The sewing year in review part 1

These are items I have made mainly in the first part of the year. As I have really only begun this clothes sewing adventure this year, the success rate wasn't so high for this part of the year.

Here are some of the skirts....

The first skirt is the one I made in a class and is Vogue 7937. It was a highly successful project. The finish is great and I really love it. However I have lost weight so now it sits very low on my hips. I need to wear a very long top to hide this fact. It is lined so it is too much work to alter it, but I will keep using it for the moment.
The second skirt is from Vogue 8295. The fabric is gorgeous in this skirt and I love it however it has suffered the same fate as the first and now sits really low on my hips and is uncomfortable to wear. I do plan to take it in but I am not sure when that will happen.
The next two skirts are Simplicity 4138. I have used these skirts a bit but have moved the cream one out of my life as I hate the fabric (lesson - don't buy cheap fabrics, it really is no saving unless you really like the fabric). The other skirt is also from a cheap fabric and I like it more than the cream one but it needs repair as the filmy fabric has given away at the seams. I am not sure it is worth the effort of fixing as the dodgy hem really bothers me with this skirt so it may be leaving my wardrobe also.

T-shirts - Jalie tops (2794 & 2566) - all successes - I will be making more of these tops.

The next lot not quite so successful.

The brown top is McCall's 5105. This pattern has been tossed - the top was too big when I made it so now it really doesn't work. I have never worn it but I am planning to fix it somehow as the fabric is too good to chuck.

The second is a silk top I made from a Burda wof magazine (my first burda wof). I like this top but have never worn it as it is a bit of an orphan but still plan to keep it and try to use it.

The last top is Butterick 4188. I love this fabric and I love this top. Unfortunately it now swims on me but as it is lined it is too hard to alter so will move out of my closet.

Pants - the first is Vogue 8157 - too big even when I first made them so they have been tossed. However I would like to try this pattern again.The second pair is Vogue 8335 and I liked these a lot and wore them on the plane when travelling. However same story - they are too big and it would be easier to make another pair than alter them so they have been passed onto my Mum.

Dresses - the first is a Vogue 8351 and I did wear it a few times but have tossed it as I never really liked the fabric. The dress also had a maternity look if you wore it when you were bloated so not a big favorite.

The other is Butterick 5065. I have tossed it and have never worn it as I hated the fabric - I have learnt some big lessons about fabric choice this year! I actually sewed it really well and was quite proud of its construction but will not make that pattern again as I felt it looked a bit 'Mumsy' on me.


So all in all, not a great success rate but I did improve my skills and learned a lot about pattern and fabric selection. The weight loss impacted also but I am not sorry to have lost the weight. The second half of the year was more successful. I will post on that later.

I hope you have all had a lovely relaxing Christmas. We had our Xmas dinner last night in the Finnish tradition so we have all been taking it easy today and playing with our new toys.