Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014!

I love reading stuff like that, so here’s my review of 2013 sewing and knitting wise!

I sewed 15 items and I knit 11, which sums up to a grand total of 26 projects in a year. That’s one project every two weeks, which I know is not the most impressive compared to what some others have achieved, but to me it’s a HUGE progress compared to my ten projects of 2012 and who knows how (not) many of 2011 and before! I’m quite sure starting a blog played a big part in my productivity, as did meeting friends who sew and knit of course!

The 26 projects in chronological order

Out of the 26, only one was not for me. What can I say? I like sewing/knitting for ME and I’m not even sorry. Ok, I’m just sorry that one of my best friends is still waiting for the skirt I promised to sew for her birthday, which was in May, oops!

I’m pretty proud of how much I’ve been wearing my 2013 garments. The most worn are definitely my Miette cardigan, my Chuck sweater, my Hollyburn and Chardon skirts and my Sureau dress. I wear those so much they barely know the inside of my closet: I wear them then wash them then wear them ALL THE TIME! Oh, and I almost forgot about my refashioned bag, which I’ve been carrying with me everywhere, too.Five of my 2013 projects have been worn either never or rarely and/or reluctantly. I haven’t been able to wear my last refashioned dress yet, nor my blue short-sleeved sweater, even though I LOVE them and I can’t wait to wear them… because I don’t have anything to wear with them. The sweater needs a black skirt or black trousers or shorts (my attempt at sewing said black skirt was scuppered, to say the least), and the dress, because of the thickness of its three collars (which creates an unsightly lump under any of my cardigans), needs a cardigan with a back low enough to stay under the collars instead of on top of them.

Also, I loved wearing my playsuit in Brussels, so I packed it to Spain. But when I took it out of my luggage to wear it, I realised the seams of the shoulder straps hadn’t survived their last wash, so I wouldn’t be able to wear the playsuit again until I fix the straps. I cried. Still haven’t fixed it.

Then there are two projects I simply don’t like all that much: my mint cardigan, still too big for my liking, and my Kelly skirt, that kind of duplicates this older skirt I wear a lot. I hadn’t realised that until I put it in the closet and saw the two skirts right against each other, but knowing the second skirt has a few issues, it means I usually (more like, always!) prefer wearing the first one. So I’m pretty sure I’ll be donating both the skirt and the cardigan in the foreseeable future. I’m especially sad about the cardigan because I still love its colour so much. Ah well, I’ll knit another one someday!

Anyway, I’m definitely happy with the outcome of my sewing and knitting this year. I was convinced I had completed about half what I actually completed, and with twenty items I wear regularly and only two I would call failures I’d say firstly, it seems like I’m not as slow as I thought I was, and secondly, I really know what I like, what I wear and what suits/doesn’t suit me.

Now, there are still things I would like to improve on in 2014. First and foremost, I would like to stop amassing so much fabric and to sew more from my (gigantic!) stash. Teaming up with Ms Mimolette, I’ve decided I’m only allowed to buy some fabric every five pieces I use from my stash.

Then, even though I’m happy enough with the outcome of my sewing/knitting in 2013, I would like to sew/knit more projects in 2014. I don’t want to decide on a number I would have to attain, that would be too stressful, but I would like to be more productive. I think using up my stash might provide a great motivation towards that goal, too.

And lastly, as I wrote in this post, I’ve started a sketchbook where I draw each sewing project I begin. So I would really really like to keep up with it so that I’m more confident with my drawing skills at the end of 2014.

Oh, and maybe I should add “sew my friend’s skirt already!” to my resolutions! Preferably before her next birthday!

Thanks for reading and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!