Hello there and welcome to Banana Orange Apple. I sewed many sweet outfits for my daughter when she was a baby. But now she is a teenager she no longer wants to wear flowery dresses! Since I still love sewing baby clothes, I started my shop so I can share my creations with the world. I love to collect vintage fabrics, especially linens which can be transformed into something new. One of my favourite things to make are patchwork skirts - they need over 200 squares and I try to use as many different colours as I can find. I make them to fit ladies of all sizes and from all over the world.

We live not far from Canberra, the capital city of Australia. My sewing room is a riot of colour, and I love to go and sew for a few hours after tea time or on the weekends. My better half is generally shooting zombies on the Playstation so he doesn’t miss me! I find sewing very relaxing.

I visit the local op shops (thrift stores) often to hunt for vintage sheets. All of my buttons, trims, lace etc come from there too. My daughter is very helpful with rummaging through the shelves. I love reusing these things which have been discarded, and I am very happy to support the charities behind the shops too.

Banana Orange Apple clothes are likely to be one of a kind. I use my industrial overlocker (serger) to finish off the seams so they are sturdy and durable. They get out-grown, not worn out. Most of the fabrics used are 100% cotton or a poly-cotton blend. I wash all the fabric in hot water and dry it on the line in the sun to make sure it is clean before reuse. Since the fabric is recycled, my clothes are eco-friendly. I believe that God intended us to look after our planet and not destroy it, so I have always been a bit of a greenie.

Banana Orange Apple offers a range of vintage goodies, including linens, children’s books and patterns. Sadly I can’t keep all these lovely things because I don’t have room (and I am trying to prove to my husband that I am not a hoarder).

I am inspired by my mother’s and grandmother’s sewing. In fact, when I first started my shop my mother gave me a pattern she had used to make my sister and me baby clothes back in the seventies. It makes me happy that the cute styles can live on in a totally different era.

PS I got my shop name from a song we used to sing at camp called "You are the light of the world" I've been looking online for a video of the song with no luck - please let me know if you find it!

See my baby clothes here: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/BananaOrangeApple?section_id=10436633
Clothes for bigger girls https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/BananaOrangeApple?section_id=10135406
Shorts for boys and girls https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/BananaOrangeApple?section_id=14428963
Women's wear https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/BananaOrangeApple?section_id=10135404