Made It Through 2021!

This is my tenth sewing year in review. It's become somewhat of a tradition--a little something I do in that lazy time between Christmas and New Year's to reflect on what I've been making. In some years I've run the stats; in others I try to learn something from my mistakes. But as the years go on I'm also just content to make things as my heart desires. Last year I made a lot. This past year I made less. I like to just make things as the mood strikes. If I wear it, that's great. And if I don't, hopefully it at least makes me smile or challenges me in some new way.

One big difference from ten years ago has been the rise of social media, especially Instagram. It seems hardly anyone reads blogs anymore. But I've been doing this so long I'd hate to part with it. So below is a little roundup story I made for Instagram along with some notes about where you can find each project. It's a nice little index of the year. And if you want to watch the video, I'll add it below. 

My favorite project of the year was this embroidered jumpsuit. It was a technically interesting project with lots of fitting and time spent learning new embroidery skills. It used fabric from my stash. And it was a celebration of sorts for getting vaccinated and being able to see more friends, mostly outside in the warm, welcomed days of summer. I loved making it and I loved wearing it, and if there's one memory I want to hold on to from this year it's this one. 

Many of the other things I made this year were well-worn, made me smile, or both! They include:

Most Worn:

• My Parklet Jacket was by far my most-worn item of the year and kept me warm at many an outdoor eatery
• The Watermark Sweater rose from the ashes of a previous sweater project, but it was all worth it. I wore this on most cold mornings at my desk
• Bathing suit, rashguard, and shorts set for a week-long river trip and kayaking the bay
• Elastic-waist pants (no explanation needed for a pandemic year)
• Ruby Star Warp and Weft Top - when it's popular on Instagram, it's usually for a reason and I couldn't take this top off for like a month 

Other Favorites:

• My Perfect T-Shirt pattern, sewed up in two new prints - sharks and stripes
• Women Shirt - there's just something about this top that feels right - it's fun, put together, easy, and I wore it to get my vaccine!
• Seabright Swimmers were a fun one-piece suit with great sun protection for kayaking
• October Days Sweater was a real triumph for me in knitting a beautiful, complicated light-weight sweater that I actually wear
• Exaggerated shoulders were a new look this year and made both my favorite and least-worn lists
• The Green Blazer was something I didn't wear at all, but I still like it! Maybe there will be more opportunities this year? (probably not)
• Railroad Denim - the jury's still out on this particular pair of pants, but I really loved trying out the custom fit of Fayma patterns

There are also a few things that probably won't make the cut: 

• My Myosotis dress fit better than the last version, but has gotten a lot less wear. Maybe it just feels too prairie? 
• Lawren Bathing Suit - despite having a lot of fun choosing the fabrics and loving the cut of this suit, it was still a bit short on me and the neckline was too high. I may try this again with a few adjustements
• Party Cami was an experiment in converting an old thrifted Halloween Costume into something wearable, but I'm not sure it's made the cut
• McCall's #7976 Tie-Front Top - this was an interesting experiment in buying two nearly identical-looking McCall's patterns with very different fits. I like the #7920 better

By far my biggest project this year was moving in June. After feeling a bit priced out of the SF bay area, we took advantage of an opportunity to move a few hours south to Santa Cruz County to a new (old) house and closer to family. The change of scenery has brought me a lot of joy, and I'm also trying my hand at seeing how far some paint and a screwdriver can take me in fixing up our place. It's been fun to balance these new skills with sewing projects. 

I hope the new year has something bright in store for you! I don't know where this year will take me, but I'm so ready to be done with 2021!

2020 in Review: Sewing Through Quarantine

Well, it is hardly an understatement to say it's been quite a year. From the virus to public reckoning with police murders, mass unemployment, and a high stakes election (not to mention months of nightly fireworks, California wildfires, and remember murder hornets?!), I have often been stressed, sad, and angry (and often all at once). 

Through thick and thin, sewing has been there to entertain, console, and challenge me. This year, sewing also gained prominence as a political act. Thousands of people around the world took to sewing face masks to protect themselves and others. Sewing is also powerful as a hobby: finding joy in hobbies during a difficult time helped me channel my energy into something beautiful and creative when all else seemed dark. It is with this that I celebrate 2020 and am mighty glad it's over. 

As I leaned on sewing this year with not much else to do, I did a LOT of sewing. Typically I make about 40 things a year - this year I made over 60 (not including 50+ face masks). This rivaled even my most productive year, the first year I started sewing when I had a lot of time on my hands and a lot to learn. 

But I didn't just sew the same thing over and over. As I look back at my sewing from 2020, I definitely see categories or stages of sewing. Kind of like stages of grief, I denied, bargained, and recovered my way through the year. So here they are, my stages of quarantine sewing:

I have to admit, the first few weeks of stay-at-home orders were a nice little break from socializing. Though I really struggled with the adjustments and constant onslaught of news, I had my sewing machine and my projects to keep me busy. We had several weddings we were planning to attend this year and I focused on finishing up my fancy projects for them. Little did I know they would all be canceled, but I have them at the ready for when things are back on again. And someday I'll have the chance to photograph the full formal coat I made for my husband, which he's never even worn. 

I did catch myself in a little hopeful sewing at the end of the year, too. I made myself a velvet skirt that I hoped I could wear for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but we canceled our Christmas plans with my parents as cases surged in California again. Ah 2020, you're a tricky one.

1. Badgely Mischka Dress

2. Lacey Goodness

3. Two Piece Summer Set

4. Men's Coat (not blogged)

5. Holiday Skirt

Not pictured: wool vest

This next phase was arguably the hardest for me. As the months ticked on and it became apparent we'd be staying home all summer, I got pretty down. I leaned on a lot of coping mechanisms like exercising, practicing gratitude, and, of course, sewing. During this time, I put a lot of my energy into challenging sewing projects like a Vogue jumpsuit sewalong, sewing up a cape idea I'd had for a long time, and drafting a pleated wrap top. 

1. Cape Sleeve Top

2. Quarantine Jeans

3. Vogue 1645 Jumpsuit

4. Summer Top

5. Knit Poncho (not blogged, currently being transformed)

6. Knit Top

7. Raincoat

8. Shorts

Not pictured: Two sets of baby overalls

Also not pictured: Dog Tiger Halloween costume

As I slowly eased out of my funk, I took new joy in bright colors and stretchy fabric of activewear. I ran over 500 miles this year and started drafting myself a workout wardrobe. We were also lucky to take some socially-distanced trips to the beach and the mountains, and I made more than my usual one-suit-per-year. 

1. Tempo Tights

2-3. Axis Tank and Tempo Tights

4. Greenstyle Swimsuit

5. Second Bathing Suit

6. Altitude Thong

Not pictured: about 6 more pairs of running tights

Also not pictured: Men's merino wool undershirt and boxers, plus three cycling caps

Once I had my activewear clothes sewn I up, I slowly slid into loungewear. From this point I have been fairly comfortable with staying home. Luckily my family can work remotely (I was working remotely already pre-COVID), so it was mostly about reaching the right mental state to stay home. To help us stay comfy, I sewed up some loungewear for my life at home:

1. Axis Tank and Hudson Pants 

2. His and Hers Tops

3. Strathcona Henley

4. Spring Sweatshirt

5. Sue Sweatshirt Stride Leggings

6. House Dress

Not pictured: 50 masks

What do you sew at this point? Like, seriously, I never thought I'd have this much time to get through all the things I wanted to make. So I started tinkering and decided to draft my own pair of pants. The year had started with me sewing up a few pairs of Deer and Doe Sirocco Jeans. But I wasn't quite happy with the fit. So I made my own custom jeans block and made up 4 more pairs. It's a bit excessive but I also consider some of these wearable muslins - it was more about the learning experience than wearing all of these.  

1 through 3: Deer & Doe Sirocco 

4. Stepping into Fall

5. Thrift Jeans (unblogged)

6. Summer Jeans

7. Shorts (unblogged)

8 through 11. Self-Drafted Pants

To close out the year, I made a series of comfy but cute tops to wear at work on my Zoom calls. I actually finished a few more this morning, so they're not all photographed yet. But comfy knit tops with interesting details and bright colors are my staple. 

1. Wrap top (unblogged)

2. Atlas Top

3. Gathered Top

4-6. Knit Tops

7. Inaguration Shirt (coming soon!)

Not pictured: two more knit tops

A few of these are misses (my first round of pants, a bathing suit, the Badgely Miscka dress), but many of these have become closet favorites and I'm quite happy with my many, many projects this year. I don't know what the coming year brings, but I hope you find your moments of joy. Happy, happy new year!

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 ;) 

1. Jeans and Top
2. Sporty Outfit with Hat, Top and Shorts
3. Summer Swing Dress
4. Jeggings
5. Winter Comfort
6. Work Outfit

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!

2018 Reflections

Well, another year has drawn to a close. Despite a terrible year politically here in the US (again), it was quite the joyous one personally. For those who have been following along, I spent most of the year making my wedding dress and other related goodies, but I also started a rewarding new job with some familiar faces in the nonprofit field and have enjoyed the opportunity for growth.

Looking over what I've made these past twelve months, I can see that these two events have given me lots of opportunities for sewing. I thought I might have fewer things to share this year because of all the hours spent on The Dress, but after combing through my projects all afternoon I realized that I have done quite a lot. This was largely aided by a big burst of sewing in the quiet time in December, where I cranked out some tops, a jacket, and some things for the Mr. that haven't even made it on the blog yet. I'm sharing my roundup below, with some reflection and thoughts at the end.

Wedding sewing: From about February through the beginning of May, I worked on the final version of my wedding dress. It's not perfect but was such a great accomplishment and a fun new project to try. I also got swept up in wedding sewing, adding on five bridesmaids dresses, a rehearsal dinner dress, a dog tuxedo, some onesies, and a few other dresses for my friends' weddings this year.

1. Rehearsal dinner dress
2. Wedding dress
3. Bridesmaids dresses
4. Wedding onesies 
5. Mexican-inspired embroidered dress
6. Wedding guest dress
7. Dog tuxedo 

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Menswear: Maybe it's the newly-married life, but toward the end of this year I also got really into menswear sewing. I made the Mr. three new short-sleeved button-up shirts for his birthday, which I sewed in secret and barely finished on time. Then, after realizing that he doesn't pay the least bit of attention to what I'm sewing, I sewed up three more things for him as Christmas presents while he sat in the same room! I also sewed up two more game day shirts as wedding presents for others, and cut four more out to send to my mom for sewing. I wouldn't mind not seeing that bear fabric for a while.

1. Three short sleeve shirts from BurdaSyle #7045 (unblogged)
2. Game day shirts for everyone!
3. Thread Theory Strathcona Henley (unblogged) 
4. Thread Theory Finlayson Sweater (unblogged) 
5. Traced Levi's 501 jeans (unblogged)

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Tops: For myself, I made a lot of tops this year. They were a nice, easy palate cleanser after the intricacies of a wedding dress, and also much needed for my new work wardrobe where I spend most days working remotely and a few in more buttoned-up meetings with clients.

1. Perth Top 
2. Style Arc Madeleine 
3. Embroidered Inari top 
4. Floral New Look 
5. T-shirt (unblogged)
6. T-shirt (unblogged)
7. T-shirt (unblogged)
8. Inari crop top 
9. Twist top (unblogged)
10. A sneak-peak at a yet-to-be-released pattern
11. Plaid shirt

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Pants: And, of course, it wouldn't be another year without a roundup of pants. I absolutely love my maroon pants and I will be sharing the velvet beauties in a post soon.

1. High-waisted jeans
2. Velvet new years pants (unblogged)
3. Maroon pants
4. Work trousers

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Outerwear: I rounded out the year with a bit of outerwear sewing and knitting, including some Halloween outer space outerwear!

1. Hand-knit fall sweater
2.  "Swacket" sweater jacket
3. Halloween costumes
4. Wool Ulysses trench (unblogged)
5. A little something for Beatrix (unblogged)

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Finally, I made a few little things for warm weather vacations this year, which I enjoyed immensely on our honeymoon in Mexico and my bachelorette in New Orleans. You can read about them here.

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Looking back on the year, it is clear how I mark time, spread love, and commemorate events big and small through sewing. It was momentous to get to sew my wedding dress, but also meaningful to clothe myself daily in the things that I make. I sew when I'm happy, I sew when I'm lonely or sad, and I sew for others to tell them that I care. I'm quite sure that my bridesmaids could have bought their dresses and that the Mr. doesn't really need a handmade wardrobe, but it is my little way of saying that I care about them. And as for the rest of the items, it's how I care for myself in a busy, often chaotic world. Especially when I'm listening to NPR as I sew.

As for the new year, I do not like to make big plans. I am honestly a little baffled by the "make nine" trend. I would find it difficult to plan out my sewing in advance, and wouldn't really want to even if I could. New trends (and patterns!) pop up, inspiration strikes, and I love the flexibility of making something that captivates me at the moment. I of course have fabric stashed away for special as well as practical projects, but I would like to let things unfold at their own pace. So I shall start the new year with my experience behind me but open to the possibilities ahead.

I also have some posts planned of some of the unblogged items above, so look out for those, too. Happy new year everyone!

2017, 2018 + a Wedding!

Somehow between traveling, writing my master's thesis, and everything else this year, I realized as I sat down to write this post that I still found quite a bit of time to sew. I think I can attribute that to a bit of unemployment sprinkled in ;)

Looking over my roundup from last year, I also have quite a few more winners this year. Each of my four knit tops got a ton of wear, as did my new pants. In fact, I'm wearing my wine-colored turtle-neck and plaid pants right now! Towards the end of the year I snuck in some outerwear sewing, and have even been trying to (slowly) up my office-wear game. 

Knit tops were the real winners this year. Comfy, cosy, and easy to care for, each of the four above were worn a ton. I have also been continuing to make button-up shirts to varying degrees of success. 

• Striped Turtleneck
• Wine-Colored Turtleneck
• Striped Mandy Boat Tunic
• Black Mandy Boat Tee (unblogged)
• Bears and Lace Button-Front Shirts
• Pussy Bow Blouse (unblogged)
• Buffalo Check Button-Front Shirt (unblogged)

This year I fell in love with Thread Theory's Lazo Trousers, which I made up as per the pattern, as boyfriend jeans, and as overalls! I also made a pair of plaid pants from my pants block, which I have nearly perfected and are so comfy. 

• Lazo Trousers
• Plaid Pants
• Lazo Overalls
• Hudson Pajamas
• Lazo Boyfriend Jeans

My dresses this year ranged from interview dresses to crazy party wear. I had a fun time playing with shapes and styles, like my Drape Drape and Pattern Magic dresses. 

• Interview Dress
• Work Dress
• Black Dress
• Jean Dress
• Drape Drape Dress
• Pattern Magic Dress

With the help of Britex, I also snuck in a bit of outerwear sewing for myself at the end of this year. I have always wanted to make that two-toned motorcycle jacket and am so glad I finally did!

• Motorcycle Jacket
• Twist Front Top (coming soon on the Britex blog)
• Men's Bomber Jacket

Beatrix didn't get quite as much clothing this year, but she did get dressed up as a dragon for our Game of Thrones costumes. 

• Vegas Bathrobe and Swimsuit
• Game of Thrones Halloween Costumes
• Beatrix's Unicorn Pajamas
• Men's Hawaiian Shirt (unblogged)

Finally, not everything was a success. My reversible travel dress, while worn a ton this summer, never quite fit right or had the most flattering cut. I might try to reconfigure it this year. I also made some poor fabric choices that I will have to do over in something better for next time. 

• Reversible Travel Dress
• Funnel Neck Top
• Sleeveless Presto Top
• Striped Top (unblogged)

Here's how that all breaks down in terms of patterns, fabrics, and skill level. This year, I've mostly stuck with tried and true pattern companies McCall's and BurdaStyle, which offer so many pattern options at an affordable price point. I sewed a lot in knits, and did a fair amount of intermediate-level sewing. My one experienced pattern was the Pattern Magic Dress, which has you draft the pattern from instructions and included lots of bizarre pattern manipulations. It was fun though!

This was also the year that Twinsburg, the short film that I did costumes for, was released to the public. It's a film about twins at the largest gathering in Twinsburg, Ohio, so the costumes were super wacky and fun. You can catch it on Vimeo here.

2018 ~

Finally, what does 2018 bring? Well, for one, a wedding! After six years together, Mr. Made and I have decided to tie the knot. We got engaged at the top of Prague Castle, where he had arranged for a passerby to capture the moment on camera. It was magical! 

I do not want an over-the-top or Pinterest-inspired do-it-yourself wedding, but I am very excited to sew my own dress (and maybe some simple bridesmaids dresses, too). We are planning a wedding for July, so I hope to share some process posts along the way.  

Other than that, I have quite a few friends getting married this year and have somehow promised them all this shirt, so that will occupy quite a bit of time as well. Plus I always want to make more pants, and some more tees, and... We'll see how it goes.

Wishing you all a happy new year and lots of sewing time, whatever the year may bring!

2016 in Review

Well, in the press 2016 is shaping up to be one of the worst years ever. But personally my year hasn't been all that bad at all. I completed the first half of grad school (1 more semester to go!), had lots to celebrate, and even got away for a few trips. Sure, there's not much money to spare when it all goes to tuition, I worked time and a half all summer, and there were some personal hardships, but overall I am declaring 2016 a success. I also managed to get some sewing done, in spite of it all. And while it may not look like it, I also knit a TON in class, which helps me sit still and concentrate. Here is my roundup of 2016 projects...

Tops

• Lavender Mandy Boat Tee
• Savage Coco Popover Top
• BurdaStyle Funnel Neck Top in Black and Mustard
• Red Wool Sweater
• Megan Nielsen Reef Tank in Blue
• Megan Nielsen Reef Tank in Black
• Striped Summer Tee
• Blue Plaid Top
• Pocket T-Shirt
• Raglan Bow Blouse
• Colette Sencha Blouse
• Plaid Granville Shirt
• Chambray Granville Shirt
• Gingham Granville Shirt

Pants

• Pull-On Tweed Pants
• Emerson Pants
• Style Arc Barb Pants
• Black Ginger Pants
• More Style Arc Pants
• More Pants

Outerwear

• Green Knit Sweater
• Striped Sweater
• Style Arc Genevieve Sweater Coat


• Vintage Simplicity Jacket

Dresses

• Pink Vogue Dress
• Pattern Magic Dress
• Anna Dress

Small Things

• Bras
• Derby Day Hat
• Bathing Suit
• Shoes!
• Knit Socks

Gifts

• Men's Jeans
• Baby Clothes
• Sleep Masks

As you can see, it turned out to be a pretty productive year after all. While there were long pauses during the semester, I had some nice little breaks after finals that allowed me to really dive in and work on things for days. I put a decent amount of time in to pants making, and experimented with some self-drafted versions as well as new patterns - Barb and Misty pants from Style Arc, and the Emerson pants from True Bias. Speaking of patterns, here's a roundup of the pattern companies I used this year:

I love BurdaStyle because their patterns are both affordable and expertly drafted. Plus, they have a huge selection, meaning I can usually find what I need if I have a specific style in mind. The only drawback are the directions, which I don't recommend for a complete beginner.

I also worked with some great indie patterns this year. I love the drafting and directions for both Megan Nielsen and Sewaholic Patterns - both are companies I would recommend. I also tried my first Style Arc patterns this year and really liked them! Style Arc has really innovative patterns and the fit works really well on a wide range of people.

Unfortunately, I also sewed up some duds from the indies this year. Both the Colette Sencha Blouse and By Hand London Anna Dress got bad reviews from me, and I most likely won't be sewing much more from these companies. It has become clear to me that many "pattern" makers do not have the formal training and expertise to create solid products. Both By Hand London and Colette re-released patterns this year due to fitting issues, and I don't think those were the only lemons in the bunch.

These sentiments are reflected in my most popular posts from this year.

 Here's where you can find them:

• Making Multiples: Sewaholic Granville
• Vintage Simplicity Jacket
• Anna Dress: Good Idea, Bad Pattern
• 5 Years Later: Sewing the Sencha Blouse Again
• Pattern Magic

Together, these posts represent times I took things slow, worked on my fitting skills, and really analyzed the project. Of course, you'll also see in the roundup at the top of this post that I banged out a number of quick knit tops as well. Not everything I made was a success, but I got a lot of wear out of most of this stuff this year. And of course there's also the times I just needed a break and made something silly for Beatrix. Her aviator Halloween costume is definitely my favorite this year.

Finally, I joined Instagram in earnest this year and have definitely become a bit obsessed. Look for me at @MadeByMegBlog if we don't already follow each other!

Happy new year to everyone and here's to another happy year of sewing!

2015 in Sewing

Wow, another year! This year has brought new challenges, with less income and a different schedule as I started grad school, but also more flexible time and new energy. And it looks like I found quite a lot of time to sew! Many of my projects this year could be characterized as quick and easy, but these were often my most-worn. I have nearly worn my Ginger jeans to death, and the simple tops have seen a lot of wear. I also had the opportunity to work on some really fun projects, from my jacket with Beth to some new dresses for this summer's weddings. There were of course a couple of duds, but overall a good year!

Total Projects: about 40
Average Cost: about $14

1. Gingham Love - still in love with this top!
2. Blush Top - I'm not sure this is my best color, but I wear this one a lot, too
3. Granville Shirt - just the basic white shirt I needed
4. Pink Granville - a little tight in the shoulders, but still wearable
5. Crop Top - fun for the right occasion
6. Bias Cut Camisole - not sure how much this one will get worn - we'll see
7. Navy Sutton Blouse - a bit of a dud for me, something's just off with this one
8. Camas Blouse - another dud
9. Jasper Sweater Tunic - wore this one this morning
10. Grandma Pants - so comfy!
11. Grey Gingers - a bit big in the waist, but could be fixed with some darts
12. Gingers 1 and Gingers 2 - I LOVE THESE PANTS!



1. Cocoon Coat - this is one of my favorite coats
2. Jacket - learned so much making this one!
3. Dip-Dye Dress - very pretty but the fit is a bit big
4. Alaska Wedding Dress - hope to wear this again soon
5. V-Day Bra - a bit silly, but fun
6. Home Ec Bathing Suit - awful
7. Successful Bathing Suit - successful!



1. Sea Lion Costume - so much work, but so much fun
2. Fan Dog - worn for every game we watch at home
3. Christmas Sweater - so fun to make
4. Dog Hoodie - she got about 3 of these this year, and more soon
5. Dog Days Hat - very cute, but stays on for about 3 minutes
6. Dog Pom Pom Hat (not blogged) - same as above
7. Dog Dress - love it, but people still think she's a boy
8. Top - first shirt and muslin for future projects
9. Dog All-Weather Jacket (not blogged) - very handy! lined in fleece and wool, with a waterproof shell
10. Pajamas - I will perfect this design one day!

1. Men's Gingham Shirt - gets lots of wear
2. Cal Shirts - I made four of these, and wold be happy to never make another
3. Men's Hudson Pants - love these!
4. Men's Pants - need to mend something to get these back in action
5. Sorbettos - easy, great gift
6. Fiber Art - very well received!


Here's to a new year!

2014 in Sewing

More than just a reflection, I consider my year-end round-up to be my final verdict on all of the things I've made this year. Often things are blogged and posted before I've gotten a chance to truly wear them around, wash them, and break them in, so the year-end post is my chance to take a good look at what actually worked and what didn't. It's also fun to tally up my makes, put them all together, and see what I've actually accomplished this year. This, of course, can help set the tone for the year to come.

This year I made over fifty individual things, and managed to blog most of them. I also had the opportunity to test some patterns, guest blog, teach a BurdaStyle class, and was published for the first time in a print magazine! On the home front, I finished some planned improvements to the apartment, got our new puppy, studied for the GRE, and applied to grad school. I did not cook as many home-made meals as one should, clean the floors nearly often enough, get in shape before Hawaii, or get 8 hours of sleep every night (like tonight). Let's hope it was all worth it!

Total Projects: about 50
Average Cost: about $14
Total Cost: less than one month's rent

 

I should probably be ashamed to tell you how often I've worn some of these pieces. After my custom bralettes, my Hudson pants have by far and away been my most-worn item. I don't wear them much out of the house (except for the occasional dog walk), but I pull them on just about every night when I get home from work. They are so comfy, and in black they look good with anything. I have also been obsessed with my Bonnie Top, which gets worn just as soon as it comes out of the wash. It's got the comfiness of a t-shirt but still looks put together for work and meetings. My Plaintain shirt and skinny jeans have also been go-to staples, although both patterns could use some tweaking in the new year.

1. Bonnie Top
2. Summer Scout
3. Plantain Tee
4. Hudson Pants
5. Jeans
6. Bralettes: Polka Dot, Lace, Mustard

The year started out with me making a lot of tops for myself. The simple ones work well, but I am noticing they have to be a bit more special than a kimono tee to make my 'most worn' list. The Weekend Archer was a good make, and the floral blouse, though a bit tight in the underarm, proved to be an excellent TNT pattern now that I have it all fitted.

1. Silk Top
2. Woven Top
3. Split-Back Tee
4. Fave Top
5. Weekend Archer
6. Floral Blouse
Not pictured - Quilted Scout

This year I had vowed to sew more specifically for work-related things, and the ponte blazer and Burda pants did a good job for that. I also managed to make myself a custom bike rain cape which came in VERY handy at both the beginning and end of the year: though silly, it makes a big difference if I get caught without it. I also made something for fun - the jumper which I wore during the holidays last year and this year. This year I want to make a few more unusual shapes, including culottes and overalls, just to push my comfort zone a bit.

1. Biking Rain Cape
2. Ponte Blazer
3. Ginger Jeans
4. Burda Pants
5. Jumper 

I continued my vow to sew fewer dresses this year, but the ones I did make got a lot of wear, especially when traveling. My Maya Dress is definitely my prettiest make, and the knit dresses were a win for comfy vacation traveling. I should also mention our matching Cal shirts here, which were pulled out for SEVERAL games and have attracted many requests from friends who want their own.

1. Maya Dress
2. Striped Dress
3. Hawaii Dress
4. Cal Shirts
5. Bathing Suit
6. Lingerie
Unblogged: Bathing Suit #2, Pajama Shorts

Towards the end of the year this year, I noticed myself making a lot of things for others, which may be why I'm feeling a bit behind on my personal sewing right now. Of course, who can resist sewing for Ms. Beatrix Kiddo? While last year I sewed a lot for Mr. Made, this year was definitely all about the pets. For baby showers, baby pants were my go-to gift, and I even got in some mens sewing with a shirt for my dad and some birthday makes for Mr. Made which haven't made it to the blog yet. 

1. Dog Costume 

2. Dog Coat 

3. Dog Rain Coat 

4. Cat Pillows 

5. Shirt for My Dad 

6. Baby Pants 

Unblogged: Dog Sweatshirt, Dog Pajamas, Dog Bed, More Baby Pants, Jedediah Pants, Men's Button-Up, Scarves

My misses this year fall into three categories: poor fabric choice, fit issues, and poor design choices on my part. For various reasons, this year I had a number of my projects disintegrate after wearing. My floral archer was made from delicate vintage fabric that raveled when washed, the fabric used in my cowl top was cheap, and for some odd reason the perfectly new fabric used in my Sutton Blouse and ruffle tee also degraded after washing :( My fit issues largely came from garments that were too snug at the armpits, too loose in the bust, or both. I could try to tell you I will muslin more to avoid these issues in the future, but I probably won't. Finally, for some garments I just made poor design decisions - I chose a wrinkly fabric, or the wrong fabric, or cut the neckline too low... It's ok, I've got more in the works!

1. Floral Archer 

2. Ruffle Tee 

3. Cowl Top 

4. Odette Dress 

5. Zsalya Top 

6. Stella Blouse 

7. Sutton Blouse 

8. Jade Skirt 

9. Plain White Tee 

Goals

Overall, I think I did a pretty good job of sewing for my lifestyle, with a few lessons learned along the way. Last year I said I wanted to focus on fit and designing clothes specifically for the office or play, and I have made some progress on this front. The more I learn about fit the more I know I have to learn, but I've become increasingly interested in how the 'pros' are doing it. 

I also vowed to finally tackle the mend-it bin, and I'm glad to say I did! This had been a goal for at least two years, so I'm relieved to finally check that off my list. Of course, a new one has surfaced in its place... 

I also wanted to take on another project like bra-making and I did... to some extent. That project turned out to not be sewing related at all, however, but rather applying to grad school (which at times seemed like another part-time job). Getting back into the academic setting (or at least applying to be) got me thinking a lot about the role of sewing in my life. I realized that not only is it a fun hobby, but it also helps to balance the rest of the work that I do. While I didn't sew much during those months busy months, I have gained a new appreciation for continuing to work sewing into my busy schedule. So instead of a long list of goals for this next year, I want to focus on making sure that I keep sewing as a part of what I do, even if that time gets reduced. Looking at the projects above, I'm excited about the possibilities ahead!

Hope everyone has a happy new year! Here's to many more months of sewing ahead!