My Sewing Goals for 2026: Circling Back and Moving On

I love a fresh new year, the chance to "begin again" and make a whole new list of goals. Even if some of those goals never come to fruition, I like the feeling of creating a new list. It's a feeling of positivity, motivation, inspiration, creativity. Something to look forward to and something to want to do. 

And so what if we don't do all those things. 

I looked back at my 2025 sewing goals and some happened and some didn't. But the real result of 2025 was progress. I kept a list of all the garments I added to my "me-made" wardrobe and really felt quite proud to see that I added 34 new pieces to my wardrobe. I now have spent two years transitioning to a mostly handmade wardrobe, and I'm not there yet, but I have reached a point where I have seasonal capsule collections and wear me-made pieces several times a week. 

When I look at the 34 projects I sewed, I am proud of the new skills I acquired along the way (buttonholes, zippers, fly fronts) and the confidence I gained as a sewist. I have come a long way, and so I look back on my 2025 sewing journey and feel immense joy and satisfaction -- even though I didn't learn pattern making or make my Chanel-esque blazer. Making a list of goals still provides focus. It documents what is important to us today, and a year later provides a reminder. Either we can circle back or move on. 

My 2026 goals are a mixture of both circling back and moving on and looks a bit like this:

• Mainly, I am focusing out rather than focusing in. I am thinking more about the textiles I am working with and want to create my own -- starting with natural dyeing and eco-printing. I have circled back to crocheting and am integrating some wearables into my handmade wardrobe. And I want to learn to knit this year. 
• I want to step out of my own little studio and become part of creative communities. I want to be around creative people, to truly get to know and connect with and learn from other artisans. Sure, there is a wealth of information and courses online, but learning and creating all alone all the time can also be very isolating. This year I want to get out there somehow -- go to a fiber festival or a natural dyeing workshop or just show up at a local crocheting or quilting group meeting. 
• Okay, okay...so what about sewing? I will continue working on my mostly me-made wardrobe. However, I don't see 34 additions this year. But, honestly, I didn't see that happening last year. I love having core seasonal collections in specific color palettes, and I will add a couple new pieces to these collections each season. I do still have a few dream projects, such as the matching jeans and jean jacket outfit and a truly quilted jacket. Outside of those plans, I don't exactly know where this year's sewing journey will go from there. I will allow it to unfold as it may.

I guess if there is a common thread through this all-encompassing goal list, it is that of delving even deeper into slow fashion. Sewing my own clothing has become more than a hobby. As cliche as it sounds, sewing has become my art, my passion. I foresee a slower journey, for sure, not because my interest is waning but instead because it is deepening.