I have realised this year is going to be a challenging one for me, and I know my sewing will suffer if I don't have a plan. I joined the Sew Weekly circle, but I now see that I will not be able to follow the weekly challenges. I feel it will restrict me and I will end up sewing things that I do not really want.
So I was very happy when I fell on Suzie's 12 in 2012 project. Basically, she's set herself 12 goals which she wants to achieve this year. She decided to sew 12 items, learn 12 new sewing skills, and use 12 new techniques.
I will only concentrate on sewing 12 items. I am sure I am bound to pick up a few new tricks along the way, and I will share those with you when I do.
I am selecting 12 items which I REALLY want to make this year. I am sure I will make other things as well, but these 12 are those that I would rather make. In other words, if I only have to make 12 things this year, it should be these.
1) Bombshell Dress
2) Trench Coat
3) The Couture Dress with Susan Khalje
4) Galaxy Dress
5) Silk Blouse
6) Lace Dress
7) Lonsdale Dress
8) Maxi dress
9) Pattern Runway One shoulder dress
10) Pencil Skirt
11) Shift Dress
12) Shirt Dress
I am not planning to sew the actual items pictured above, well except those that are patterns, like the lonsdale, bombshell dress, couture dress, and one shoulder dress. I will have to find patterns that I like for the rest of the items as I go along.
Is there anything you ABSOLUTELY want to make this year?
What a great idea, I may have to try this as well. I'm a list person and writing it all down helps me focus on goals.
ReplyDeleteAs for what to sew, my list is very close to yours, minus the bombshell, that is done, and it nearly killed me, ha!
Jill, your near death experience with the bombshell dress was absolutely worth it because your dress was really lovely. I loved the colour you used.
DeleteBombshell is definitely on my list!!! Also a lovely pair of bright skinny trousers.
ReplyDeleteYeah I wanted to make a pair of skinnies, but I am not so brave. Last year you did a post about modifying your pattern to accommodate your derrière. I have to check it out if I decide to make the trousers. Your Lonsdale was so nice.
DeleteWhat a great, wonderful, fantastic idea!! I may have to join in on this! I'm hoping to make more than 12 garments this year, but it would be a fun exercise for getting an actually goal list going! Thank-you for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteNo worries Montana. You should check Suzie's blog. She's got alot of things she wants to try. You might also find more inspiration there.
DeleteFab idea. Could you use the taffy pattern for the silk blouse? I have lots of stuff I want to sew this year, but with the extra work at home, the one I am determined to do is the SEW #Lisette traveller dress (I want to make both A and C) .I cleverly bought the pattern before realising I was pregnant last year and put it away once I realised! I think it will be a dress I can still breast feed in. I also am tempted by the banksia shirt from megan nielsen. Oh and I am set on making dark blue trousers...got the pattern and fabric. :) Hope all is good with you.
ReplyDeleteI also have the traveller dress pattern. I have been looking at it for my shirtdress. Its amazing how the bump can derail all our sewing plans right? lol. The taffy blouse....hmm...now thats a thought. Will look at it again. I want something which I can wear with loads of stuff.
DeleteGo on, make the traveller dress too! Keep me company. I saw a checked shirt dress in Cath Kidston recently that would easily suit the traveller pattern. I agree about being derailed by bump! I am tempted by so many dress patterns but trying to stick to breastfeeding friendly patterns!
DeleteThat sounds like a really good plan. Mind you I think you are already the queen if the maxidress so that one ought to be a doddle! Not so much the trench coat . I can't plan ahead like that because I just get sidetracked, but I do really want to make one of the dresses from the Feb Burda and I have got the fabric so it might actually happen.
ReplyDelete(and yay, blogger is letting me comment again after breaking last week)
I don't know why Blogger keeps stressing us regarding comments. I am quite scared of the trench coat to be honest. I wanted to use cotton sateen for the coat, but I can't seem to find any. I called The Cloth house but they don't have any now. Drat. I think I know Burda dress you are talking about.
DeleteThat's a great plan dibs, on the face of it lovely lovely makes with a limit for reality! However, there's lots of work in lots of them- the bombshell and couture dresses, and I'm sure the trench coat too. You will be very busy!!
ReplyDeleteYeah SCruffy. I might end up making only these 12 things lol. But I really want to push myself. At least I can use the trench coat hopefully for a couple of years.
DeleteWow, you've set yourself some real challenges there, some lovely stuff!
ReplyDeleteDebbie B
Yeay Dibs! So glad I inspired you to do 12 in 2012!! You've picked some killer projects there (a number that I plan to do as well) - and you are right, you will pick up a tonne of new skills and techniques from them along the way. Cannot wait to see how you get on.
ReplyDeletelol, I hope I do them all. I have been known to start something with alot of steam, then half way through, I just wilt. I really like the project, as it gives me a lot of control, and I have the whole year.
DeleteThis is such a good idea, I may have to jump on the band-wagon with this one too! one of my absolute makes this year has to be a trench coat.
ReplyDeletelooking forward to seeing the couture dress and how you get on with the rest of your list.
Thanks Sarah. Do you know what fabric you want to use for your trench coat? I am thinking Cotton sateen, or stretch Gabardine.
DeleteI'm thinking Gabardine too. I was a little confused about what material to use when I first decided to make one but Gabardine seems a popular choice.
DeleteI ended up getting stretch cotton sateen. I wanted gabardine, but could not find any in beige.
DeleteBombshell is on my list as I joined the course from Gertie on Craftsy, but I haven't decided when yet. There are many things I want to try this year but is a messy list, jeans, lace shirt, lingerie... Maybe too many things for my laziness, but I'm trying to change.
ReplyDeleteI want to make everything on your list! I've got to start on my bombshell! I've watched the whole class 3 times but have yet to start sewing!
ReplyDeleteOooo, everything on your list is gorgeous! This year I want to make one dress, having never made one before.
ReplyDeleteGod for you Hun... Very wise and get you a positive outlook on your hobby. Xx
DeleteYou know, this is such a great idea, I get overwhelmed with all that I feel I should do...I was all proud for taking a basic bodice block last weekend and altering it so it fit me perfectly in a woven, making one in a loose knit so I could see how it was way too much ease that way...then making one in a white cotton burnout, then making two different linings to try under it...so basically I have 5 bodice blocks and no idea where to take it from there! ;)
ReplyDeleteI think one of my 12 will be making a maxi dress out of the burnout fabric, since it needs to be lined and I haven't..actually...lined anything yet. It will require me also to use a zipper and...I've managed to go almost a whole year sewing without putting in a zipper...it's been 20 years since I've put in a zipper, what am I waiting for?!?
Oh, my! That's a good way, very real ... I will accompany you along the way to enjoy all your progress ... Looking foward ...
ReplyDeleteOoh, I like your plan! You've got some fun dresses and some classic shapes! Very nice! I'm planning on the one-shouldered dress, of course, plus the bombshell dress and a pencil skirt at some point. The Lonsdale dress was such a joy to put together-- you'll love it!
ReplyDeleteOooh I'm doing the one shoulder pattern runway dress too (just dropped it off at the printers' today-they do large format which saves the back/knee pain of pasting A4s toghether). Also, which trench coat pattern are you planning to sew?
ReplyDelete