It’s time to  wrap up the year and reflect on my highs and lows, hits and misses of 2018.

Sewing Hits:

Visby Top – This pattern is an instant TNT and one of my most loved patterns of 2018.  My tester version was a long sleeved henley snap tee in DBP…so warm and soft!  This raglan fits even better than the Lane Raglan I have made so many times.

I also made a second version I hacked into a Visby hoodie and it made me fall in love with this pattern all over again.  It’s gotten a lot of wear this year!

Mountain View Pull-On Jeans – My first pair of bona fide, me-made long pants.  The fit is so much better than my previous 2018 denim makes.  These pants are so dang comfortable!

Burda Denim Skirt – Fitting this pattern was a pain in the butt, but the finished product was so worth it! Plus, it was so fun working with Imagine Gnats’ denim samples 🙂

Betty Wrap Dress – Umm…Wrap dress + circle skirt + gorgeous floral print = instant favorite!

Carita Joggers – (Not pictured…yet) After my first couple pairs of joggers (read below) were complete misses, you’d think I’d steer clear of this style.  But this pattern was more form-fitting and in a bamboo french terry, it is divine.  They are INSANELY comfortable! I wear these 2-3 times per week so they had to be on my hits list.

Sewing Misses:

First Bellavista Top – My first tester version of this pattern was a miss due to my fabric choice: it had only 20% stretch so it was a little snug.  I haven’t been able to wear it since gaining some weight this year.  Sadly, my tiny mother does not share my love of aqua so I didn’t gift it to her.

Claiborne Ruffle Top – worn 2x but can’t wash because I still need to serge inside seams! The top was roomier than I expected.  I need to spend some time taking it in. Can you relate?! Sometimes I move onto another project instead of finishing one I didn’t love.

#1 and #2 Liana Jean Shorts – I do not regret for one minute, the work I put into these pairs of shorts. They were my first attempts into sewing denim. I learned so much from sewing and fitting these shorts. I’ve since learned to do a flat booty adjustment and how to properly fit my tiny thighs.  I also learned I prefer the inside waistband to be made from a stretch woven (like the denim) so it will allow a bit of room for me to breathe and expand. I love this pattern and want to revisit it next year.

Lianas #1 were constructed of a very thin (inexpensive) 15% stretch denim that didn’t distress super well. I have since developed a taste for Cone Mills denim which is super soft and has great stretch!  It’s a better product to use with this pattern. Lesson learned!

Misses Jalie Jacket – This jacket was kind of a nightmare to topstitch and when I was finished, it was a little too short.  I took off the sleeve bands to replace with longer ones but haven’t gotten around to fixing it.

5 out of 4 Diane Joggers – (not pictured) I still have flashbacks of my mom wearing her banded joggers to my junior high school the 2000s. It was about 15 years too late and so embarrassing! They remind me of the 80s…don’t hate on me, I don’t really like 80s fashion.

Well, joggers are back and when 5 out of 4 came out with a slimmer fit pant, I thought I’d give it a try.

My first mistake was to make it in a cotton french terry, instead of something with more drape.  My second mistake was to size up instead of down. (I almost always like a garment more if I choose the smaller size when I’m in between sizes.)  My first pair were HUGE, the second pair are wearable.  They still have more ease than I prefer. Luckily, though, they are very comfy and I wear them to bed in the winter.

Invaluable Lessons Learned

Do you feel frustrated when your project is a flop?

Do you tell yourself nice things? Or do you tell yourself that you “can’t” or you’re not “smart enough” “Talented enough”…I could go on.

I challenge you not to give in to those feelings of failure.  Acknowledge them, and then move on and choose to see your misstep as a learning experience.

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.

-Henry Ford

I am finally starting to learn that I actually gain more experience and insight through my mistakes, than my successes.  There have been mistakes, projects thrown in the donate pile. Times I think, “what I wish I had known”.  But the effort it is worth it.  And I have a great time doing it!

“We are all failures – at least the best of us are.” – J.M. Barrie