Name

Kerry Patterson

Bio

As a Museum Curator and Art Historian, I have always been interested in the creativity of others. I  began knitting and sewing in my spare time as a creative outlet that also appealed to my practical sensibilities. 

Unhappy with the selection and fit of high street clothes, I now try to make as many of my own garments as I can and love creating clothes using vintage patterns. Sewing, knitting, and blogging about what I make have become integral to my life and I am passionate about encouraging others to introduce handmade elements in their own wardrobes.

test

  • Fashion DIY: how to make your own mittens from an old jumper

    This tutorial shows you how to recycle a favourite shrunken jumper into mittens. You could also use it to recycle a purposely-shrunken item of knitwear.

    I used a cashmere jumper bought from a charity shop for £2.49, which looked like it had already been shrunk. My finished mittens are fantastically soft and cosy and they would also make a fantastic, personal present for Christmas.

    What you will need:

    A jumper or cardigan made from 100% wool

    Paper

    Matching thread

    Sewing machine

    Pins

    By: 
  • Fashion DIY: heart-shaped elbow patches

    This tutorial shows you how to make elbow patches for your own piece of knitwear, as inspired by cardigan at ASOS, Zara and H & M. I've gone for a more quirky approach, by making them heart-shaped and leopard print.

    Although these elbow patches are designed to be decorative they can also be practical. I used them on a cardigan which had developed a hole in the elbow, so this was a great way to cover the hole and give the cardigan a new lease of life. It would also be a nice way to revamp charity shop knitwear.

    By: 
  • Fashion DIY: how to make a Peter Pan collar

    You can easily make your own collar using small amounts of fabric. This 'How To' is for a reversible, removable collar that ties with a ribbon. It uses a plain and a patterned cotton and is great to wear to add interest to plain tops.

    By: 
  • Fashion DIY: how to stitch on a button

    When you tell people that you can sew, a common response is, 'Oh, I can't even sew on a button'.  Well, there really is nothing to it – you don't need any special and it's one of those life skills everybody should learn.

    Buttons are often the first things to fail on high street clothing - ever bought a coat and the buttons have started to fall off within a week or two? Now you can fix it yourself, without having to ask your Gran nicely.

    By: 

Headshot image

Name

Kerry Patterson

Job Title

Sewing blogger

Social bar