2010 in Review - Sewing Wise

It is only really in 2010, I think, that I really got any sewing done on a somewhat consistent basis. Not much, but looking back, more than I thought I had accomplished.

In total, between January 2010 and December 2010, I sewed 13 different outfits. Not much, for sure, especially compared to some like Katie who managed to make a whopping 162 outfits, which included some knitted items, for her family. Must be the Type A personality :-) but I admit freely to being envious of such productivity!

Having said that, 13 self taught and self sewn items is something of a miracle for me anyway, and I feel more confident and comfortable beginning a new pattern by myself than I did at the beginning of 2010.

Here is the tally:

Self Drafted/ Knockoff Chesty Bonds Men's Singlet - 12/10

Simplicity 2815 - Boys' and Girls' Top and Pants - 12/10

Kwik Sew 3105 - Girls' Woven Nighties - 12/10

Kwik Sew 2257 - Men's Pajama Pants and Shorts - 06/10, and again, 11/10. 

Butterick 4906 - Girls' Jumper - 09/10

Kwik Sew 2257 - Boxer Shorts - 07/10

Jalie 2567- Toddler Bathrobe- 05/10

Recycled Denim Bibs - scraps of woven cotton and recycled denim- 05/2010.

Simplicity 2815 (OOP)- Girls' and Boys' Pants and Tops - 04/2010.

Waste Free Lunch Bag - 03/10

Kwik Sew 3734 baby swaddler -02/10

Kwik Sew 3734- baby sling - 02/10

that *darn* kat undies - 01/10


And here, are the pictures of the finished items. I wanted to make a collage, but could not find a way to do it using my Mac. So a slideshow it is...




For 2011, my goals are simple, given that there will be a new baby, hopefully, throwing a spanner in the works in the next month to six weeks, probably for several months!

1. Keep sewing, a little at a time. Over on PR , I hope to join in several sewalongs (1. Sewing for baby, toddler and child; 2. Thirty minutes a day sewalong; 3. One garment a month and  4. Stash sewalong), and at least one contest, the Fabric Stash Contest, which began on the 1st of January. Unlike wardrobe contests, which require co-ordination of fabric and patterns, which is a bit much for me at the moment, a contest like this maximises my ability to keep doing what I have been doing thus far; sewing whatever I please, in whatever quantity I choose, with the only criteria being the age of the fabric in my possession. Perfect.

2. Keep on trying to work out knits. Alison notes that rib knit is among the hardest/ trickiest knit to sew, and has suggested I might want to work with a more stable knit, like cotton-lycra, so I might try that next, for Kwik Sew 3513 and Kwik Sew 3703.

Kwik Sew 3513

Kwik Sew 3703

The dress will be a welcome addition in this summer heat, for the last few weeks of the pregnancy, while the skirt, if it works out well, will go nicely with the Jalie tops I want to make, and convert to allow for nursing.

Apart from that, I have some kiddy sewing planned, and have traced out some Kwik Sew romper patterns, both for my son, now 18 months, and the baby.

Additionally, my eldest, who will be turning 5 just after the baby is born, in February, is tall and thin. She is 107cm tall, and still fits into a RTW size 2, so for proper lengths, I am going to have to bite the bullet, and begin sewing more for her. Size 5 RTW pants keep falling off her, as do size 4, even though they are the right length.

So I think, all things considered, I will have plenty of sewing with knits (and woven) experience under my belt if I get around to completing even half of these projects! Wish me luck!