Greyfriars and Grace

Sustainable clothing

Fiona Alexander

Recycle and Reuse - work shirts are the best!

Fiona AlexanderComment

Work shirts are brilliant for recycling. Not only is it environmentally friendly to recycle and reuse existing clothes rather than buy new but there is a big practical benefit for sewists - often the more difficult elements of sewing such as the buttonholes, collar and cuffs are already done so you just needs to do some clever cutting and easier sewing - win win!

THREE Awards won at the British Sewing Awards 2021!

Fiona AlexanderComment

We are so happy to announce that we won THREE awards at the British Sewing Awards 2021.

Three of our patterns won Highly Commended in the categories of Best Sewing Pattern (Portobello Pocket Dress) and Best Eco-Friendly Product (Jeans to Joppa Dress and Barra Button Back Top).

Portobello Pocket Dress

Thank you so much to the Awards team at @sewhq and the expert celebrity judges @debbieshore and May Martin.

For anyone not familiar with the idea behind @greyfriarsandgrace , I design sewing patterns with an environmental focus.

Many of my patterns include an option to reuse existing clothing or fabric to help reduce excessive manufacturing, the release of plastic microfibres into our oceans and landfill.

The Portobello Pocket Dress pattern includes instructions to make the dress out of an existing large work shirt.

As well as the environmental benefit of using existing clothes, there is an added practical benefit. Where possible, my patterns include an option to use existing buttonholes, collar and cuffs (a.k.a. the more tricky bits) so you get the benefit of the beautiful professional tailoring and you just need to do some clever cutting and easier sewing.

Barra Button Back Top Pattern won Highly Commended in the Best Eco Friendly Product category

All of my patterns include step-by-step instructions with photos, illustrations and a one page Quick Guide. They are available to purchase from my website, Etsy shop and The Fold Line.

Jeans to Joppa Dress won Highly Commended in the Best Eco Friendly Product category

A huge thank you to everyone who has shown an interest in my small business, your support is much appreciated ❤️

Recycle. Repair. Reuse - Article for vocal.media featured as Top Story in Earth Community

Fiona AlexanderComment

This week I wrote an article for vocal.media and am delighted for it to have been chosen as a Top Story in the Earth Community section.

The article was for a challenge sponsored by fiskars.com (Finnish company making all sorts of home, craft and gardening tools including, of course, dressmaking scissors!) and talks about my love of recycling fabric.

It was an interesting project and great to focus again on the reasons why recycling and reusing our existing textiles when possible is important and fun.

Happy recycling!

How to make your own bias binding

Fiona AlexanderComment

This tutorial shows you how to make your own bias binding so you can match the binding to your fabric or make a feature of it in a fabric of your choice (we love making Liberty binding).

Bias binding is most often used to finish seams, usually necklines, armholes and hems.

How to add Cute Cuff Sleeves to any top

Fiona Alexander2 Comments

This tutorial shows you how to use the cuffs of an existing shirt to add cute cuff sleeves to just about any top. Step-by-step instructions and photographs. Environmentally friendly - our patterns include many other ideas to re-use existing fabric and textiles to create beautiful clothing but also reduce the fabric landfill mountain.