Year in Review...

Twenty-twenty-two flew by and even though at times I felt like I wasn't sewing that much, I'm kinda shocked that a hundred sixteen projects came off the machine this year.  Mind you many of those were small projects like various bags and hats and scarves.  

• Fifty-one (44%) of these projects were donated or gifted.  
• Eight projects (6%) didn't work out as planned.  
• 117.1 metres of fabric were stash busted in 2022
• 17 reusable grocery bags were sewn in anticipation of the single use plastic bag ban that came into effect this year.  These bags was the most popular sewing project of 2022 and many were gifted after some people saw and liked them.  

Well, here's a closer look back at the time at the sewing machine this past year including December's projects.  

Have a Happy New Year!  And wishing you a productive and creative 2023 in the sewing workspace.  

January

Reusable grocery bags (OOP McCall's 4851), Men's shirt (McCall's 2447), Remote control caddy (no pattern used), 3-layer cotton face masks (Dhurata Davies), Waterfall Coat (Butterick 6244)

January's sewing projects were all about finding a distraction and trying to get promised projects done.  All projects, except for the reusable grocery bags, were gifted.  

February

Diane Von Furstenberg Designer Wrap Dress (OOP Vogue 1610), Robe (OOP Simplicity 6851), Pajama Bottoms (OOP Vogue 9217) and Men's Pants (OOP Kwik Sew 3663 and McCall's 6973)

During the month of February there was some gift sewing and a couple of projects for moi.  I was blessed to sew an authentic DVF wrap dress pattern, circa 1977.  I can cross that one off my sewing bucket list.  And on the third version of the robe, I finally got the button placement right.  It was a good month for sewing and mending.  

March

Unfinished jean jacket (OOP Butterick 6373), wool and cotton knit socks (The Wolf and The Tree, Going Rogue Socks), DVF wrap dress in black sweater knit  and cotton knit (OOP Vogue 1610), cotton knit top (OOP Simplicity 2372), table runner (no pattern used), reusable grocery bag (OOP McCall's 4851)

March was a mix of charity, gift, selfish sewing and one Lent sewing project for the church.  The highlight of the sewing this month would have to be socks, so many socks!  I made a batch of wool socks for moi and a batch to be gifted.  Oh and a version of the DVF wrap dress that I saved for Easter Sunday mass not anticipating a snow storm that would happen and would nix those plans.  

April 

Cotton print top (OOP Butterick 5891), reusable grocery bags (OOP McCall's 4851) and French terry cardigan / jacket (Butterick 6495)

I wonder if April blizzard warnings will also bring May flowers?  Maybe it was all the unpredictable weather that zapped my sewing mojo this month?  

May

Wool sweater (OOP Kwik Sew 4192), 2 cotton slips (OOP Kwik Sew 3645), Men's denim pull-on pants with front facing leg pockets (OOP Kwik Sew 3663), Pear print dress (Tessuti patterns Eva dress), shirt (McCall's 7940), dress (OOP Simplicity 2372)

Thankfully, there were no more blizzard warnings this month.  Instead, it was replaced with lots of rain!  That meant staying indoors and sewing, most of the projects sewn this month were gifted to others.  

June

Yellow and gray reusable grocery bags (OOP McCall's 4851), flannel pajama set (Butterick 6296 and Vogue 9217), bag (no pattern used)

Summer officially arrived and most of my free time is dedicated to yardwork and avoiding mosquito bites.  There was some gardening and planting of squashes, tomatoes, herbs and sunflowers that took me away from sewing.  And my simple life is reflected in my sewing projects, no fancy sewing found here.  

July

DVF Wrap dress (OOP and vintage Vogue 1610), Donna Karan shorts (OOP and vintage Vogue 2092), failed attempt at recreating RTW culottes (OOP McCall's 6748)

During the month of July, I was able to squeeze in a little bit of sewing in between yardwork and gardening.  The pants and the shorts were made with thoughts of cycling more than materialized.  Maybe next month?  

August

Scarf (no pattern used), cell phone cover (no pattern used), reuseable grocery bags (OOP McCall's 4851), black and white jacket (OOP Vogue 8430), floral gathered empire waist girl's dress (OOP New Look 6493), girl's reversible dress (OOP Vogue 1455), failed attempt at culottes (OOP Vogue 9091), failed attempt at recreating a RTW t-shirt (OOP Vogue 8582) 

Mid-August my sewing move into high gear with the start of Pattern Reviews stash-busting contest.  All of these fabrics have been in the stash for years, some even decades.  Four items were gifted, two for moi didn't work out to be wearable.  

September

Waterfall coat (Butterick 6244), failed attempt at culottes (Vogue 9246), flannel pajamas (OOP and vintage Simplicity 6851 and OOP Simplicity 2372)

September was not the most successful sewing month.  The pants were way too big, the waterfall coat was not warm enough, the gifted pajama set was stressful with indecisiveness and complaints along the way.  Yup, sometimes sewing for others can be stressful.  

 

October 

Flannel pajama set (Butterick  6296, Simplicity 2372 and Vogue 9217), plaid pull-on and elastic back pants (OOP Butterick 6717), plaid scarf (no pattern used), finally, a successful pair of culottes (Vogue 9246), bag (OOP McCall's 4851), pull-on and elastic back pants (OOP Butterick 6717)

October was a mixed bag of sorts.  There were sewing bloopers and success stories.  Half of the sewing projects were gifted.  

November

Wool scarves (no pattern used), hats / tuques (The Littlest Studio, free PDF tuque pattern), wool cardigan (OOP Kwik Sew 4192), cotton knit top (OOP Simplicity 2372), polyester knit sweater (OOP Simplicity 8529), half-slip (OOP Butterick 5790), cotton knit skirt (OOP Butterick 5790) and wool pants (OOP Butterick 6717)

Most of November's sewing projects were about filling needs.  All the hats, except for one, were sewn for the church which put out a call for hats and scarves for newcomer families.  The other hat was gifted as was the short-sleeve t-shirt.  The cardigan is a replacement for the one I made in the spring but recently gave away to someone in need.  

December

Second attempt at recreating a RTW T-shirt (OOP Vogue 9057 / reissued as Vogue 1733), knit front knotted top, (OOP Vogue 2925), a little girl's velveteen and silk Christmas dress (OOP McCall's 5795 / available as a digital download) and a black knit maxi-skirt (OOP Butterick 5790) 

I would have probably sewn more if sewing time was not interrupted by a Colorado low that brought several days of snow that needed to be cleared right before Christmas!  

Happy Sewing!