2022 Reflections and Goals for 2023!

 

It's the time of year to look back and also look ahead. This is my summary of how I met my goals for 2022, and the creation of new ones for 2023.

Reflections

Last year's goals were mild, and not overly challenging. Exactly what I needed in a year of Rest, after that last few years of chaos. I really needed to relax and just take time to myself, and I managed to do that as much as possible. 

This year I feel like I have a bit more room for bigger goals, but still don't want too much stress. I am trying to find balance so that I have the energy for sewing and the creativity I love. So overextending myself, even in the sewing room, is something I have to watch out for.

Last year's goals were:

Stash Management: I feel like I did pretty well on that this year, although there is a lot more organization to do in the upcoming months. I got a handle on what was in my stash, and gave away a lot of old fabric that I didn't want anymore (and also cleared out my summer wardrobe to make more room for new projects). I need to do the same to my winter wardrobe and to organize the fabric that is left is a more logical and accessible way.

Wardrobe Planning: I kind of faltered on this but would like to get back to it and create a new wardrobe plan for 2023. I'm still feeling the bright colours and work wear vibe but have to rethink the projects and fabrics I want to use. 

and my last goal of 2022 was to Enjoy! I feel like this was the most important goal, and I did enjoy nearly everything I did this year. I slowed down, sewed and reviewed fewer things than usual, even if I was still sewing for the Liesl Advisor's Circle and for Fabricville. Neither of those groups are onerous and I had fun with the projects I made for them. 

2023 Goals

Sew from stash

I want to continue clearing out and organizing my stash - I just received a very generous gift of fabrics from a friend, of wonderful wools, silks and cottons from her late mother's stash, and I want to use most of that before I buy more. I also want to use more of my own pattern stash, including my large number of Burda magazines. 

Finish some art quilts

I've started taking time from my garment sewing to work on some small art quilts. I really enjoy the different experience of creating art from fabric, and while I've finished a couple of smaller ones, I'd like to focus a little more and finish some of the many half made and imagined quilts I have going. To help me do this I've signed up for the SAQA Conference, which is being held in Toronto this year. I couldn't miss it being so close as it hasn't been in Canada before. 

Take classes & learn more

I'd also like to take some classes this year and improve my skills in an organized manner. I've bought the Jasika Blazer class from Closet Core, and hope to work through that this spring to develop some better tailoring skills. I'd also like to give a bag or hat a try this year for something new!

Do you have new goals for 2023? Feel free to share them in the comments or drop a link to your own post about your plans. 

2022 Top Five Hits & Misses

For the past few years I've been looking back at my year via the Sewing Top Five meme started by the Sewcialists way back when. I don't see it making the rounds this year, but I emjoy doing it so am going to share my Top Five sewing Hits & Misses with you again! 

2022 was a bit of an odd year but I still did a fair bit of sewing. I spent a lot of time cleaning out my stash and wardrobe (though still lots more to be done) and thinking about what I really wanted to make and wear. (Also a work in progress)

From all of that, I've chosen my top five projects. These are the ones that I liked making, was pleased with when finished, and which I've actually worn since making them! 

Burda 7169

I finished this in mid December and have already worn it three times. It's the perfect mix of 80s style and comfort for me!

Burda 04-1990- 143

I made this dress from an old Burda magazine I got from a friend - the 90s style fits me well and the stash fabric just seemed perfect. I've worn this a lot both in summer and in fall with tights & a jacket. Think this is one I might make again - the fit, and the pockets, are great. I love this one.

New Look 6525

This multicoloured knit swing dress was finished right at the start of the year, and I have worn it a lot. It goes with nearly all my coloured jackets, looks good on its own, and is very forgiving to wear. So comfy & colourful.

Burda Book Jacket (Burda 108-2-2021)

This was made thanks to one of the challenge rounds of the PatternReview 2022 Sewing Bee, and it was a fun one! I loved combining the fabrics. Once I came up with the idea for a project featuring buttonholes, this project went very quickly. I love it - but am thinking about removing the collar so it gets more wear. 

Suki Dress by Tilly & the Buttons

This is a very simple pattern, from the book Make It Simple by Tilly Walnes. It is a basic shape, but the belt feature is interesting, and it's a great pattern for a busy pattern. I made this as part of my blue and yellow sewing in the early months of the year and I really love it. Comfortable, chic and so bright.

And now for the sadder side, these are my top five sewing misses this year. Actually I couldn't really decide on five, because I didn't really make many duds this year. I did make some that I haven't worn much, but I think with some small adjustments, I'll wear them a little more. 

Simplicity 9115 - I made the top and skirt from this pattern, and have worn the skirt a little more often than the top. I need to take in the top a bit, and also remember that this set needs ironing - it's not just one to grab in the morning, it will take planning ;) That's the risk you take when you use old sheets to sew clothes with; far more pressing required. 

Liesl & Co Fira Top - I think this one is very cute, and enjoyed the scrappiness of making it. But I just don't reach for denim as my first choice very often so haven't given this the airing it deserves.

Butterick 4969 - this little jacket was made from an 80s pattern, and it's nice but I haven't worn it much. Partly because it's the same sheet fabric as the Simplicity pieces, thus needs to be pressed prior to throwing on, but also because I made it in August near the end of the summer season. Perhaps I'll wear it more this coming summer!

And that's it - my top five faves and top five less faves ;) I hope that your sewing year was weighted toward favourites and that 2023 also treats you well in the sewing room.

#SewingTop5 Goals and Reflections

 

The turn of the year is a great time to reflect and to plan. I've been doing this as part of the Top Five series hosted by the Sewcialists for a number of years, which is now defunct, but originator Gillian of Crafting a Rainbow is doing a bit of it on Instagram so it spurred me to add it here once again. 

2021 was a tough one for me. There was a lot in it, and as many people have noted, it felt endless and a week long at the same time. When I look back at it, I fluctuated between steady sewing and no sewjo at all. But my sewing did keep me going, especially as Fall arrived. 

I had made a number of enthusiastic goals last December -- I only really met one, sewing 50 metres from my stash. I was participating in a sewalong at PatternReview, which helped (and you can join this year's same challenge now). 

So when I was thinking about my goals for 2022, I realized that I don't have many. My main goal is simply to have no expectations and take things as they come. I want to really scale down and protect my time and mental space. So my little goals for the upcoming sewing year are quite manageable, nothing too ambitious this year. 

1. Stash Management

I did pretty well with this in 2021, using a lot of my stash. I still have lots to do though, since it doesn't look much different. I'd like to actually organize it this year and really get a handle on what's there and the space it is taking up. 

2. Wardrobe Planning

I really enjoyed doing the Seamwork Design Your Wardrobe process this fall and learned a lot from it. I have already made a few items from the list I generated during that process, so my goal for the first quarter of the new year is to make a few more of the patterns I chose for that wardrobe. And to use the process for planning my summer wardrobe too -- I found it really helpful to narrow down my choices among my hundreds of patterns and stash fabrics. 

3. Enjoy!

That's my overarching goal. To keep the enjoyment and excitement of sewing as a hobby going. Not to overextend or overplan, but if opportunities come that look manageable I'll take them :) I find that sharing my sewing is a big part of my enjoyment, so definitely continuing to blog and IG my sewing too. 

So not a hugely ambitious year, but one in which I hope to find balance and  joy. 

Happy 2022 to you all!