Thank you, 2024: A Reflection

As the end of the year got closer, I began to think about what I accomplished this year, and at first glance I didn't think I got all that much done. But a deeper look tells me otherwise. Last January I set the goal to begin making my own clothes, and with that commitment, an entire new direction in life opened up to me. It didn't happen immediately, and it wasn't even obvious to me until halfway through December. 

But let's talk about the overall picture first. I ended up making 25 new pieces of clothing for myself and one quilted Orbit handbag. I am so damn proud of that. None of that process felt forced. I was even a bit stunned when I looked at my project log to count up my makes for the year. If you are interested in seeing what I made all year long, you can see it all over at Instagram. It's clear that most of my time and energy was spent in my sewing studio this year -- and happily so. 

I found inspiration through social media (mainly the sewing community over on Instagram), podcasts (I have a couple favorites, but that is the topic of an upcoming post), and Seamwork, an online sewing community. Joining Seamwork was one of the best moves I made this past year. I took the Design Your Wardrobe course in August and designed my first seasonal wardrobe, an eight-piece capsule collection for fall. 

One of the big highlights of this year's sewing journey was being a member of the pattern-testing teams for the Plain Jane Skirt from Neighborhood Patterns and the Maisie Maxi Skirt by Elle Stitch. I love testing patterns, and I hope there will be more opportunities to do so in 2025. 

The Plain Jane Skirt by Neighborhood Patterns

Technology wise, I bought a projector and learned the whole process of utilizing digital patterns. This was a great move -- a real game changer. I now can find a pattern online, download it, and project it onto my fabric in a matter of minutes. Some of the advantages include not having to store more paper patterns, being able to reuse a pattern without it being tattered, and being able to size up or down easily in the projector software. Most of the projects I make are from projector files. 

Just finished cutting out Seamwork's Sonya Dress from the projector file

I mentioned that an entire new direction in life has opened up for me as a result of my return to sewing. After spending twelve months sewing on an almost daily basis, I have come to realize that sewing became my life. It wasn't just a whim, another hobby that I took up for a few weeks and then moved on from. I sit here now on December 31st and cannot believe an entire year has gone by and still I am as enthusiastic now as I was last January -- actually even more so. I have bigger things to share very soon -- more commitments, more projects. 

Right now, I am grateful for this sewing life and all of those who were part of it this year. 

Happy New Year, friends. 

The Finished Fall 2024 Autumn Spice Wardrobe

 

Whew! It is done!

And that was quite an undertaking! You might say I was really inspired and motivated after taking Seamwork's Design Your Wardrobe course for the first time. I started sewing my first piece in September and finished the last one mid-December. Overall, I am happy with how my fall wardrobe turned out. I ended up with a versatile and well-coordinated collection. It has been wonderful to open my closet and be able to quickly choose an outfit because there are options! I am sold on Seamwork's concept of intentional sewing.

 

And, although I may not tackle an eight-piece collection for future seasons, I definitely will be planning my seasonal wardrobes. I loved the whole process of focusing on a color palette, choosing patterns and fabrics, and bringing it all to life. I have to admit that I was getting a little tired of my Autumn Spice color palette by the time I got to the seventh or eighth piece, but I love that I have filled some color and garment gaps in my wardrobe. 

You can read more about my planning process here and get the details about my pattern choices here. 

I am now working on my winter wardrobe (Yay to a new color palette!) and will be sharing those details very soon.