
Welcome to the Swish Fashion Upcycling Badge 2024.
Dive into our special Girlguiding pages for all the sewing ideas, crafty inspo and downloadable templates you need to complete your exciting badge challenge. Get upcycling, show off your creations, and feel GORGEOUS with sustainable fashion!
To see the fun we had last year, catch BBC South’s film about 1st Overton Guides Swish fashion show. Every girl got to be a sustainable catwalk star!
The best MOOD BOARDs Were Created
The Mood Board should show off your own personal style, fashion inspiration and things you care about. The board should show everyone who you are and what you love. Think about your hobbies, interests and favourite colours (in our case, it's pink aaaall the way!).
FUN Was Had WITH FASHION SKETCHING
A fashion figure or template is a stetch of a fashion model, which you trace over to design clothes and outfits. It’s also called a fashion ‘croquis’, (not to be confused with ‘croquet’! But if you do want to play croquet in your cool clobber, you won’t be the first …)
Fashion sketching helps propel a designer’s ideas from their head to the catwalk. If you want to see your own sustainable designs take shape, why not give it a go?

The pages of The Swish are packed with ‘fashion sketches’ by heroine Kat. Despite having a tough time at school, Kat dreams of becoming a designer, and is always sketching and sewing away in her room.
When her family hits money troubles, dare Kat make her own gown for the school ball – or will the haters rip her to shreds?
The pages of The Swish are packed with ‘fashion sketches’ by heroine Kat. Despite having a tough time at school, Kat dreams of becoming a designer, and is always sketching and sewing away in her room.
When her family hits money troubles, dare Kat make her own gown for the school ball – or will the haters rip her to shreds?
MINI-ACTIVISTs Were Made
You love your planet, so why not stand up for it? It’s SEW easy to do your bit!
Find out more about fast fashion – the harm it’s doing to the environment, and to people who live in poorer parts of the world. Then make some noise about it! You don’t have to march up and down with a placard, or shout through a megaphone at people, (‘STOP WEARING CLOTHES, NOW!’). There are lots of fun, creative ways to get your sustainable message across.
We’ve started a Swish petition at our workshops, and the signatures are already piling up! Now whom to send it to? Our local MP? King Charles? Ant n Dec? (ALL OF THEM!!)
Small actions can make a difference. You won’t STOP FAST FASHION! overnight But you might persuade people to slow down a bit….
We’ve started a Swish petition at our workshops, and the signatures are already piling up! Now whom to send it to? Our local MP? King Charles? Ant n Dec? (ALL OF THEM!!)
Small actions can make a difference. You won’t STOP FAST FASHION! overnight But you might persuade people to slow down a bit….
FAST FASHION FACTS
Changing people’s minds can be as simple as starting a conversation. Chat to your friends and family.
And share some of these and convince them to become a sustainable star like yourself.
For more fun facts, sewing tips & fashion inspo, follow us on Insta @theswish.official.
And share some of these and convince them to become a sustainable star like yourself.
For more fun facts, sewing tips & fashion inspo, follow us on Insta @theswish.official.
SEWING & UPCYCLING Got Underway
Sewing is easy – we’ll help you get started, one stitch at a time!




We Became CRAFTY!
You don’t need to sew to get crafting or upcycling. With a bit of skill and imagination, you can transform just about anything! Result? Happy you, and a happy planet!



"The Swish is properly interesting. A teen novel about creativity, confidence and upcycling clothes. About time!" Dawn French
" Great book – a lovely read for teens"
LORRAINE CANDY, SUNDAY TIMES bestseller and parenting expert
" Tash’s book is very timely - its upbeat, practical message will go a long way to inspiring young people"
EMMA SCOTT, ORGANISER OF RETHINK FASHION DORSET
" Such a great read! Witty and warm, with a brilliant message - my tween loved this book. I'm now hoping it will help wean her off Primark!"
" Lovely story. My daughter was so inspired to thrift and upcycle she's started sewing away, creating beautiful outfits."
"‘Geek Girl’ meets the ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’! Ideal book to get your teenagers off their phones/screens & inspired about sustainable fashion."
" A gripping, funny story about the importance of friends and family, and being resilient."
SHARED PICS
Let us know how you’re getting on with your badge challenges! We love seeing your gorgeous outfits and sewing projects. Give your leader a nudge to send your most fabulous (and funny!) pics to hello@theswish.co.uk, and we’ll share here. You’ll become instantly famous (er… maybe; but you’ll DEFINITELY get to point at the screen, and cry, ‘Woo-hoo, that’s me!’)




Welcome to the Swish Fashion Upcycling Badge 2024.
Dive into our special Girlguiding pages for all the sewing ideas, crafty inspo and downloadable templates you need to complete your exciting badge challenge. Get upcycling, show off your creations, and feel GORGEOUS with sustainable fashion!
To see the fun we had last year, catch BBC South’s film about 1st Overton Guides Swish fashion show. Every girl got to be a sustainable catwalk star!
The Best Mood Boards were Created
The Mood Board should show off your own personal style, fashion inspiration and things you care about. The board should show everyone who you are and what you love. Think about your hobbies, interests and favourite colours (in our case, it's pink aaaall the way!).
Click here to download a Mood Board Template - use it build your own unique style.
FASHION SKETCHING
A fashion figure or template is a stetch of a fashion model, which you trace over to design clothes and outfits. It’s also called a fashion ‘croquis’, (not to be confused with ‘croquet’! But if you do want to play croquet in your cool clobber, you won’t be the first …
Fashion sketching helps propel a designer’s ideas from their head to the catwalk. If you want to see your own sustainable designs take shape, why not give it a go?


The pages of The Swish are packed with ‘fashion sketches’ by heroine Kat. Despite having a tough time at school, Kat dreams of becoming a designer, and is always sketching and sewing away in her room.
When her family hits money troubles, dare Kat make her own gown for the school ball – or will the haters rip her to shreds?

MINI-ACTIVISTs
You love your planet, so why not stand up for it? It’s SEW easy to do your bit!
Find out more about fast fashion – the harm it’s doing to the environment, and to people who live in poorer parts of the world. Then make some noise about it! You don’t have to march up and down with a placard, or shout through a megaphone at people, (‘STOP WEARING CLOTHES, NOW!’). There are lots of fun, creative ways to get your sustainable message across.
We’ve started a Swish petition at our workshops, and the signatures are already piling up! Now whom to send it to? Our local MP? King Charles? Ant n Dec? (ALL OF THEM!!)
Small actions can make a difference. You won’t STOP FAST FASHION! overnight. But you might persuade people to slow down a bit…
Changing people’s minds can be as simple as starting a conversation. Chat to your friends and family.
And share some of these and convince them to become a sustainable star like yourself.
For more fun facts, sewing tips & fashion inspo, follow us on Insta @theswish.official.
SEWING & UPCYCLING
Sewing is easy – we’ll help you get started, one stitch at a time!


CRAFTY!
You don’t need to sew to get crafting or upcycling. With a bit of skill and imagination, you can transform just about anything! Result? Happy you, and a happy planet!
CLICK HERE FOR AMAZING ‘NO-SEW’ UPCYCLES!




"The Swish is properly interesting. A teen novel about creativity, confidence and upcycling clothes. About time!"
Dawn French
" Great book – a lovely read for teens"
LORRAINE CANDY, SUNDAY TIMES bestseller and parenting expert
" Tash’s book is very timely - its upbeat, practical message will go a long way to inspiring young people
"
EMMA SCOTT, ORGANISER OF RETHINK FASHION DORSET
" Such a great read! Witty and warm, with a brilliant message - my tween loved this book. I'm now hoping it will help wean her off Primark!"
" Lovely story. My daughter was so inspired to thrift and upcycle she's started sewing away, creating beautiful outfits."
"‘Geek Girl’ meets the ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’! Ideal book to get your teenagers off their phones/screens & inspired about sustainable fashion."
" A gripping, funny story about the importance of friends and family, and being resilient."


Shared PICS
Let us know how you’re getting on with your badge challenges! We love seeing your gorgeous outfits and sewing projects. Give your leader a nudge to send your most fabulous (and funny!) pics to hello@theswish.co.uk, and we’ll share here. You’ll become instantly famous (er… maybe; but you’ll DEFINITELY get to point at the screen, and cry, ‘Woo-hoo, that’s me!
