2010 was a busy year in sewing!
The rundown:
22 tops (14 woven and 13 knit)
16 skirts
23 dresses (11 woven and 12 knit)
3 jackets and coats
4 gym pants
3 pajama pants
1 negligee
3 hats
2 grocery bags
1 bathing suit top
assorted panties and boxers (maybe 5 and 3, respectively?)
I don't quite know how to do the math on that, but I'll call it about 73 garments. This may have been my sewingest year yet! You can see the ones I managed to photograph in the slideshow above or in my 2010 Projects album.
I did 52 reviews on PR, an all-time high. I would have preferred to stick with 50 to keep things nice round numbers, but the Endless Combinations contest pushed me over the edge. Despite the high number of reviews, there is a 30% discrepancy between items made and items reviewed! Many of the skirts were just my simple self-drafted knit skirt pattern and are not worth mentioning, but there are some good pieces in the other categories I just didn't get around to photographing and talking about.
I wrote 81 blog posts for the year, down considerably from 111 in 2009 and 105 in 2008. I have been putting a lot of pressure on myself to do really quality posts with construction details and tutorials, which has made blogging a lot of work at times (and led in part to all the unreviewed projects). So for 2011, I think I will try to give myself a break and do some bare bones "Here's the finished garment, hope you like it" posts. As a reader, do you mind posts like that? Or are they useless without more information?
I have no idea how much fabric I bought and how much I sewed, but I'm guessing those numbers don't add up. ;-)
Most interesting garment to sew: Vogue 1161 Rachel Comey. It has a lot of seams and a lot of fussy match-points, so I thought it would be hard. But it wasn't really, it just takes a little time. I love the unexpected open back.
Favorite pattern of the year: Burda 02-2009-123. This is the perfect pattern for a beautiful piece of silk. It's cut in large pieces so the shiftiness of silk is less frustrating *and* it capitalizes on silk's wonderful drape. I made it 3 times in 2010, and I have not ruled out making it again.
Biggest fail of the year: Vogue 7876. Badly drafted, poorly fitted. However, this is sort of glib because it was the pattern that was the problem, not my sewing. It was followed closely by a skirt of Burda 08-2009-121 (you have to click on the technical drawing to see anything). I knew those zigzag pockets would be a disaster over my belly and boy was I right. They pop open in the most unflattering way you can imagine. This style can only be worn by someone with a completely flat stomach. I have not yet and am unlikely to muster the courage to take a photograph of this utter failure of a project (I made another modified Alexis skirt, as seen here, to fill the red-skirt-shaped hole in my closet).
**EDIT** Clearly, when drafting this post I was experiencing a merciful amnesia about The Tuxedo Jacket of Doom. Hands down the biggest fail of the year. The sleeves are unimaginably bad and I will never wear this piece on which I spent so much time and trouble and beautiful fabric.
I tried to choose a favorite or most-worn piece. I don't know if it's a good or a bad thing, but I really couldn't! I am happy with almost everything I made and wear them all about equally.
Looking forward to 2011...hmm. Other than less elaborate blog posts, I will make my perennial resolution to enjoy sewing the fabric I have rather than being distracted by new stuff. Just by looking at my stash album I came up with over 20 projects I really want to make. That is just fabric that absolutely knows what it wants to be and leaves aside all the fabrics that I love but haven't quite settled on a project for.
First project of the year is planned to be a coat, maybe with bound buttonholes. I have 5 or 6 projects photographed to blog so even if the coat takes me a month I won't run out of writing material. If the first few days of the year are any indication, I will be too busy to sew at all, much less as prolifically as in 2010. Let's hope that's not the case!
Thank you to all for joining me in 2010. I so appreciate all your comments, assistance, and encouragement. I love our little sewing community!
Happy 2011 to all, and happy sewing!
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42 comments:
I don't mind the occassional "This is the garment- here you go!" post. I do that myself all the time! I just want to admire your finished garments, althoguh your additional information has teached me a lot about proper sewing...
You had a great year! I, too like the occasional just pretty pictures post, so don't hold them back. I have enjoyed and learned a lot from your work this last year. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Wow! You were so productive! I definitely don't mind the shorter posts, I love to see what you make!
Wow what a great sewing year you've had. Sewing thatmany gorgeous garments is some going. I'm looking forward to what you make in 2011.
Wow! Girl I think you take the award for sewing the most clothes this year! I don't think I've seen anyone ever sew this much in a year! You are definitely one to watch. I've enjoyed your work. Like you, I want to "shop in my own sewing closet" this year and really get things done. I'm wishing you a super productive year for 2011!
I love all sewing posts from you, regardless of whether you include process info/pics or not. I have a really hard time finding patterns that are different and pretty, so I like to read what you're doing because your choices are always so cool.
Happy New Year! What a great year - I love that open back dress and the silk wrap tops. Just pictures occasionally is just fine.
Well, this explains why I hear your sewing machine in the background everytime we talk! That's a lot of great sewing.
Don't worry too much about elaborate blog posts. While helpful, it's more fun to see what you've made.
I love seeing your posts and all of your garments. You always give me inspiration and make me hope that I can figure this stuff out too. I appreciate your elaborate posts because they are so helpful, but I understand how much time it takes to produce those; therefore, look I made it posts are more than acceptable to me as a reader. :) I hope you have a wonderful 2011.
My goodness that's alotta sewing! You definitely should be proud. As for posts, I like both kinds so I'd say "mix it up!". You're always very generous with your effort here, I can't imaginge anyone being disappointed with a few "Look what I made" posts.
Truly impressive productivity..
But you shouldn't feel like you -have- to blog one way or the other. If blogging is cutting into your sewing, that's not cool. If you bore yourself with it, that's not cool either. Just like you should sew what makes -you- happy, you should blog as -you- see fit. And allow for the fact that this may change as well.
Love your tutorials, but really, a picture is fine too. It is always helpful to see a pattern you're contemplating on a real body, even if no other information comes with it. But your offhand comments can be very helpful too without taking too much time 'the arms were awfully tight', 'I had to cut it down 2 sizes', stuff like that.
I see your blog as just setting a really good example in terms of sewing a lot, and doing interesting new stuff without stressing too much about it. That's the slapdash way, right :-)?
Wow, you were extremely productive in 2010!
I think you can get away with minimalist blog posts, for sure.
You have had an amazingly productive year! You must find it very difficult to decide what to wear - so many beautiful garments to choose from.
I do enjoy reading your detailed posts but I would also be very happy to see some "look what I've made" posts. Looking at what you have made always inspires me!
Short posts are great! I think it's just inspiring to see what others sew! Congrats on all the sewing this past year!
I loved looking in on all your projects, you are one of my favorites on Pattern Review.
Keep on sewing :)
Short posts or long - I love keeping up with your projects !
I am in awe of the amount of sewing you do in a year (personal fave is the silk wrap top.) And I appreciate that you post "fails" as well as triumphs, because then I don't feel so bad about the disappointments that sometimes emerge from my machine. Post whenever and whatever you want, it will all be fine with me.
Wowsa! 73? I need to get busy if I'm going to beat that this next year. I guess that's my goal now. Thanks!
Good job! I wish I could half as much interesting fabrics as you do!
Happy 2011 to you! I love everything you sew; you're so adventurous in choosing fabric and pattern, and you know what suits you well. I'm mostly inspired by a) seeing something sewn I wouldn't make myself but wanting to create nonetheless or b) seeing something that I'd make for myself. I like reading a general overview of techniques/machines used, but unless I'm making that exact pattern myself I don't really need (or, in a time bind, read) every construction detail. I hope that helps!
Happy New Year! You've made some great garments this year. The crimson and black patterned dress is one I'd forgotten about. It's lovely!
What a great sewing year! Your wardrobe must be busting at the seams :) Personally I prefer the eye candy photo posts. If there is a lot of detail I tend to skip over it.
Super productive, and your enjoyment of sewing comes through in every post. I appreciate your tutorial posts, but writing and photographing a tutorial post takes AGES. I would love to see what you make even when you don't fancy writing a tutorial.
Considering that is the bulk of my sewing posts...I think the bare bones are fine. Personally I'd rather see the clothing since it is an inspiration versus all the detail work.
That is one busy sewing year! I always love your posts, you post excellent photos and come up with nifty fixes, but I am always happy to see simple "here's what I made posts" too - still inspiring and better to see a real life version than the pattern company version.
Wow that is some accomplishment and puts my 2 dresses that I managed to complete to shame. That said, I do intend to do more this year. I'm happy to see the bare bones in your posts, I'm more interested in the finished product than anything really. Happy 2011.
You sure get a lot done! I've loved reading your posts in 2010 and look forward to seeing what you will sew in 2011. Happy New Year!
Very impressive year of sewing!
I have no problem with the photo-heavy, text-lite type of posts once in a while, or even always, if that's one's style. Writing detailed posts takes a lot of time, and so does reading them. Your tutorials and detailed how-tos are awesome and much appreciated but I also get inspiration or ideas for specific patterns just by looking at photos of finished projects. Either way, we'll be here! Keep up the good work!
Congrats on a year FULL of sewing! And yep, I'm all for the occasional "here it is" post. Blog reading can take a lot of time, too. ;)
Apart from the "Jacket of Doom," you had an excellent year! Looking forward to seeeing what you do in 2011!
All I can say is wow, wow and wow! So many garments!! I don't know where you find the time. As for shorter blog posts, I'll take any post. :) I love "look at what I made" posts just as much as the detailed ones.
I'd love to see pictures of items you've made regardless of construction details. You are so inspiring!
Happy New Year!
Awesome amount of work accomplished! Nicely done, nicely done! I don't mind *finished product, here it is* type posts at all. Just keep sewing and sharing :D
Happy New Year Trena! I can't wait to see what you make in 2011. To answer your question, I don't mind if a post is heavy on pictures of the completed outfit and up close details and light on words. I think it's been very generous of you to post tutorials. But if you decide to cut back on this, I'll still be reading. I get so much inspiration just from seeing a pattern made up!
I'm a painfully slow sewist, so please post everything and anything -- I sew vicariously through you! I'm so glad I found your blog this year, and I'm looking forward to whatever you'll dream up for 2011.
Fun recap! I don't mind shorter "here's what I made posts" either. I'm always inspired by what you make, so even shorter posts would be useful to me.
A great year for the Slapdash Sewist! "Here is what I made - hope you like it" is totally cool with me. I love seeing finished garments on a real person and seeing what you thought about the project.
If I say WOW-WOW!!!, would that be descriptive enough? You are one productive sewist!
You have had a great sewing year! Personally I don't think blogging should be a chore (which probably explains my 'here-is-what-I-have made' posts). I am happy to see what you have made with pointers for what to look out for on patterns.
Congratulations! You've had an outstanding sewing year. I like the idea of an annual project set on flickr. I'll borrow it for next year. Happy New Year and Happy Sew!
C
Happy new year Trena!
What a lot of lovely garments you made.
I've wondered about the contents of my blog posts about a year ago. Like you I tried to make my posts to contain as much information as possible, but have changed my attitude as it was taking up too much of time and I not always felt like doing that anymore. Now I sometimes just publish what I made, without any detail pictures (as in my last post). My point: publish short posts as you like, I'm sure they will be as inspirational as the technically detailed posts.
Congratulations on your fruitful and prolific year. Hey, I'm all for blogging a quick finished garment without the details. But even if I weren't, your blog is to make you happy. Never mind the naysayers. Carry on, and do what suits you!
Yu've been very prolific! Congrats on a wonderful sewing year!
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