A Decade of Sewing!

Well, another year has come and gone, and so has the decade. But before I jump into 2020, I wanted to take a pause to reflect on what I've sewn this year. This year also marks ten years of steady sewing and blogging for me, which is a pretty big milestone! While my mom introduced me to sewing while I was in elementary school and I even took a home ec class in high school and did a bit of sewing later in college, it wasn't until 2010 when I really caught the bug and started sewing A LOT. I also got more serious about documenting my projects and started this old blog here. While a lot has changed in the digital world since then and you'll find me on Instagram a lot more these days, I still find it satisfying to log my work over here.

To celebrate ten years of projects, I took a look back through the blog and pulled some highlights for you. It is not a top 9 or 10 because, back when I started this thing, projects weren't measured in likes. And they're not even necessarily my most worn items. But looking back, these were some of the garments that made me smile and nearly all of them are still in my wardrobe today:


  • 2010 - Spring Dress: Like most people, I used a lot of quilting cotton when I first learned to sew. This little dress never quite fit at the armholes, but the print was so beautiful and the fabric of high quality that I kept it for years. Also, look at all those little tucks and shirring I added!
  • 2011 - Mustard Fall Dress: Who doesn't love a little skater dress? I still wear this one to this day. I was also discovering my love of jewel tones, another thing that makes this dress so wearable.
  • 2012 - I Made Pants: I was literally jumping for joy after completing my first Clover pants. This set off a pants-making bonanza that lasts to this day. 
  • 2013 - Winter Swing Jacket: This is probably my most complimented jacket to this day. I still adore it and pull it on whenever I want to feel a bit more fashionable and put together. 
  • 2014 - Blue and Gold: These wacky matching Cal shirts set off a trend amongst my friends. I've now made more than I can count as wedding gifts over the years, though I'm looking to retire soon. 
  • 2015 - Freemantle Cocoon Coat: This cropped sleeve adaptation of Marilla Walker's Freemantle Coat is a classic of mine. It goes with nearly everything and can be worn most times of year in the Bay Area. 
  • 2016 - Anna Dress: I had a lot to say about how this pattern was drafted, but after carefully making my alterations I really love this dress. The fabric is the real star. I liked it so much I even copied it in a similar texture for my bridesmaids a few years later. 
  • 2017 - Motorcycle Jacket: Who knew remnants could look so nice? I find myself wearing this one a lot and love the red.
  • 2018 - Wedding Dress: How could this not make the list? This was a true labor of love for 2018. Looking back at this roundup, it also makes me proud about how far my skills have come. 
  • 2019 - Johanna Ortiz Inspired Jumpsuit: Over the years, I haven't lost my love of experimentation and playing with fabric. This jumpsuit was a fun way to keep playing! 



What about the rest of this year? It looks like I made just over 30 things for myself, as well as a number of little things for dogs and babies. Here's a look back at 2019:

Fancy Pants: I just love getting the opportunity to sew for friends' weddings, and this year was no exception. I let myself experiment with some fun patterns and prints, and dove back into sewing Vogue Patterns.
  1. Johanna Ortiz Inspired Jumpsuit
  2. Red Dancing Dress
  3. THAT Vogue Dress
  4. Fancy Pants


Deer and Doe: This year I also finally tried out some Deer and Doe patterns and fell in love! Including the Johanna Ortiz jumpsuit above, I sewed the Sirocco three times!
  1. Experiments with Melilot
  2. Reversible Myosotis Dress
  3. Winter Sirocco
  4. Summer Sirocco


Outfits: I also blogged a lot of things as outfits, from my work power skirt to my outdoorsy wear. The Tessuti Mandy Boat Tee paired well with almost all of it ;) 



Outerwear: I am particularly proud of my Mary Poppins costume-turned-coat this year, and also did a bit of knitting.
  1. Mary Poppins Costume turned Coat
  2. Knit Poncho
  3. Knit Cardigan
  4. Custom Sweatshirt
  5. Graduate Blazer



Little Things: My leftovers usually get passed along to the dog. This year, I also did a bit of baby sewing for the friends and relatives in my life who were expecting little ones. 
  1. Dogsmaid Dress for my friends' wedding
  2. Dog Puffer Jacket
  3. Penguin Halloween Costume
  4. 99 Problems Sweatshirt
  5. Oakland Shirt
  6. Sweater
  7. Bathing Suit
  8. Oakland Running Festival Outfit
  9. Baby Girl Outfit
  10. Baby Bow Outfit
  11. (not pictured) another baby outfit

I am really quite happy with most of the things I've made this year. It was a good mix of fun and practical, with lots of room to try new things. I'm not sure what the magic formula is for a successful year (2016 and 2017 felt kinda blah), but if this is what the last decade brought then I'm even more excited for the next! Happy New Year everyone!

2 comments:

  1. what a great roundup - and that jumpsuit with the ruffle is so fantastic.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Heh, I still remember your post on the Anna Dress. At least you were honest! And I'm glad you got a dress you could enjoy wearing in the end.

    ReplyDelete

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