For the past few years, in the Devon countryside near the Jurassic coastline, Joy Holdsworth has been creating beautiful, bespoke jackets — each one stitched with care and character, wrapped in joyful colours and patterns, and finished with a deep respect for sustainability.

What began as a creative pivot from her work as an illustrator has grown into Lost Fabric, a beloved slow fashion brand admired by a growing community who cherish thoughtful design and garments with a story.

Now, while balancing full-time motherhood, Joy has just released the long-awaited sewing pattern for her most popular piece: the Boxy Jacket.

Here is her story, in her own words.

A Creative Spirit Reawakened: Joy’s Journey to Sewing

I've always been a creative person. When I was little, my mum definitely nurtured that side of me, and allowed me to be this crazy kid running around, drawing, making things, singing everywhere, dancing.

Then, when I started school, I lost that side of me completely. All I was interested in was fitting in and having friends. It wasn't until I left school and went traveling and left my hometown that the spark in me just came back. I was drawing all the time again. It just felt like my inner child was back.

I was an illustrator, but I’d been using a tablet, and I was really missing working with my hands. So then, I started sewing. I wasn’t particularly great, but I picked it up quickly.

The Upcycled Jacket That Launched a Brand

One day, I came across a sleeping bag. I can’t remember where it came from, maybe it was from a charity shop. And I had this little tiny sewing machine. It was a toy, like a John Lewis one. And I had this zero waste jacket sewing pattern from Birgitta Helmersson and it just sparked something in me.

I’d already built up a little bit of a following on social media with my illustrations. So, when I sewed this jacket, I shared it, and people liked it.

From then on, I just started making my own patterns, and changing them a bit every time. I think I love that side of it just as much as making the actual jacket. Then I somehow naturally gravitated toward a certain style and shape that I had made up. It just seemed to work and I loved the way it draped, and that’s how the Boxy Jacket came to be.
I remember I opened a Depop account and put some jackets on there and they were gone in seconds. And I thought: gosh, people really want this.

I started churning them out and I was enjoying it so much. I was sewing when my son was napping. I had two hours a day, so I just had to be very efficient with those two hours.

And it all just snowballed. That was it.

Sourcing Secondhand Fabrics: Sustainable Style with Soul

My parents had quilts and old blankets, so I’ve just always had those kinds of fabrics and textiles around me. And seeing what’s around, in charity shops and online — there’s so much out there with such beautiful designs. I just like building upon that. That’s what's exciting about finding fabric with lovely designs: thinking what I can do with it!

I’m always looking for materials. Wherever I am — markets, charity shops, antique shops — it’s on my radar. Online marketplaces are big. There’s also online auctions, they can be really good. Fabrics are kind of everywhere, you just need to be on the lookout. And it’s not just vintage or antique fabrics… general second hand is good too. I just love things with great colours.

Composing with Cloth: Joy’s Fabric Pairing Process

That’s a question I do get asked quite a bit: how do you decide which fabrics to go with which? I think being an illustrator beforehand helps a lot. I really enjoy composition and different colors and lights and things like that. It’s like illustrating with fabric.

I've always been doing it on a subconscious level, but now I’ve started building up a stash. And what's nice about having fabrics around you is that it’s just about putting together different fabrics that I have. Does that feel right? Does that look right? Are the colors complimenting each other? And you shouldn’t think about it too much. You just instinctively know what feels right and just go with that.

From Handmade to Patterned: Sharing the Boxy Jacket Design

People kept asking for the Boxy Jacket pattern. I was getting messages all the time, and I felt bad for not having anything to direct people to. Basically, I just knew the pattern needed to exist.
But I literally just had this same pattern paper that I’d been using for years. I thought: right, let’s actually make this into a real pattern. I had a designer working with me, and she helped me to size it up and down. And now it’s there and it’s a relief. I’m so happy.

My next project is going to be jacket pattern specifically made for sleeping bags. It’s going to be a completely new design. I’ve made a few prototypes. It’s tricky because while quilts are usually a bit bigger, sleeping bags are more narrow. Here you’ve got to work with the size of the sleeping bag. But I’m getting there.

Sewing Through Motherhood: Creativity in the Everyday

Work-life balance is hard. I’m a full-time mom, my son is three. He’s autistic and we’ve had to juggle a few other health issues. But sewing has really been my safe place to come back to, and I don’t think I would have gotten through these last few years without it.

Creativity in general is like a necessity for me. Being in flow state, that’s what sewing does for me. It’s such a beautiful state to be in, and I know it’s necessary for me to have that. It’s absolutely my drive.

The fact that sewing is also my business is just wonderful. The fact that people really like it and it's inspiring people is also a drive for me. I just love doing it.

Tips for Working with Second Hand Fabric

I think it’s important to just honour the imperfections of second hand fabrics. Have fun mending them and putting patches over them. Use these imperfections to make the jacket even more beautiful and unique, even more special.

Also, when it comes to putting colours and fabrics together, always let the fabric take the lead. If you have fabric with a pattern in front of you and you’ve got a few different colours, see what jumps at you and work with that. Maybe it’s a part of the pattern.

Let it be your starting point. Let the fabric lead you, I think.

The Lost Fabric Boxy Jacket pattern is now available for purchase and PDF download.

Know someone working with materials in exciting, sustainable ways and/or making a difference in their community through craft? We’d love to feature their story. Get in touch at hello@destasher.co.uk.

Joy Holdsworth: Lost Fabric, Creativity & the Boxy Jacket