Saturday, 19 September 2026

How sustainable is a vintage button shop?

Whether you are looking to make your wardrobe more environmentally friendly or reduce the impact of your already costly sewing hobby, choosing sustainable materials is key. Many of my customers are concerned about the environmental impact of the fashion industry. That's why they took to sewing in the first place, though there may be other reasons behind it, like creativity, or taking back control of what you wear, to name just a few. Buttons, of course, have to be in line with all these previous concerns.

Sustainable buttons, from left to right: Tagua nut, wood, Jet, Casein and glass.
Vintage materials are mostly either compostable or made from natural materials. Or both.

Saturday, 4 April 2026

How to chose your vintage pattern size


Vintage sizing is not what you may expect. It is not easily comparable or translatable to the modern sizing charts. When you discover the world of vintage patterns, you will be asking yourself: What is my vintage size? It depends on what decade of the 20th century your pattern is from, not just because of the number, but also the fit and the ease that was in vogue at the time.