Hochanda recently caught up with Georgia Marshall-Brown from the fabulous teddyand.me Sewing Patterns and Kits, we asked Georgia if she could share her top makers tips with us, and she really came up trumps. With resourceful ideas that help us avoid waste and are kind to the environment, to mindful ways to enjoy craft time and be kind to ourselves, there is something to inspire us all! Remember to check out teddyand.me’s brilliant Sewing Patterns and Kits to make unique children’s clothes and matching outfits for their teddy, of course you can also make teddy himself!
Be Resourceful, Make something new with something old
Did you know that 95% of discarded clothing can be upcycled or recycled? However nearly 73% ends up being burnt or in landfill, having a negative effect on our environment. * Teddyand.me Sewing Patterns are specifically designed with upcycling and recycling in mind and include full instructions and inspiration for creating fantastic and unique children’s garments and teddy bears using pre-loved clothing you probably already have hiding at the back of your wardrobe or in the attic. Giving something old a new lease of life is not only great fun to do, but it also means you get to enjoy those fabrics all over again, your crafting costs less and you are helping to save the planet – Great news all round!
Celebrate Handmade
Whether you are making something for yourself or as a gift, the beauty of a handmade of handcrafted item should never be underestimated. Every single piece you make, craft or sew is unique, made with your hands, your time, love and attention. Each item that you make is a piece of art to be enjoyed and treasured, a handmade gift shows someone how much you care and if there are some bits that you aren’t quite happy with, well, just remember that’s what makes it special and unique! Also… please refer to Top Tip Number 3.
Be Kind to Yourself
These are strange times we are living in; we have seen many changes to our lives and lots of adjustments to make. I like many people find that crafting, making or sewing is a wonderfully mindful activity. I use sewing to give me time to tune into the present moment, a time to stop mulling over the past or imagining what the future might be! Crafting can be a meditative and restorative activity, which is hugely important during these difficult and unprecedented times. Sometimes we can be so fixated on the end product of our crafting that we can forget to enjoy the making process, so take time to slow down, have fun and if things go wrong just try to enjoy the learning process and remember practice makes perfect, which simply means more time for crafting… a bonus in my book!
Create Something Unique
There is nothing more satisfying than when someone admires something that you’ve made, it is such a great feeling and the best part is that because you made it, it’s a one-of-a-kind piece, nobody else in the world has one the same! With teddyand.me’s easy-to-use Sewing Patterns we guide you every step of the way to create unique original items of clothing for the children in your life and their teddy bear. Create adorable matching outfits for teddy and your child combining whatever fabrics you and your child choose – you can even sew your own teddy from scratch! The fabrics you select will make your item unique, you can even include treasured fabrics, which have magical memories associated with them. Lots of people like to make memory bears with our MakeTeddy sewing pattern, which is the perfect handmade keepsake to remember a special person or special time.
Set an example for future generations
If you haven’t tried sewing or upcycling before, why not enjoy discovering and learning a new craft, our sewing patterns are perfect for both beginners and experienced sewists alike. As part of each Sewing Pattern our photographic instructions will support and guide you and we will even cover a new skill or technique as part of each project, so that you can continue your learning journey. It is our hope that we can help you show the children in your life the power of imagination and creativity, together you can dream up wonderful and unique outfits inspiring the next generation to express themselves through what they wear and to have fun as they play with their handmade cuddly companion.
