Making Happy Things

In this easy-to-follow guide, artist and maker Sue-Ching helps us create 20 joyful DIY sewing projects out of repurposed materials.

Known for her playful sense of style, Sue-Ching's projects will bring a smile to your face, whether it is her famous tea towel dress, a bandana cap or a prawn plush made out of scraps. This book is all about having fun, embracing the making process and creating unique, joyful garments that make you feel happy.

In Making Happy Things Sue-Ching shares her passion for sustainability, repurposing and upcycling, encouraging us to reuse materials found at thrift stores or the linens at the back of your cupboard. This is your opportunity to breathe new life into old materials and gain practical insights into the art of re-purposing, guided by Sue-Ching's ingenious tips and ideas. Each project includes easy to follow step-by-step instructions. Sue-Ching highlights the tools and materials you need, the core process to follow, sewing tips, a guide to print mixing, and you can see each piece styled within the book.

The aim of Making Happy Things is to inspire you to be playful, inventive, and create a garment that you can wear with pride, courage and authenticity – a true expression of your wonderful self!

About the Author

Sue-Ching Lascelles is a multidisciplinary artist and maker with a lifelong love of textiles, fashion, craft and art. Following her studies in Visual Art, Sue-Ching gained experience working as a textile designer and graphic designer. After the COVID pandemic induced a bout of anxious energy, Sue-Ching decided to channel this energy into a new project focused on sewing and making her own clothes. Her decision evolved into a wonderfully unexpected and colourful new journey. Sue-Ching's current approach to fashion is a kaleidoscopic, rainbow salad combining all of her skills and interests. Leaning into her experience as an artist, her love of craft, creative intuition and newfound skills in fashion pattern making, has resulted in a unique perspective when it comes to making garments. Emboldened by blind naivety and optimism, she has stitched her way to the kind of happiness that comes from creating your own wardrobe. No household textile was safe as Sue-Ching print-mixed and upcycled joyful fashion moments. Sharing snippets of these moments and her process on Instagram has led to finding an engaged and creative global community.