5 Reflections and 5 Goals

Following on from my post about my Top 5 Hits and Misses this year and in keeping with Crafting a Rainbow's Top 5's, I've been looking back at the year and thinking about next year.

My Sewing Diary

5 Reflections on 2012

1. This was a great year for meeting fellow bloggers! I attended 3 meet ups in 3 different countries (Scotland, England and the US) and met 35 (!!!!) bloggers. Every one of these meetings was a true joy - being able to talk about sewing with people who know exactly what you're talking about is just great. I feel so happy to be part of such a warm and friendly community and getting to meet just some of you in real life really cemented this feeling for me.

2. I found a couple of go-to patterns that I really loved - a skirt and a dress that are a good shape and fit for me. This year I got better at working on a pattern and revisiting it to make it right, rather than flitting from pattern to pattern, and I think this has helped to improve the quality and wear-ability of what I make.

3. I made good progress in making separates and items I could wear everyday, less of the fancy  dresses that don't fit my lifestyle. That being said I did make a special occasion dress which was a success and was worn twice to weddings!

 

Blue and White Dress

4. All my failures this year were blouses and tops, without exception. A big part of this was that it was only during the later part of the year that I started to realise why I had such a problem fitting them - a broad upper back. I still haven't perfected the adjustment but I'm getting closer and knowing what the problem is, is half the battle.

5. I feel I've had a pretty successful year all in all - made some stuff I love and wear frequently, learned more about what suits me and about how to alter patterns to fit better. Skills wise, I probably didn't push myself too much, but sewing is my hobby and I'm not going to give myself too hard a time about it. I'm not striving to be a couture dressmaker but to make clothes that fit and flatter me, and overall I feel I have done that successfully this year.

Moving on to thinking about sewing goals, I set myself 5 goals at the beginning of this year:

1.  Take a more considered approach to my making - try and really think about what I need and will wear, and try and make things that I can wear together more.
2. Keep to minimal high street purchasing
3. Get rid of my shop bought items when I have handmade items to replace them
4. Use my stash of wool, fabric and patterns as much as I can
5. Keep enjoying sewing and knitting - and take a break if I don't

Nice and simple, and without going into detail for each one, I pretty much kept to them. I am still going to keep to minimal purchasing and try to make use of my stash but I wanted some new areas to concentrate on in 2013:

 5 Goals for 2013

1. Make something from jersey - finally!! After abandoning all hope with jersey when I thought my machine couldn't cope with it, I finally hit on the perfect stitch length and width combination so I will be putting that into action to make a garment this year. Hopefully more than one, all being well.

Previous adandoned jersey sewing attempt in April 2011

2.  Thoroughly review my wardrobe to see what I have and what I need and get rid of things I don't wear. Keep in mind colours, so I make items that go together - it wouldn't do any harm to inject a little more colour in my Winter Wardrobe too and be a little more adventurous.

3.  Make more effort to wear my handmades, look after them better (i.e. MEND THEM) or pass them on if they're not being worn.

4. Planning works for me. Keep making plans and really thinking through what I need.

5. Make sure I absolutely love the fabric/wool and pattern I'm using, This lessens the chance of an unworn item. If I'm not still loving a stash fabric or yarn - set it free!

Cardigan started using lovely yarn swapped with Kathryn of YesIlikethat. Don't get too excited, I've already invoked goal 5 by ripping it out to start something new after I was hating knitting the pattern (purl 7 together is really hard and not fun!)

It's been really interesting to review my year and think about goals, and what has and hasn't worked. I know that it's one of those things that everyone does this time of year and I don't care if no-one reads my review posts because it's just so useful for me. That being said, if you have read through all my thoughts then I hope you found something of interest.

Thank you all so much for reading my blog this year - I just love writing it and seeing the feedback you leave. I'm going to take a little break until the New Year but hopefully I will be back with some new items as I'm hoping to get a chance to sew over the holidays.

Merry Christmas everyone, see you in 2013!

K x