Year in Review...

January

The year began with speculation if 2023 would become the year that Covid-19 is declared an endemic.  Hopeful speculation as it came to light that 2022 was the most deadly year for Covid in Canada.  Yet the public sphere would illustrate otherwise as many citizens ignore this January 30, 2023 Government of Canada advice, "[a]s Covid-19 activity continues and hospitalizations remain elevated in Canada, layers of prevention, including keeping up-to-date with Covid-19 vaccinations and personal protective practices remain our best approach to reduce the risk of developing severe illness and limit the burden on the health system."  Face masks, once the hottest fashion trend, are not part of the 2023 everyday wear as provincial governments drop restrictions and Covid updates are erased from newscasts.  

Sewing projects continue to reflect pandemic life and trying to avoid the public sphere as much as possible and stay healthy.  No need for dresses or going out clothes.  Most of this month's sewing were gifted.  Only a sweatshirt toile as I tried to work on an oversized sweatshirt.  

February

Global inflation continues to be found in every aspect of daily life.  Even sewing.  Dreams of a 100% cotton sweatshirt fabric are out reach when I spotted it priced at $45.00 / metre.  Looking to make something to keep me warm, I reached for a boiled wool fabric that I picked up for $5.00 / metre many moons ago for my oversized sweatshirt fabric.  I couldn't be happier with how it turned out and used up all the scraps left over from other projects as well to make a second version.  God had a different plan and it was better than mine.  

March

A wrist fracture put a halt to sewing activity this month.  It actually took four weeks to detect the fracture because the x-rays were obscured with the arthritis in my hand.  I might be coming to terms that my sewing days may be numbered?  

April

As spring is fast approaching and my wrist is still in a cast, the need for pull-on clothes rages on.  But my sewing ability is limited.  Thankful that I managed to sew a pair of pull-on pants.  

May

Remember that fracture diagnosis last month, it was actually a misdiagnosis.  A CT scan confirmed that I should not have even been in a cast!  The doctor is now calling it a sprained wrist and shoulder.  Sewing is my physio as the doctor's instruction is to "work through the pain."  It's just nice to be free of the cast.  Sewing projects reflect another recent weight gain as I stopped walking while in the cast resulting in need for more ease in my clothes.  

June

Yardwork has been taking over my free time that I hoped to devote to sewing.  It's surprising there was even yardwork done along with these sewing projects!  Physio exercises also monopolized my free time.  The sprained shoulder is taking awhile to get back to pre-fall condition.  

July

Last month the weather was hot, like July hot.  But this July, the temperatures are on the much cooler side.  Early July felt like autumn was in the air and my sewing thoughts did turn to cooler-weather wear. 

   

August

Celebration was in the air this month as the sewing machine was busy stitching together two dresses for a very special occasion.  

And with some left-over fabric, I was able to refashion my "Every Child Matters" t-shirt into one that I can fit into.  

September

September sewing was motivated by sewing for others and trying to sew comfortable items to accommodate weight gain.   

October

October sewing came to a stall when the serger went in for repair.  Thankfully, there were a few items that came out of the workspace.  

November

Once upon a time, people sewed clothes before home-use sergers.  The pinking shears came to the rescue this month.  And then Covid stalled worked at the sewing work table.  

December

People need to stop saying that the latest "it" variant of Covid is "mild".  It's not.  Not for some of us.  On the positive side, I did manage to lose ten pounds while dealing with Covid and now can fit into my wool pants that I thought I would have to refashion. 

This past year, despite all the start and stops in the sewing workspace, there were 27 items made for moi and 14 items sewn for others.  There were two household items, 1 outerwear garment, 15 tops, 5 undergarments, 6 pull-on pants, 3 skirts (+ 1 refashioned), 4 dresses, 1 cardigan and 3 sleepwear pieces sewn this year.  One top and dress didn't work out and were donated.   

Stay Safe and Keep Sewing!

Top Five Lists: The 2023 Edition

The Top Five Sewing Bloopers

Plaid skirt with wide two-tired elastic waistband, circa September 2023.  Pattern:  The Assembly Line's Elastic Waist Maxi Skirt.  Sewing blooper:  not noticing the twisted elastic on the lower tier (oops!) until I put it on and then continued to wear it again before fixing it.  

Orange and beige dress.  Pattern:  Simplicity 9744, circa June 2023.  Sewing blooper:  The hem length was trimmed too short (oops!) and didn't feel comfortable to wear.  

Cotton pullover pleated top, circa May 2023.  Pattern:  Clochette by I AM Patterns.  Sewing blooper:  Cutting out the fabric before making a toile / muslin version first.  It is a beautiful pattern but on me the fit could be better if I just took the time to pay attention to the fit.  

Car coat, circa November 2023.  Pattern:  Out-of-print New Look 6074.  Sewing blooper:  I let this sit in an abandoned sewing project pile.  And thinking that I had all the pattern pieces cut I used the remainder of the fabric for hats and scarfs, only to realize that I did not cut out the front facing (oops!).  

Cotton knit pullover dress, circa August 2023.  Pattern:  Asymmetrical Dress by SD Patterns (an Etsy shop).  Sewing blooper:  Purchasing an on-sale PDF pattern while thinking that I could send it to a print shop.  It wasn't so, and I ended spending too much time printing and taping.    

The Top Five Sewing Room Tools 

Pinking shears.  There was some retro seam finishing done with pinking shears while the serger was in the repair shop.  

Safety pins.  There were twelve projects that needed elastic to be moved through casings.  And safety pins were more economical than investing in elastic threaders.  Twenty twenty-three was the year to make do and budget.  

A pair of table legs were a give-away item and came in handy for cutting out those large single layer pattern pieces from Butterick 6784.  

Spring hinge scissors.  I wouldn't have been able to do some sewing work while in a cast without this tool.  

Buttonhole cutter.  This little tool made the opening of the buttonhole on this coat possible.  

The Top Five Misses

These pants looked good hot off the sewing machine, but after several washes the fabric sort of lost its appeal.  Fabric can make or break a project.  I should have tested it first.  

Any tips for sewing waffle knit?  It was a sewing challenge that I did not master.  

Yeah sometimes those pieces of fabric that have been sitting folded up in the stash for decades have those fold lines that set in really good.  These pants were still worn for yard work.  

There is still some ponte knit lingering in the stash even though I vowed a few years ago to stick with natural fibre fabrics.  This didn't last long in my wardrobe.  It has zero warmth factor for a prairie winter.  

It just didn't work out.  

The Top Five Makes

Gifted pajama bottoms, out-of-print (OOP) Simplicity 2372.  Circa January 2023.  

Gifted pajama top, OOP and vintage Simplicity 6851.  Circa January 2023.  

Gifted boys' Super Mario shirt, OOP and vintage Butterick 2122.  Circa September 2023.  

Gifted boy's dinosaur shirt, McCall's 6972.  Circa July 2023.  

Gifted child's dress, OOP Vogue 9072.  Circa August 2023.  

Happy Sewing!  

Stash busting: Pull-on Denim Pants / OOP Butterick 6716

What to say about this project?  It's a pair of pull-on pants made with out-of-print (OOP) Butterick 6717.  The print version of this pattern is no longer available but it is still available on the Simplicity.com website as a PDF pattern.  This pattern has made an appearance here several times.  It's become my go-to pants pattern.  

This pair once again does not have the side pockets and the length is shortened about an inch and a half with a three quarter inch hem.  

The fabric has been in the stash for decades.  It's from Fanny Fabrics back in the day prior to their closure in 2005.  I figured since I used this denim for the collar of the last project, why not make a pair of pants to go with the top?   And that's how I ended up with a pair of pull-on denim pants.  

The fabric was previously pre-treated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer before hitting the ironing board for a steam press.   

Project details

Seams:  2.8 straight stitch  

Seam finish:  Serged

Fabric:  2.1 metres

Interfacing:  0.2 metres non-fusible 

Elastic:  0.7 metres

Pattern:  OOP Butterick 6716 (only available as PDF)

Additional Tools and Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, measuring tape, pin cushions, tailor's chalk, fabric scissors, Janome sewing machine, walking foot, safety pins, measuring gauge, threads, Janome serger, thread clippers, iron and ironing board.

Happy Sewing!