Wonderful and very useful tips Cara! For my woven scraps - even drappy ones like viscose, I've started making matching small crossover bags, clutches, and depending on the garment, beach bags! I also like to use my scraps for hair bands or matching gift bags for when I make pajamas or shirts as gifts for friends and family.
Thanks for the tips, especially useful to those of us still contemplating fashion sewing. 😊 I am a quilter and home dec sewist. Love that blouse you are wearing. Looks very nice on you. And I really like your haircut. You're quite the stylish lady.
I love the idea of cutting out all the things you can. I used to always cut out continuous bias and then I would use it in place of facings on more casual clothing. I kept it rolled on cards from store bought bias. Mine was always nicer. Thanks for the tips. They were great! Thank you so much!
I also think if you are buying fabric especially it’s sometimes worth measuring the pattern pieces first. I cut a Summer in New York Dress out of 1.4m of fabric when the pattern said I needed 3m. Mainly because I got two skirt pieces side by side, but I also think pattern companies really over estimate the amount of fabric you need.
I used some leftover but precious silk satin for the pocket bags on my Thea trousers recently. Very satisfying not to waste expensive fabric. Lovely to chat over the cutting table yesterday and your jacket was great too.
I’ve been sewing quilt as you go placemats this week. I absolutely love small projects and being able to use fabrics from my stash! I’ve not sewn a garment in many years, but your lovely blouse is giving me ideas! ❤️❤️
Hi Cara, some great ideas there. I have been sewing intermittently for about 50yrs (I don't feel that old 😂) but I still tend to follow the lay plans. I am always a bit concerned that I will be off grain and as I am usually a size 20 you cannot always fold the fabric to the middle for 2 on fold/on grain items but will definitely think more about using scraps for facings/pockets etc x
Great tips! I’m in the process of making a striped shirt cut on the bias and hoping it works. Great idea to cut another project straight away from the left overs - particularly as sometimes the pieces are an awkward shape and finding the grainline after they’ve been put away and folded /crumpled is quite hard work. You could do some crazy quilting too. Btw I love your blouse - what is that glorious fabric please and do you happen to know if it’s still available. Thanks again, Sue ❤ SewfarSuegood
Thank you for your lovely words Sue, and thank you so much for buying me a kofi I really appreciate your support. Unfortunately I brought this last year so it’s unlikely to be available, but check out the @dottodotstudio in East Hoathly in case they still have it xx
I also like getting different colourways of the same fabric, that go well together, and then I can colour block another garment when the remnants aren't big enough to make a whole project by themselves.
Thank you for these tips. I hate wasting fabric. Also, i often buy a fabric with a certain pattern in mind then i change my mind and find myself having to do pattern tetris because the pattern requires more fabric than i actually have🤦♀️
Another tip, use different fabric / scraps in same colourway in a top/blouse. Add several smaller pieces together to make one big piece then use this to cut out the pattern required. Fab vlog as always, thank you
I love the tips! Can I just say that it’s really really important to check that you have every pattern piece cut out correctly prior to cutting into the left over fabric, especially if you seem to have saved more than you thought you would. Finding you only have one sleeve is never fun so if you have cut anything out on single layer double and triple check you have everything. Sounds obvious but it happens!
Great tips, thanks Cara. Collar stands are a great way to use up fabric with co-ordinating button bands. I also use remnants of silk for the front of a blouse and use a contrasting colour jersey for the back and sleeves.
Hello Cara, when i have really small pieces of fabric, i Will make clothes for small kids as many friends still have some; therefore, whenever i annot buy less than 1m of jersey, i willl cut a small tshirt and sew it up at the same time as mine esp since my machine will be threaded in the right colour
Ah, that’s perfect I hadn’t thought about making clothes for children. I don’t have any small people in my life but what a great idea. I hope others read that and it helps them to
I love the tip to use the scraps right away after cutting out the main project. I hate having remnant pieces lying around waiting to get forgotten about. I'm hoping to get a little repertoire of patterns that aren't too fabric hungry and not too particular about fabric type.
I love your handle, I think that’s brilliant so my troubles away that would describe me very well! Thank you for your lovely words. Lovely to hear from you.
Hi Cara, it was super meeting you today. All but your last tip I do. But that last tip makes so much sense. I have loads of bits around a metre in my stash and I never get around to using them. Thank you
Some really great tips there. I just want to add that you should consider if the type of fabric you're cutting out is suitable for the pattern. Consider fabric weight and wearability, texture against the skin, etc. I've made a few bad choices in the past and had to throw them away or make them into something else.
I recently made a long sleeved tshirt. Unfortunately no matter how I laid out the pattern there wasn't enough fabric for the long sleeves. I cut the sleeves as long as possible, then using the scraps I pattern matched those to make the sleeves longer. It took some time and thought but unless I point it out, the seam where i needed to join the matched pieces together isn't noticeable. I've also used a remnant piece of fabric on the inside of a waistband, on the underside of a collar and the cuffs and the inside of the collarband when not having quite enough fabric. I plan on making a blouse from a piece of silk fabric i found at a thrift store. I know i dont have quite enough fabric for the pattern i want to use so I'm using a contrasting fabric for the front and back yokes. Because the silk is a multi coloured check, i picked out one colour from those checks for the contrast. I also couldn't find silk so i decided to go with sheer fabric. My new top is going to be totally unique! Thanks for all the wonderful tips.
Wow I absolutely love the sound of all those wonderful tips how fabulous to make your fabric go so far. I hope others read your comment so they can share with your knowledge. Thank you
Cara I love all of your vlogs but I have to say this one has given me lots of inspiration. Now feel ready to take a fresh look through my scraps/remnants. Feeling adventurous😂
Love your videos Cara. You inspire me. This video about making the most of your fabric was great - very helpful for the newer sewers. I particularly love the contrasting facings etc you put in your garments. I think it gives the garments further style and flair.
Thanks Cara, great tips. I have recently started to use any remaining fabric immediately after cutting out my main project. Just got so fed up with having so many remnant pieces hanging around ! I now have numerous boxy tops, the Remy Raglan top being one of them . Love your Hannah blouse, do you happen to know if there is a sew along available, I remember you saying in a previous vlog that it was a tricky sew ?
Thank you for your kind words sadly I haven’t seen a sew long for the Hannah blouse so sorry about that, but take your time and it does make Sense eventually!
Hi Cara, I very much liked your post. Great advice. A question though: Is it a general rule that apart from 2 way stretch, velvet one can cut all other fabrics also against the grainline, it won't affect the drape? Claudia
Hi, thanks for getting in touch you’re absolutely right there are some fabrics where the drape would be affected but in my experience many viscose, cottons, lawns aren’t affected in that way, but you’d need to feel the fabric and see.
Cara, what is the pattern you used for the top you made with the grown-on sleeve. I thought you said Elbe Pullover, but I can't find the pattern online. Suzanne
Well, I am attempting to make fabric from premade clothes & linens of all sorts. I am a tall and large older woman.I have taken some shirts, bed skirts, pillow cases, etc to make tiered dresses, I am very pleased with my designs. When you open your mind to various possibilities, you have many more choices. I am also picking up remnants for color blocking and using on garments with princess seams, etc... Then I've picked up things such as drapes and table clothes they are big enough to make a hanfu style wrap skirt or pants and a jacket or vest. Also sheets. How about a 100% satin formal? There are plans to make a summer pants outfit from an imported 100% dark brown sheet. I am planning a new winter coat, also. I thrift many of my fabrics. Actually I only have 3 precious expensive fabrics for a special project. And I will be using remnants of upholstry fabrics for suit jackets. I really am stretching my money and fabrics. I am also remodeling some of my existing clothes. I think the fabric seeing a second chance is stretching the fabric.
Thank you so much, wow there are some fabulous tips here, I hope others take time to read this, we all benefit from this, amazing, I really appreciate your support and time to tell us your tips
Thanks for sharing Cara. Also, if you measure the pattern pieces before buying the fabric, you might be able to buy less fabric than the recommended amount. 💙🧶🌈🍓
