Year in Review: The 2021 Edition

What a year!  Goals are meant to be changed, right?  Well, that has been the theme of 2021 for sure.  Of my sewing goals (another pair of jeans, car coat, denim jacket, vest, twist front top and a linen shirt), yeah, I've got nothing to show.  This is what did come out of the sewing workspace this past year.  

 January

Most of my sewing time in 2021 was dedicated to sewing for others (minus the dresses that fits for moi).  All of these makes were created with tried and trusted patterns.  The Littlest Studio tuque (free downloadable pattern), scrub caps (free downloadable pattern), Simplicity silk slip and The Assembly Line's Tulip dress.  

Covid-19 continued to be an presence in our lives as the roll-out of the vaccine started in North America a few weeks earlier.  The first to receive their vaccines are people living in long-term care facilities and those working in health care.  There is a sense of hope at the beginning of the year that was quickly diminished later in the month when it was discovered that a B.C. couple jumped the Covid vaccine queue.  Some people didn't get the memo that claims we're in this together.  

Face masks remain the top fashion accessory of our times despite the anti-maskers who are not too keen on this fashion accessory.     

February

February's sewing projects were about work clothes, dealing with weight gain and the fact that I'm not comfortable winter driving while wearing a big heavy winter coat.  McCall's reversible winter jacket, Closet Core dress, Vogue t-shirt and Vogue turtleneck dress.  

Pandemic life is not pretty.  Pandemic pounds and the Covid-15 are more than catch phrases that sum up the physical toll the pandemic is having on the world's population.  Knowing that I am not alone is not helping.  I was at an unhealthy weight before the pandemic and now it's worse.  There are winter clothes in my wardrobe, packed away because they do not fit.  Wool pants that could keep me warm this winter are unwearable because they don't fit.  I don't even want to think about sewing but I need something to wear with more ease if I'm going to get dressed for work.    

March

March's sewing was dedicated to practical sewing and sewing for others.  More scrub caps for nurses working in an Ontario health care facility and reusable shopping bags for me.  

Pandemic pounds are extinguishing my desire to sew anything new for myself.  The roll-out of the vaccine is slowly marching along.  (Unintended pun)   I'm still waiting my turn.  In the meantime, I'm sewing and sending off more scrub caps to nurses in Ontario.  

April

I was starting to feel burnt-out with pandemic life.  One of these projects were all about trying to find my lost joy in sewing, the other project was about having something to fit my obese frame.  The Assembly Line's Oversized shirt and McCall's little girl's dress.  

Pandemic sewing is starting to bum me out as I watch case number increase and anti-vaccine protesters dropping unwelcomed literature in the mailboxes around the neighbourhood.   

May

Nothing sewn this month.  

June

Tessuti Patterns' Eva dress.  Only because I no longer fit into my other versions of this dress and hot weather is coming.  This one is made with a cotton stretch and pockets.   Stretch fabric to the rescue.

Double masking has become a thing as case number increase and schools move into remote learning for the last month.  

July

July was all about catching up on projects that I've either neglected or have been talking about for quite some time.  Simplicity panties, Vogue pajama bottoms, Butterick pajama top, Vogue wool pants.  

The anti-mask and anti-vaccine protests that are popping up at busy intersections around the neighbourhood are disheartening.  I just want to hibernate in my pajamas.  

August

This year I didn't make myself birthday dress.  Pajamas seem to be more appropriate for pandemic birthdays.  McCall's little girl's dress, kitchen curtains, Butterick pajama top and Vogue pajama bottoms. 

Anti-mask and anti-vaccine protesters are taking their protests to the Federal election campaign in a very ugly way.  It makes one not want to venture out at all.  I need something to take my mind off the ugliness and anger I've been witnessing both here locally and on news clips following the campaign trail.  

September

I need to do some more charity / gift sewing to feel like I'm doing something positive.  

It's a mad, mad world out there!  Anti-mask and anti-vaccine protesters block the entrance to a local hospital restricting entrance to patients and hospital staff.  

October

There was more charity sewing and I've dipped my toes back into sewing for myself--not pajamas, believe it or not.  The Assembly Line (TAL) Box Pleat dress, Free downloadable bib pattern, and a Vogue top.  Along with some sewing bloopers that made me abandon a jean jacket project.  

I'm starting to drop some pounds, slowly.  TAL dress is too big.  I wear it a few times because I love the print but I really do sew to have clothes that fit.  The dress has plans to become grocery shopping bags instead.  

November

It may look like my sewing was all over the place. There was some charity and gift sewing, kitchen items, and dresses.  Oh my!  The turtleneck dresses are keepers.  The wrap dress has me thinking, what was I thinking?   No pattern used for the microwave cozies, Simplicity top, Burda dress, Vogue wrap dress, Dhurata Davies face mask, Vogue dress and no pattern used for the reusable coffee filters.  

I'm trying my best to eat healthier, decrease my coffee intake (I made that decision after sewing the reusable filters) and get more exercise.  It's paying off because I'm starting to fit into winter clothes that I had packed away last year.   There is a sense of hope as the Advent season begins.  

December

Burda turtleneck dress, vintage Simplicity robe, Butterick cardigan and McCall's tote bag.  

The presence of the omicron variant sucker punched the whole world and just highlights that we're not in this together as long as vaccine inequality remains.  It's not the corona virus, rather it's greed that will take us down if vaccine inequality is not addressed.   

Face masks continue to be the hot fashion accessory of the season.  KN95 masks that were readily available previous months are now more difficult to find in the stores.  I'm starting to receive more requests for homemade face masks.  The Dhurata Davies pattern has become my go-to despite being more work to create, it is the best fit.  Even though it is the holiday season, it is disheartening to watch the news that health care workers are being threatened around the world.   What happened to the hope we had in the beginning of 2021?  Hope was found at my presser foot of my sewing machine creating something as an expression of kindness.  We need more kindness right now.  

Stay safe and keep sewing!