Prioritising Joy and Inspiration


Hi Reader,

As creatives, we're often guilty of taking on too much. We get caught up in the excitement of new projects, the thrill of social media, and the pressure to constantly produce content.

But sometimes, it's essential to take a step back and reassess our priorities.

For me, that moment came recently when I realised I was spreading myself too thin.

Between teaching in-person classes, working at Chiltern Open Air Museum, costuming for Big Fish, running Sew Bee Yourself, fitting in family time, and studying for my teacher Level 3 qualification, something had to give.

And that something was social media.

I know, I know - it's a big part of being an online business owner.

But when it starts to feel like a chore, a burden that sucks the joy out of your day, it's time to take a break.

And that's exactly what I've done.

I've temporarily paused posting on social media, and you know what? It's been liberating.

It's okay to acknowledge that you can't do it all.

It's okay to say no to things that drain your energy and steal your inspiration.

Because when you're running on empty, you're not doing anyone any favours - least of all yourself.

So, what am I doing instead?

I'm focusing on the things that bring me joy and inspiration.

And one of those things is upcycling.

There's something so satisfying about taking an old, discarded piece of clothing and turning it into something new, something beautiful.

Currently, I'm having a blast applying my upcycling skills to a project that's really sparked my creativity.

I'm transforming old discarded black clothing, off-cuts, and left-over trimmings into 15 unique witches' outfits for Big Fish.

It's a fun challenge to breathe new life into these materials, and my sewing team is loving the opportunity to get creative with upcycling too.

This project is a great reminder of the magic that can happen when we combine imagination, resourcefulness, and a passion for sustainability.

That's why I'm excited to share my Ultimate Upcycling Fashion Bundle with you.

This bundle is packed with 80 ideas for upcycling old clothes into new clothes, as well as a tutorial on how I created my scrappy red dress - which, I'm thrilled to say, has been shortlisted for the Upcycled/Refashioned category in the Stitch Festival happening on 20-23 March!

My scrappy red dress is a testament to the power of creativity and inspiration.

It's a reminder that when we focus on the things that bring us joy, amazing things can happen.

And I want to help you experience that same joy and inspiration.

With the Ultimate Upcycling Fashion Bundle, you'll get access to a treasure trove of ideas and inspiration to help you breathe new life into your old clothes. From transforming jeans into stylish jackets and skirts, piecing and patching oddments into ruffled skirts, upsizing and downsizing clothes, clever repairs, this bundle has everything you need to get started on your upcycling journey.

So, take a cue from me and prioritise your joy and inspiration.

Let go of the things that drain your energy and focus on what makes you come alive.

And if upcycling is something that sparks your creativity, then I invite you to join me on this journey.

Get your Ultimate Upcycling Fashion Bundle today and let's get creative together!

TIPS FOR IRON ON INTERFACING

Tip 1: Choose the right type to match the weight and feel of your fabric
As well as white and charcoal, and different weights (light, medium and heavy), there's also stretch, soft, firm, woven, fusible.

Tip 2: Place an old cotton cloth underneath
The interfacing should be iron sticky side down on to your fabric piece, and to avoid it leaving a sticky mess on your ironing board cover, place an old pillow case, tea-towel underneath to capture any escaping residue

Tip 3: Use Pressing Cloth
Place a pressing cloth between your iron and interface - that way if you have accidentally got it the wrong way round, it sticks to the cloth, not your iron. Silk Organza is best as it can withstand a high heat and you can see through it.

Vee Tanner

Subscribe to get my dressmaking tips, offers, news and sewing treats.

Read more from Vee Tanner
start sewing with simple garments like shorts

Hi Reader, Bookings are open for all my Surrey based courses, but you need to be quick as places do go quick. FIND A SURREY SEWING CLASS WITH VEE And if you're in or near Reading, then here's the link to book on to a sewing class at Reading College INTRODUCTION TO SEWING AT READING COLLEGE (MONDAY'S) GARMENT SEWING AT READING COLLEGE (TUESDAY'S) And if you can't wait until September and want to hone your sewing skills over the summer then join me at Reading Sewing Bee where I'm teaching a...

CC41 clothing inspiration

Hi Reader, I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t find anything. I’d been digging for children’s clothes patterns from the 1940s—surely they existed? But the search kept coming up short. Then it clicked. Of course. READ THE FULL STORY During WWII, fashion barely shifted. Rationing, shortages, and utility over novelty meant styles held steady—and innovation was more about clever mending than creating something new. That led me to a slim book from the library—Make Do and Mend, a reprint of...

Vee modelling her scrappy red dress on the catwalk

Hi Reader, My heart was pounding. I heard my name be announced. My turn. click the image to see montage of the catwalk I skipped up the steps and took my place on the Stitch Stage at The Stitch Festival beside the compere. I was one of 10 finalists for the Stitch Festival's Dressmaking Competition in the recycled category. My entry was my Scrappy Red Dress, made entirely from fabric scraps from previous projects. I took up my rehearsed 'model' pose while she read out my bio. Gosh, had I...