommend making a meditation cushion using this tutorial by The Daily Sew. 

I made a yoga bolster with removable cover for my friend:

My failed vest/gilet knitting project:

This week’s episode provides a window into the ideas and processes of quilt artist Eliu Hernandez. Much of Eliu’s practice focuses on the reuse of existing materials, and he’s taken this further than you might previously have thought possible! I loved nerding out about denim with him, and even if denim isn’t your jam, this conversation may help you take reusing garments to a whole new level. We also discuss the portability of hand stitching and unpicking, crafting as a new parent, and consider the likelihood of a pair of jeans having been worn to rob a bank! 

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Find Eliu via his IG account @madeorremade. 

Eliu has made a series of quilts entitled ‘Waist Not’, which are made almost entirely from reclaimed materials, including the backing and thread used for quilting (see below).

‘Cutting Up Jeans’ is a fabulous little zine that Eliu made in collaboration with quilt artist Zak Foster. 

Find out more about Zak Foster. 

Eliu is friends with fellow quilt artist, Heidi Parkes. 

Listen to my subsequent episodes with Heidi:

Eliu makes use of the reclaimed zips from deconstructed jeans by making these wonderful, and very useful, zippered pouches (see below):

A selection of Eliu’s reclaimed, handmade, leather thimbles:

We can all agree that mending items when they break to keep them in use out of landfill for longer is important. Repair cafes and organisations have been popping up across the globe to help facilitate keeping stuff in use for longer. But how much do you know about the inner workings of these groups and how they operate? And how much fun is it to volunteer for them, or even start one from scratch? My third replay episode of the summer is my conversation with Carla Bruni and Meg Grandstaff from Community Glue Workshop in Chicago. It’s a fascinating sneaky peek, as well as informative discussion, with Community Glue’s founder Carla and resident textiles mender Meg. 

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Check out the Community Glue Workshop website and follow them on Instagram (@communityglue). 

Photos from some of the Community Glue Workshops can be enjoyed in the show notes from the original episode. 

You can follow Meg’s sewing and knitting endeavours, as well as learn more about #scrapbustingseptember via IG @the_grand_stash.

Living in a way that limits your negative impact on the planet gets a bad wrap. It’s often viewed as restrictive, limiting, frustrating, dull, even joyless. This week’s episode is a replay of my conversation with a maker who blows that whole notion completely out the water. Sarah Lancaster, AKA Sarah Sew Love, is a New Zealand based sewing teacher, maker and sustainability phenomenon with a vibrant aesthetic and buckets full of positive energy. We talk about lots of things, from the social enterprise she started to teach people sewing and mending skills at music festivals,, to her love of creating with reclaimed fabric to make her fantastic product range. Sarah explains how making more sustainable choices can bring your life extra layers of enjoyment rather than restricting it, and if you don’t feel uplifted and inspired by the end of this episode, then I’ll give up podcasting! 

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Follow Sarah Sew Love and her joyful aesthetic via Instagram (@sewlovenz).  

Sarah also has a website that brings together all aspects of her work and creativity. 

Her Etsy shop where Sarah sells handmade bumbags and towel ponchos is called SarahSewLove. 

Watch the amazing video of Sarah showing how to wear your bum bag depending on your dancing style.

At the time of recording the conversation, Sarah worked for Xtreme Zero Waste in Raglan, New Zealand. 

Other businesses and enterprises mentioned:

Have you ever sewn an entire garment by hand? Or even considered it? This week’s episode is a replay of a very popular conversation from the CYT archives with hand-stitching expert Louisa Owen Sonstroem. Louisa explains why you might want to do more stitching by hand rather than machine, and gives advice on how to start. 

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Louisa Owen Sonstroem has a website and can be followed on Instagram (@louisaowensonstroem). 

Find out more about Louisa’s book. 

Her book can be bought in PDF form via her Etsy shop. 

In the UK, Louisa’s book can be bought in paper form from Beyond Measure. 

Sometimes sticking to a tight budget can feel really complicated, as well as frustrating. But if you’re looking to spend less on your sewing, then I have five super simple tactics for you that require very little effort to implement. AND, what is even more awesome is that each one will automatically help you reduce the environmental impact on your sewing! 

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Image source: Tomáš Petz via Unsplash

Check out related episode:

Tactic #1: Finish a project before you start a new one. 

Related listen:

Tactic #2: Sew from your fabric stash.

Related listens:

Tactic #3: Buy less fabric than you need.

Tactic: #4 Remake a sewing pattern you made before. 

Related listen:

Tactic #5: When buying a sewing pattern, if it comes in both paper and digital PDF formats, go for the PDF.

Related listen:

Attending a fabric swap can be the most fun ever! It’s one of the most ethical ways to offload your unwanted fabric, plus it will also give you access to new-to-you fabric that you’re excited to sew with. AND you’ll get to meet other passionate sewers. In this episode you’ll be coming along with me and friend-of-the-podcast Catherine Weight as we attend the London Destash Fabric Swap. The event took place in January 2024 and was organised by Yvette from Stash Hub and Sarah from Olive Road London. Listen right to the end where Sarah shares some incredibly helpful tips on how you can organise a fabric swap of your own!

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For a Covid-safer meet-up, check out these tips.

The London Destash Fabric Swap was organised by Sarah from Olive Road London and Yvette from Stash Hub app.

Sarah wrote an excellent post sharing heaps of tips on how to organise a successful fabric swap. 

Catherine Weight (@kittyandthetiger on Instagram) came with me to the Knitting and Stitching show in 2023. Listen to what we got up to:

Also attending the fabric swap was Tanya from Bornella Fabrics, who featured in the Knitting & Stitching Show episode also. 

Here's what Catherine brought back, plus the two wonderful garments she's made so far from fabric from the swap:

This the stack of fabric I took to the swap and the items I’ve made so far from my own fabric scores:

Thanks again to Sarah and Yvette for organising this wonderful event. 

It seems like every day, another small craft business announces that it’s closing down. In this solo episode I’m looking at the causes. What can we do to both support small businesses AND buy less new stuff for the sake of our planet?

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Image source: Tim Mossholder via Unsplash

Find out more about the Last Sewist Standing challenge:

This Forbes article, ‘The Benefits Of Shopping Small All Year Long’ by Jim Granat, was really interesting. 

The shoplocaluk.org website has some more useful information. 

I used the definition of the cost of living crisis from this fuelgenie.co.uk article. 

Enjoy Gina Ferrari’s Substack. 

Do you practice values-based spending? You probably do, but possibly never thought of it in such terms. In this episode, regular guest Shams el-Din Rogers and I discuss how to align your spending and your making with what’s really important to you. Plus, Shams and I share what we think, or rather hope, our wardrobes broadcast about ourselves!

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Find Shams el-Din Rogers on Instagram @shamseldinrogers.

Listen to her on previous episodes of CYT:

Shams is part of a creative re-use collective called Works in Progress Toronto.

Values based spending is a term coined by Jen and Jill from the Frugal Friends podcast. Listen to a one of their many awesome episodes on the topic:

Shams is a supporter of the Black Women Stitch podcast created by Lisa Woolfork. 

Wawak is a US-based online sewing supplies shop where Shams buys her cotton thread.

At time of recording, Shams had just dropped out of the Last Sewist Standing challenge, and I was still clinging on. Hear about the challenge in full detail:

Shams and I discussed the sustainability of Halloween costumes, including stats I learned whilst researching for:

Shams and I touched on the subject of sewing when you already have enough clothes. This topic was expanded upon in:

One point that was made in this discussion is that the more sustainable option is often to buy or do less. This was an idea explored further in: