My first zero waste pattern make!

This past bank holiday weekend, I finally decided what to do with the rainbow weave fabric I picked up from M Rosenberg & Sons at the NEC Sewing For Pleasure craft fair last month and honestly, it was worth the wait.

It was kind of a slpurge purchase for me at £16 a metre, but I just couldn't leave it there. I picked up 2 metres with no idea what I'd make but I knew I had to have it!

Enter: the zero waste workwear jacket by Birgitta Helmersson. My first time using a zero waste pattern, and I was so ready for the challenge. It felt like solving a puzzle… even if I did briefly forget one very important piece (sleeves).

Crisis averted with some scrap black velvet, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I used it for the sleeves and added some extra patch pockets, and it ended up tying everything together beautifully. The black panels don’t compete with the checkerboard, I think they actually make it pop more. Plus, four massive pockets? Always a win.

I’m already planning to make this again. The instructions were spot on, and the fit is exactly what I wanted. Next time maybe with something less weighty, even when I just typed that I know its a lie.. I am a sucker for tapestry fabrics and things that are supposed to be for upholstery and I can't be stopped.

As someone who hoards scraps for collages, knowing all of the material went towards the jacket felt next-level satisfying and you can definitely tell its all still in there when you put it on cos its got a hefty weight!