Last week in Liesl’s 2014 review post, it was mentioned that we’d have a 2014 mosaic post very soon. Well, here it is. And I must start out by saying what a productive year you had in 2014! I wanted to do a round-up to highlight your work, so I put together a couple of Flickr Galleries. They contain the photo mosaics of your Oliver + S sewing in 2014. Head on over to Part 1 and Part 2 to view them. Warning, be ready to be inspired by all the fantastic sewing!
Have you taken a look back at your sewing in 2014? Did you learn or accomplish something you’re especially proud of? How many Oliver + S patterns did you try for the first time in 2014? We’d love to hear from you in the comment section.
I asked four people who made and posted Flickr mosaics to tell us a bit about their work. I asked them to reflect a little on their sewing in 2014. What were their accomplishments, new skills learned, what they were most proud of, and any personal favorites. Thinking ahead to 2015, I also asked them to talk about their sewing goals for 2015. Here’s what they had to say.
First up, we have Lucy (aka LucyM_0213 on Flickr).
As always, there isn’t enough time and energy to sew as much as I would like. I consider any completed garment an accomplishment. The greatest sewing accomplishment of 2014, however, was finally sewing the Secret Agent trench in October that I had cut out in February. It was a miracle that it fit Addie since she grew so much last year. I was also pleased with my two-day, two-garment, Garden Party Dress sewing bender. Such a rush! (Picture me wringing my hands diabolically.) The Music Class garments also turned out well.
At the risk of seeming too sentimental, most of the items are favorites of mine. The Ice Cream top probably gives the best outcome for the effort for me. It is easily prepared, frequently requested, and can be constructed quickly. The Family Reunion Dress is beautiful and is also easily prepared and rapidly assembled. I am proudest of the Secret Agent trench, though, and enjoyed the challenge of all the pieces. I also made a colorful Modkid Kyoko dress that turned out well given the one-nighter I pulled to make it. I think the napkins and snack bags I made for school lunches are particularly special because she uses them every day. Addie’s favorite, by far, is the Music Box Jumper-turned-uniform she requested. I suspect it is because I added side seam pockets. Frankly, as I recall, the only garment that caused me pause was the Playdate Dress only because I could not French seam the yoke. (I know, I know… Sewing can be fun even without French seams. I know.) The sewing process is tangible for me. Each handmade item is a puzzle that, once solved, becomes useful and imparts my love to Addie. That appreciation makes each one special to me.
Although Addie just turned six, she is rather tall and is almost the size of an eight-year-old. Thus, my primary sewing goal this year is to sew, at least once, all the Oliver + S (pictured above) and Clever Charlotte patterns I own that she is about to outgrow. A School Days coat is at the top of the list. The secondary goal is to keep a detailed sewing journal. I want to be able to look back on these formative years and remember the feeling. The tertiary goal is the use the fabric from my massive stash and to stop acquiring additional yardage! Why is this not the primary goal? It is because I am an optimist;, I am not delusional. If I sew anything for myself it will be a sweet bonus and satisfy my quaternary goal. Since Addie was born I have not sewn anything of consequence for myself. I am not altruistic. I am just exhausted.
Thank you Lucy!
Sarah is an avid sewer and mother of two, you can follow her sewing adventures on her blog, Not Sew Fast.
2014 was the year I truly discovered my love for sewing and it is also when I found Oliver + S. As a self taught sewer I needed as much guidance as I could get, and Oliver + S patterns did this for me. I went from being able to sew a pillowcase dress in Dec 2013 to sewing much more advanced patterns and with different fabrics by the end of 2014. Oliver + S taught me everything I know about plackets, pleating, facings, piping, linings, pockets and button holes among others. I also faced my fear of sewing with knits with the Hopscotch Dress. I’ve even tackled the Playtime Dress and Leggings and can honestly say I’m “OK” sewing with knits now. I think it’s safe to say that pretty much everything I learned I can attribute one way or another to Oliver + S.
I love sewing for my kids and the piece I am most proud of is the Library Dress. I think I learned the most from making this dress. It encompassed several techniques that were new to me and allowed me to grow in terms of what I was willing to try. It has given me the confidence to tackle pretty much anything sewing related. It was a challenge for me and I loved every second of it.
For 2015 I would like to experiment with different types of apparel fabrics. I would also love to sew something for me and sew more things for my little man. His sister gets plenty, and he needs some more mommy made things. What I’m most proud of are the compliments I get from strangers about my kids’ clothes. Sometimes I take credit for making them, but usually I just say “thank you.”
Sarah blogged more about her 2014 sewing and some 2015 sewing resolutions, as well.
Next up, it’s Katy and she blogs at Designs by BellaBug.
I actually tried out a total of nine new Oliver + S patterns last year. I started with sundresses and made the Tea Party and Seashore patterns. I love those curved seams on the Tea Party and that was my first time using flat piping. The Badminton Skort, Music Class Pattern, and Jump Rope Dress were used for school uniforms with great success. We loved sneaking some contrast fabrics in there!
I received a serger for my birthday and as result really embraced knits. It has made such a difference and I tried out the Field Trip and Hopscotch Tee’s with much more professional results.
My favorite makes were the Swingset Tunic, Bubble Dress and Hide-and-Seek Dress. Also thanks to Shelley’s Little Things To Sew Challenge, the Explorer Vest was a surprise pleasure to sew.
Looking forwards to 2015 I want to sew up a few of the pattern views I haven’t tried, namely the Swingset Skirt and Field Trip Pants. I aim to master attaching a blouse collar more smoothly, so expect some more Music Class Blouses. Maybe a bit of sewing for me? Or my husband? That would be nice!
You can read more of Katy’s 2014 sewing in her blog post.
And finally, it’s Heather. her blog is called QA Creations.
I had started sewing garments in 2013 when my daughter was born and had made two sundresses from quilting cotton when I decided I wanted to make a baptism gown. I used the Fairy Tale Dress pattern and with the complete bliss of ignorance, managed to make a silk baptismal gown that was lined with french seams and an invisible zipper. I am just grateful I picked the Fairy Tale dress to accomplish that with because there are not many other pattern designers with good enough instructions to coach a complete newbie through a project like that.
My favorite thing about Oliver + S instructions is that they are finished so well and don’t assume you know where interfacing should go or when to understitch. I’ve used what I’ve learned from my daughter’s clothes to be able to finish clothes for myself successfully. I actually used the instructions from the Fairy Tale Dress to line a dress for myself because the instructions from that pattern were terrible and did not work nearly as well.
In 2014, I continued to expand my sewing skills. I tried new patterns (the Fairy Tale Dress was my only repeat), new fabrics (double gauze, knits), new skills (buttonholes), and new machines (coverstitcher) to take my sewing to the next level. I love when my family tries to guess what I’ve made from her wardrobe because they have a very hard time picking out what I’ve made.
In 2015, I want to continue to expand my skills. I’ve been doing research on sewing a coat, which would mean learning to do bound buttonholes and welt pockets. I want to improve my adult fitting skills so that I can sew clothes that fit well and I’m proud to wear for me. I also plan to sew more everyday clothes for my daughter. I absolutely love the grey Fairy Tale Dress I made for her to wear to a wedding, and the Hide-and-Seek Dress I made her for Christmas, but they don’t get worn like the leggings and shorts and shirts. I already have a stack of fabrics and patterns set aside to start sewing after she has her 2 year old growth spurt. My final 2015 goal is to put a size tag in everything I sew.
You can read more of Heather’s 2014 sewing over on her blog.
Thank, everyone! We cannot wait to see what you accomplish in 2015.