Hello friends!
Do you keep track of your sewing projects every year? And if you do, how much sewing did you do in 2018? Do you plan to sew more this year, less, or about the same?
Tell us about your 2018 sewing and your plans for 2019.
sewing small talk: how much did you sew in 2018?
Labels: small talk
I would love to have a blog to keep track of what I sew. Or, at least, to write it down in a notebook. But I don’t! I just take a picture, upload the photo to Instagram, and that’s it! My Instagram says that during 2018 I have sewn:1 everyday skirt, 1 classic shirt, 1 maritime top, 1 bento tee, 1 metro tee, 2 sketchbook shorts, 1 lullaby layette,1 gallery tunic, and 1 recital shirt (plus half of another one that is waiting for me just beside my machine!!). Not bad…
I have to finish that recital shirt; I have already cut 1 procrastinated cinema dress. I am planning to sew a extra sharp pencil skirt before the winter ends. I want to give a try to the art museum pants. I have some knits prepared for the summer. And a lot of patterns waiting for the perfect fabric match.
My perfect sewing plan for 2019 includes some changes in my pattern storage and my fabric stash.
I do now take a photo of everything I sew, as a way to keep track. I don’t post the photos anywhere, or write about them, I just keep a Me Made file in my photos app. I did add them up this year, and was surprised to discover that I’d made 58 items, that is 39 pieces of clothing for me, 14 articles of clothing for babies and kids, and five “other” things: including an advent calendar and Halloween costumes. My clothes were 20 tops, 5 jackets or cardis, 1 pjs, 3 skirts, 6 pairs of pants, and 4 dresses. The vast majority were made from fabric in my stash — I worked hard to use those pieces of fabric I’d had for ages. That’s a lot of sewing, but I’m retired now, so I get a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from my time in the sewing room. The only clothes I buy now are thrifted, or sweaters (I don’t knit). My plans for 2019 are fluid (I don’t like to box myself in), but are mostly focused on making some “special” things, that use sophisticated sewing techniques or especially beautiful fabrics, or those items that I do need in my closet over the long term even if I don’t wear them regularly, like a black “suit”. Two new things I want to try: handbags, and underwear. I spent the first week of the new year reorganizing my fabric storage, and have a perfect new system. I am particularly interested in finding new ways to use fabrics, especially more informal ways to wear fabrics typically used for formal-or work-wear. I have some beautiful silks, wool flannels and tweeds, and embroidered cottons and I want to wear them everyday without feeling dressed up. That’s an ongoing project…
Wow a quick tally suggests I completed 43 sewing projects in 2018. Not surprisingly none for myself and sadly only one O&S item.
Items im most proud of are Dragon and Luna wings for my kids dress up collection. That involved learning some basic quilting.
Counting would be too scary! 🙂
I don’t have plans so much as vague ideas and they are so often waylaid when a different idea takes my fancy.
Everything I make is documented on my blog and I always do an end of year photo collage. Or five. 😉
I have a quilt in progress to finish and a couple of quilts in my head to create in 2019. I also intend to make some more blouses, after enjoying the process and results of three blouses in 2018 – I already have three fabrics lined up and ready to cut. I have fabric for pants as well. I am spotty when it comes to recording my creative endeavors, but a friend in my art quilt group gave us all notebooks to fill, so this would be a perfect place to do it. I have already collaged the cover and written a few pages. First I have a trunk show to prepare for in February, and then it’s full speed ahead for sewing!
I don’t keep a very good record of what I sew, as so much of it is made to give away as gifts that are ready just in time for wrapping up before heading out the door. For 2019 the plan is to stash-bust and finish planned projects before children outgrow the sizes that are traced off! And to document them- even if it is a quick phone shot.
I am very pleased with my progress as a maker in 2018. I made lots of gifts for friends in the form of zip pouches, pot holders, dop kits, etc… I cut and quilted an alphabet for my granddaughter and she is recognizing letters! I made her four or five outfits, several from Oliver and S patterns. I completed a small lap quilt. I made myself a wrap dress but I’m unhappy with that outcome, it’s a spring dress so perhaps I will try and correct the fit and wear it this year. The bad news is the dress is too big, the good news is because I lost a bit of weight.
I have a baby quilt in progress for a friend, waiting on fabric to make potholders for my brother. I have agreed to make a ‘driving apron’ from Harris tweed. It is a garment carriage drivers wear to keep mud and dust from their clothing, a simple but lovely traditional equestrian garment. I purchased the pajama pattern from Oliver and S when it was on sale recently and plan to make pajamas for my granddaughter as well as bottoms for my daughters. Dop kits are much in demand from family members for packing convenience and organization. I want to tackle the Sew Together zip pouch this year and if not too onerous make some for gifts.
For the last year I’ve been totally frustrated with my sewing output. My day-time job has consumed my personal time (it happens).
Last year I managed one whole skirt, two blouses — one a wearable muslin, the other from the now TNT-ed blouse pattern (LOVE this blouse) a baby dress (my new granddaughter — woohoo!!), the curtains for her bedroom (I am not a fan of sewing for the home, but these turned out super cool!) and that’s pretty much it. My whole Christmas break (I’m a teacher) was devoted to getting stuff done for school so I managed to cut out (cut out, come on!) a new skirt — I have no clue when I’ll actually be able to make it. I’m so sad as I write this.
I’m just going to accept the inevitable that I’ll have to wait until summer break to get the sewing done. I’m reading up on how to create a sewing plan and trying hard NOT to add more guilt to my life by buying more fabric. I’ve also got some of the cutest O+S dress patterns I’m desperate to sew up for my grandbaby.
1 Cashmerette Turner in bamboo knit. This was a wadder. It was way too large.
1 Luna Rabbit – this was a hoot to sew and was very cute with her wardrobe.
1 BlankSlate Blanc T Shirt. It fit! I embroidered it!
1 Quilt for my son’s birthday. He’s only asked for it for 15 years….
8 napkins and 4 placemats. 4 napkins were embroidered.
1 Jumper with embroidered pockets.
1 blouse I sewed last year had to be rescued from bleeding thread! I overdyed it and it will live another 5 years.
1 Nani Iro Blouse that I drafted from their website. AND it fits!
2 Sundresses from Cotton Friend for my mom.
McCalls M6696 shirt dress. Doesn’t fit, but I’m working on it.
1 Esme top from Sew Liberated –a wadder.
1 Schoolhouse tunic from Sew Liberated for my niece – it doesn’t fit.
Butterick 4187 – my pants pattern for years. Made a pair of PJs. Pepto Bismol pink flannel. Hey the fabric was free.
1 Japanese knot bag from Indigo Bird. This was fun and I want to make another. They’re great market bags.
And 2 Tamarack Jackets, which I’ll tell you all about later in your call for submissions, Sewn Stories…because I worked on these for 4 months! And they fit!
Now for 2019 this is in the queue:
1 Linen Japanese military Jacket for son – because he wants it. And won’t stop asking for it.
1 Jimbai – summer Kimono for son to hang around in his swimsuit with. Because he wants it.
1 McCalls M6696 to refit, it’s already cut out and hope this time around it fits.
1 Dropje Vest, because I need it. And I have a piece of wool that needs to be dyed and Waffle Patterns sure look cute.
1 pair Butterick 4187 pants in black, because I can’t find a trouser pattern that fits.
1 Adeline Dress from Style Arc. Because I made one in silk and now I want one in linen to embroider.
1 Lisette B6182, because I bought the pattern and I think it might be good for summer.
1 Classic Shirt and 1 Gallery Tunic because I bought the pattern and I need at least one long sleeve shirt that fits, and I have the fabric for both! And I ordered the interfacing and buttons.
1 quilt for niece, since the shirt didn’t fit. I have the top almost pieced!
1 Sew House 7 Tea Dress, if I get to it.
5 Indigo Bird Esme pouches to make as travel and project bags. Which I’m starting today.
Set of Curtains for upstairs bedroom, because the ones there are despicable. And I’m starting those on Wednesday.
One headboard for the master bedroom. Because my spouse wants it.
Whew, that doesn’t include anything that I know I need like another Blanc T shirt for summer, or a Boatneck 3/4 sleeve for spring. And another apron!
Now, to match fabric with pattern. I plan to do the classic shirt before the Gallery Tunic, because I hope making the one will help me fit the other. Even though I need the Tunic more!
In 2018 I sewed 6 tops and 3 baby trousers, I think. Lots of mending and sewing for the house too. For me that’s a lot of sewing. In 2019 I would like to sew 2 Everyday skirts and more tops, perhaps a kimono jacket too. I plan some quilts and no doubt there will be more mending!
I love sewing, but I didnt do much of it in 2018. I let my day job take over and whenever I got back home I was too tired. I plan on pursuing my passion for sewing seriously this year. I hope it goes well.