Looking Back and Planning Ahead

As the year draws to a close, this also marks the end of my first year of sewing. Although I did not start my blog until March, my sewing and crafting journey really started at the end of last year, when I was given a sewing machine for Christmas. It's interesting to look back and see how much I have learnt and accomplished in a year...so much more than I ever imagined. Initially my plan was to use my sewing skills to alter clothes I already had, or purchased from vintage clothing sales, rather than to make new clothes from scratch, which I considered to be too challenging at the time. However, in the past year I have done much more of the latter than i could ever have anticipated, and hardly any refashioning!

In the last year i have sewn:

- 3 dresses
- 1 skirt
- 4 Sorbetto tops

I'm pretty pleased with all my makes, not bad considering i had barely made anything this time last year. Also, and most importantly i think, i actually wore the clothes i made! I also made a few smaller items - 7 bags, an apron and 4 small bags/purses.

 

A few of my makes in the wild: L-R New Look Dress, Lonsdale Dress and Sorbetto Top


As well as sewing, in the second half of the year i also started to improve my knitting skills. Knitting-wise this year i made:

- 2 snoods
- 2 baby cardigans
- 3 scarfs



Knits clockwise L-R from top left: Ribbed Scarf, Baby Cardigan and Snoods

 So that was 2011! What, then, does 2012 hold? I think that for me, 2011 was about embracing the crafts, and picking up as many skills as possible. I went on a number of courses on sewing, knitting, applique, jewellery making and hand embroidery. I am very much aware of the phrase 'jack of all trades, master of none' and so i think that next year, i would like to concentrate on using and improving on the skills i have picked up. The one exception to this may be crochet, which i really am keen to learn.

Rather than resolutions, i would like to list my aims and hope for the next year. These are, in no particular order:


1) Make more basics

So far, i have mostly been making pretty things. I love everything that i have made so far, however most of the garments (with the possible exception of my Crescent skirt) tend to get saved for special occasions. Therefore, i would like to make more garments that i could wear on a daily basis. The first of these will be a Pendrell blouse, which i have been planning to make for a very long time! I would also like to sew more things in plainer colours, enabling me to mix and match garments and therefore get more wear out of them. Of course, this is not to say that i will not still make pretty things...but i do hope to concentrate on more wearbale makes.


2) Stash Bust!

I'm sure this will be on many lists around the blogosphere! I have learnt that fabric shopping is incredibly addictive, and in just a year i have built up a pretty impressive fabric (and wool) stash. This is all very well, but i do tend to shop impulsively and have therefore ended up with a lot of fabric which i have no direct plans for. This year, i would like to curb this impulsive spending a little, and instead concentrate on sewing with fabric i already have. When i buy new fabric, i would like it to be with a precise plan in mind.


3) Interact more with the blogging community

This year i would like to meet more bloggers in real life! I have yet to attend a bloggers meet up, and hopefully this will be the year. I would also like to give back more to the blogging community, for example by hosting my very first giveaway.


4) Be more patient

This is something that i could really do to apply to all areas of my life, not just sewing! To often i am too impatient to get things done, to get a garment finished, and so sometimes i rush things rather than taking the time to make sure that everything is done properly. I really would like to take time with my makes, and finish everything to a high standard, rather than zipping through to finish as soon as i can.


5) Take part in a craft fair

I think it would be fun to try a craft fair, so this will be another aim for this year. I think it would be a great opportunity to get out there, meet other crafters, and maybe earn a little bit of pocket money! Of course i know that there would be a certain amount of work involved, but i am hoping that if i build up a collection of things over several months, it should be do-able.


So there we go - fours aims, hopefully achievable! Other than that, i am just really looking forward to seeing where 2012 takes me! I have really enjoyed my first year of sewing, knitting and being part of the online community - here's to another fun-filled year!

Happy New Year Everyone :)

K xx