Dr Libby Woodhams began making clothes because she couldn’t buy anything she found sufficiently colourful and different. She doesn’t consider herself a dressmaker because she mostly sews straight lines and lacks patience for tailoring. Libby buys patterns with simple shapes and finds Kwik Sew patterns suit her skills and provide a good canvas for appliqué or fabric painting.
Some of Libby’s staple ‘makes’ are a patchwork skirt with elastic waistband and patchwork coats. “I like making them because coats cover a multitude of sins and the clothes underneath can be very simple and timeless. I try to wear as much merino as possible because I think wool is the best fabric for sub-tropical climates. I buy them as manufactured garments when I see something different that I like. These merino garments are a ‘walking teaching aide’ for the promotion of wool. At least 80% of my wardrobe is merino tops and skirts bought over the years. The fabric is so long-lasting that I don’t need to buy more but sometimes I just feel like something ‘new’ – whether I buy it new new or in an op shop,“ Libby said. Continue Reading →