Year in Review Part 1

So, how did you guys do for 2009? I sewed 95 garments in all this year. It sounds pretty impressive but you have to remember that about 11 of those items were underwear. I'm always impressed when I do these graphs at the end of the year. It always seems like I don't sew for my kids but I really do. I'm not such a bad mother after all. Well, at least they have underwear. I'm surprised there are not more skirts on the graph. I feel like I do a ton of skirts and not many tops but that is clearly not the case.

This should come as no surprise to those of you who read my blog. I love BWOF (or whatever the hell they are calling themselves now) and Jalie patterns. The lone Burda is an envelope pattern.

How did you guys fare for the year sewing wise?

Yeah! It's 2009!

I know that making resolutions are passé but they help me keep a focus in my life. I'm a list-maker and a list checker-offer. Nothing makes me quite so happy as checking things off a list. I'm great at working towards goals and I set them frequently in my professional life too. Whether you call then goals or resolutions, they help me keep on track.

1. Take my time and make quality garments. This includes fitting my shoulder/bust area correctly for wovens. This also includes thread basting (shudder) when necessary.
2. Make sure my children and husband are well-clothed. Sometimes I feel like the mechanic whose cars never run or the carpenter who's house never gets that last trim work. I will make sure my family is outfitted and warm.
3. Stop procrastinating when faced with something I don't want to do. I'll postpone a project because I know it's going to take a lot of hand sewing or time to get it perfect.

I think three is about good. These are big resolutions too. These are lifetime life resolutions if you know what I mean. Whether I'm sewing, teaching, or mothering, these goals will be applicable for each of those facets of my life. I hope everyone has a great start to the beginning of the year. I should be unveiling another dress (no, I don't need another one) in a day or two. Until then, happy sewing!

Back in Time

On Saturday, December 29, 2007 I wrote:
New Year's Resolutions
I resolve to:

1. Take better care of myself during the two on. Can't be an effective parent/person without this. No more "no dinner" for me. ---I did well on this goal. When my husband starting working two on, two off it was hard for me to manage my children, my full-time job, my side-business. I got tired and burned out and then I got sick. Doing all that when you are sick is no good. I have managed to figure it all out and now the kids and I do a much better job of managing things while my husband is gone.
2. Take better care of my children during the two on. ---Ditto the answer to number one. When I feel better; my children feel better because I'm a better parent.
3. Buy fabric wisely. Stop just buying the Bold and Beautiful. Buy some sensible fabric too. ---Yeah, I stopped buying just crazy knit prints but now I just buy, buy, buy!! But, it is nice stuff.
4. Stop buying patterns that I don't use. Get TNT patterns for all the basics. (Work Pants: check, t-shirt: check, skirt: not yet, suit jacket or some dressier top: nope, A Couple of Fun Casual Tops: not yet.) ---Since I discovered BWOF, I now have lots of TNT things. I am still working on my wonky shoulders/bust area. Once I figure that out, I'll be golden.
5. Four is enough. ---Apparently I have to be more detailed in my resolutions because I have no idea what the hell this one is about. I don't have four kids so it can't be that. I don't have four sewing machines so it isn't that. Hmmmm. I guess I really worked hard on this goal eh?
   Posted by Dawn at 4:37 PM

So, overall, I don't think I did too badly. I figured out a lot in a year. I'll be posting my resolutions for this year in a couple of days.

This bottom section is for Angie because she asked about the Glencheck. I plan to make this dress from BWOF 12/2008.

The line drawing? Meh. The model photo? Love it. I'll have to score a good belt to go with this dress. Below is the fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics.

eBay . . .

Guess who just won this for $21.00?? And they are all my size.

You can expect to see a few more dresses popping up. Thank goodness March rolled around before this auction ended. I really am strict about the "not spending more than $100 a month" resolution.

Yikes. I'm $1.49 in the hole.

So, I budget $100 a month for sewing crap (more detail here). I HAD to buy these belt rings to finish this dress. I just HAD to finish the darn thing. So I got the rings home and they didn't fit. I ended up using these aluminum rings that I ALREADY HAD!!!! So my balance did not have to go negative. Oh well, only three more days before I get my allotted $100 for the month of March.

Still working away on SWAP. Current update:
Bottoms:

1. Jalie 2000 - Choice of Pants - Merlot stretch sateen
2. Butterick 5147 - Pencil Skirt - Tweedy mystery wool found in stash
3. Simplicity 4091 - Skirt with Flounce - Dark brown bamboo/cotton corduroy
4. Butterick 5147 - A-line Skirt - Waiting for some wine-colored moleskin fabric from Fabric.com

Tops:

1. Jalie 2005 - Choice of t-shirts - I bought some bubble knit fabric from Fabric.com. I bought it in a tan color. I'm not sure of the weight so I'll wait to see when it gets here.
2. Jalie 2787 - Criss-cross tops - Get Ziggy With It from Gorgeous Fabrics
3. Jalie 2793 - Tunic - Dark brown and tan
4. Jalie 2322 - Button-down Blouse - Tan embroidered corduroy
   Jacket (waiting for the fitted top contest on PR.com)
5. Kwik Sew 3584 - Gathered cropped jacket - Dark brown bamboo/cotton corduroy
   

Accessory
Purse? Not sure about this one yet. I am thinking of doing a wristlet/credit card pouch.

New Year's Resolutions

I resolve to:

1. Take better care of myself during the two on. Can't be an effective parent/person without this. No more "no dinner" for me.
2. Take better care of my children during the two on.
3. Buy fabric wisely. Stop just buying the Bold and Beautiful. Buy some sensible fabric too.
4. Stop buying patterns that I don't use. Get TNT patterns for all the basics. (Work Pants: check, t-shirt: check, skirt: not yet, suit jacket or some dressier top: nope, A Couple of Fun Casual Tops: not yet.) Sop I have a bit to work on.
5. Four is enough.