I'm combining these topics this year. Probably because the year is coming to an end and I'm running out of time! *LOL*
![]()
Let's start with the Top Five Hits...
1. The maxi Myosotis dresses were clear winners this year.
I definitely wore the rayon maxi more because it was so comfortable to wear and worked in so many occasions.
![]()
The velvet maxi just has a wow factor I haven't sewn in a long time! Still figuring out where I'm wearing this too but I love this dress.
![]()
2. Denim Jacket - McCalls 7481
This is an inspired by jacket and I explain the inspiration in the blog post. I made this in January and didn't really wear it until spring. It makes my list because I bought an inspiration to life. Though it's really the fabric that makes this jacket sing. Also my daughter photographed the heck out of this jacket!
![]()
3. The Black Ponte ~ McCalls 7481
This was the third version of McCalls 7481 and the one that received the least amount of love on both my blog and IG. But it's my fave of the three versions. It's also the one that will be the jump off for future jackets.
![]()
4. Shirt Month
I made so many shirts at the beginning of the year that I titled April shirt month. I wore those shirts all winter and spring and then started wearing them again in the fall. Button down shirts have become my most favorite garment to sew & wear and have become "the dress pattern" of my casual wardrobe.
![]()
5. Dark Floral Katie
Y'all I taped this Sew Sew Def by MimiG pattern together! That in itself makes it legendary. Then I went on to make four more of them and while I love them all, the first one makes my Top 5 list. This is the most comfortable tunic EVAH and caused me to love pockets. I wear it with a pair of knit cropped leggings and it's perfect on a hot summer day.
![]()
I really found my style this year. I made garments that I loved and wore alot. I experimented with garments and indie patterns and showcased ALOT of fabric! *LOL* Of course there were some makes that just weren't what I thought they would be.
The Five Misses are next...
1. The Hurrying Spring Along Shirt
I hate that this shirt is on this list but I cut the sleeves on the cross grain...and of course they're tight and uncomfortable to wear. I keep thinking I need to figure out a way to salvage this shirt. Then I think donate it and hopefully someone without my fat bicep problem can enjoy it.
2. Cashmerette Black 'n White Striped Top
I liked the idea of this top but I wasn't comfortable wearing it. Maybe adding those ties wasn't such a great idea after all! This one will hit the donate bag also cause maybe someone else can find some love for it. The pants are staying in the collection though...cause those wore well this summer!
3/4. Beige Linen Pants & the Vogue 7448 OOP Top
These pants are made from my TNT pattern and made exactly like the black & white striped ones mentioned above. However, they weren't as comfortable to wear. So I'm donating them and working on another pair next summer.
While I got the top to fit, I really don't like how the shawl collar works. It still needs more work and I'm just not willing to put that work in. So this top will go in the donation pile too.
5. The waisted shirtdress fail
While this was a fail and posted on the blog as a fail, I did learn something from this process. That is a waisted shirtdress doesn't work on me, will never work on my body and that I should stop thinking I can make a pattern work. Some silhouettes don't work on my body type and I'm learning to just move on instead of wasting my precious sewing time.
Reflections on my sewing this year...
I made 46 garments this year - 4 pieces less than 2017. However, I think my garments in 2018 were much more involved sewing and included way more buttonholes than in any year previously!
My garment breakdown is ~
- 16 shirts (more on this in another blog post)
- 8 Tops
- 4 Jackets
- 4 Shirtdresses
- 3 Dresses
- 2 Pairs of Pants (from TNT pants pattern)
- 2 Wrap Skirts
- 2 dresses for the granddaughters
- 2 Maxi dresses
- 1 Cardigan
- 1 Duster
- 1 Vest
* Another plan was to sew using more fabric from the collection. Well I'm not sure I achieved what I wanted to. If half my garments had been made from collection fabric, I would have called it successful. There were 14 pieces from the collection (about a year old) and 8 pieces from the deep collection (4-10 years old). So close but not quite.
* I am the Brand Ambassador for Elliott Berman Fabrics and made 5 garments using their fabric. I will be sewing garments from EB fabrics into 2019. I love EB fabrics and love working with Eugenia.
* Eleven garments were made using Indie Patterns - Cashmerette, Deer & Doe and Sew Sew Def by Mimi G.
* The rest were either TNT patterns (my shirt & pants pattern) or a combination of Vogue, Butterick, McCalls & Simplicity patterns.
Lastly fabric in/out totals ~
That's why I still feel like I'm drowning in fabric. My total yardage in was just too high. I hope to work on that in 2019.
My last post on my 2018 sewing will be about the garment I made the most of this year - my shirt collection. That's what's up next on the blog!
...as always more later!
Let's start with the Top Five Hits...
1. The maxi Myosotis dresses were clear winners this year.
I definitely wore the rayon maxi more because it was so comfortable to wear and worked in so many occasions.
2. Denim Jacket - McCalls 7481
This is an inspired by jacket and I explain the inspiration in the blog post. I made this in January and didn't really wear it until spring. It makes my list because I bought an inspiration to life. Though it's really the fabric that makes this jacket sing. Also my daughter photographed the heck out of this jacket!
3. The Black Ponte ~ McCalls 7481
This was the third version of McCalls 7481 and the one that received the least amount of love on both my blog and IG. But it's my fave of the three versions. It's also the one that will be the jump off for future jackets.
4. Shirt Month
I made so many shirts at the beginning of the year that I titled April shirt month. I wore those shirts all winter and spring and then started wearing them again in the fall. Button down shirts have become my most favorite garment to sew & wear and have become "the dress pattern" of my casual wardrobe.
5. Dark Floral Katie
Y'all I taped this Sew Sew Def by MimiG pattern together! That in itself makes it legendary. Then I went on to make four more of them and while I love them all, the first one makes my Top 5 list. This is the most comfortable tunic EVAH and caused me to love pockets. I wear it with a pair of knit cropped leggings and it's perfect on a hot summer day.
I really found my style this year. I made garments that I loved and wore alot. I experimented with garments and indie patterns and showcased ALOT of fabric! *LOL* Of course there were some makes that just weren't what I thought they would be.
The Five Misses are next...
1. The Hurrying Spring Along Shirt
I hate that this shirt is on this list but I cut the sleeves on the cross grain...and of course they're tight and uncomfortable to wear. I keep thinking I need to figure out a way to salvage this shirt. Then I think donate it and hopefully someone without my fat bicep problem can enjoy it.
2. Cashmerette Black 'n White Striped Top
I liked the idea of this top but I wasn't comfortable wearing it. Maybe adding those ties wasn't such a great idea after all! This one will hit the donate bag also cause maybe someone else can find some love for it. The pants are staying in the collection though...cause those wore well this summer!
3/4. Beige Linen Pants & the Vogue 7448 OOP Top
These pants are made from my TNT pattern and made exactly like the black & white striped ones mentioned above. However, they weren't as comfortable to wear. So I'm donating them and working on another pair next summer.
While I got the top to fit, I really don't like how the shawl collar works. It still needs more work and I'm just not willing to put that work in. So this top will go in the donation pile too.
5. The waisted shirtdress fail
While this was a fail and posted on the blog as a fail, I did learn something from this process. That is a waisted shirtdress doesn't work on me, will never work on my body and that I should stop thinking I can make a pattern work. Some silhouettes don't work on my body type and I'm learning to just move on instead of wasting my precious sewing time.
Reflections on my sewing this year...
I made 46 garments this year - 4 pieces less than 2017. However, I think my garments in 2018 were much more involved sewing and included way more buttonholes than in any year previously!
My garment breakdown is ~
- 16 shirts (more on this in another blog post)
- 8 Tops
- 4 Jackets
- 4 Shirtdresses
- 3 Dresses
- 2 Pairs of Pants (from TNT pants pattern)
- 2 Wrap Skirts
- 2 dresses for the granddaughters
- 2 Maxi dresses
- 1 Cardigan
- 1 Duster
- 1 Vest
* Another plan was to sew using more fabric from the collection. Well I'm not sure I achieved what I wanted to. If half my garments had been made from collection fabric, I would have called it successful. There were 14 pieces from the collection (about a year old) and 8 pieces from the deep collection (4-10 years old). So close but not quite.
* I am the Brand Ambassador for Elliott Berman Fabrics and made 5 garments using their fabric. I will be sewing garments from EB fabrics into 2019. I love EB fabrics and love working with Eugenia.
* Eleven garments were made using Indie Patterns - Cashmerette, Deer & Doe and Sew Sew Def by Mimi G.
* The rest were either TNT patterns (my shirt & pants pattern) or a combination of Vogue, Butterick, McCalls & Simplicity patterns.
Lastly fabric in/out totals ~
- I bought 210.5 yards of fabric last year...dayum!
- I gave away 249.25 yards (Baltimore Destash, Tasha & Local High School)
- I used 133.5 yards in garments
- That means that 382.75 yards left the collection
- My final total out is 172.25 yards
That's why I still feel like I'm drowning in fabric. My total yardage in was just too high. I hope to work on that in 2019.
My last post on my 2018 sewing will be about the garment I made the most of this year - my shirt collection. That's what's up next on the blog!
...as always more later!