Annual Round Up-2017

Whew!  That year went by in a flash!

I’ve trawled through all my blog posts, and counted them all up month by month.  Not surprisingly, June and July are a bit sparse with all the exam marking taking up my free time, and August was chock-full because I did the CoBloWriMo challenge and posted every single day, learning to schedule posts in the process.

I also did some sewing- 60 or so items [some still on the table, so may be done by January, who knows?] including a few things for friends and family.

I’ve sorted the makes by pattern company, and have also done some top 5 best/worst categories.

Here we go…

Top 5 Hits

This is mainly things I wear like mad, or things I’m particularly proud of.

Best pattern– Vogue 1312, Lynn Mizono dress.  I have THREE of these beauties made up, and wear the two darker ones a lot for work.  The white one [not surprisingly] will come out again in the summer.  The mahoosive skirt on this is a great canvas to play with colour or embellishment if you feel inclined.

Most swirly:  Vogue 9145, Claire Shaeffer dress.  This was the first make of the year, and was meant for funerals and occasions.  As such, it hasn’t been worn much, but I do love it, and am wearing it as I type!  I may need a more everyday version with sleeves…

Happiest project:  Jackie’s wedding outfit.  It’s such a pleasure to make wedding outfits, and to have your efforts so appreciated.  Didn’t she look lovely?

Most worn:  My Butterick 6287 tunics, [one from the very end of last year, I’ll count it if I want lol]and the wonderfully sensual velvet tunic from Vogue 1415, Tom & Linda Platt.  Heavy rotation, and I feel great in them.

Most complimented, and most loved:  Dawn’s coat of course!  Simplicity 1732 by Arkivestry.  She adores it, and swaggers when she wears it [at every opportunity].  She is also recognised by it, so the coat has its own fan club lol.

Top 5 Misses

They either didn’t work, or gave me grief, or are absolutely fine, but just don’t get worn!

Worst pattern company– without a single doubt, Reconstructing History gave me most misery this year.  The peplum skirt ended up lovely, but no thanks to the terrible pattern and rubbish instructions.  The leg-of-mutton sleeved blouse was a total write off, and I was infuriated by the waste of fabric because the pattern was totally and utterly WRONG.  I at least got a refund on that, but binned the other patterns of theirs that I had in the wings.

 

Worst pattern: [barring the above-mentioned] Asylum corset from Harlots and Angels.  It. Does. Not. Work.  That is all.

Most meh:  The two Sense and Sensibility dresses I made while pattern testing- nothing wrong with the patterns, but I deliberately used meh fabrics in case I didn’t like the finished product.  They have not been worn once apart from blog photos, and they really make me feel frumpy- retro is not for me.  I think it’s because my mum always dressed/dresses rather like this, and it makes me feel old and dated.  Don’t let me stop you though!

Most frustrating:  My attempts at getting a good trouser toile for Dawn.  I tried various patterns from StyleArc and Vogue, and even drafting from scratch, but gave up in disgust.  I like to make things with minimal alteration, and these just didn’t happen easily.  My frustration with these actually de-railed my attempt at SWAP 2017.  Maybe next year!

Passed on:  2 Style Arc Annika tops, which I really like, but realised I wasn’t wearing.  Just that bit too big and square, and felt…unflattering.  I had a brainwave last week and gave them to my ma-in-law, who loves them.  Yay for not wasting lovely fabric! [There are a couple mopre not getting worn, but I haven’t yet decided to get rid or remake, watch this space!]

Stats-gotta be some maths! 

All of this was totted up a week or so back, so yes, there have been some more posts, but not to worry, the general feel is there.

157 posts, thats about 3/week.  Thank you August and CoBloWriMo!

54 garments [the mac may yet add on to this list], 41 ‘Muggle’ and 13 steampunk, + a parasol.  A bit more than 1/week.  Blimey!

15 Style Arc

11 Vogue

5 Truly Victorian

4 Simplicity

3 each New Look, Butterick and self-drafted or rubbed-off

2 each Folkwear, Sense and Sensibility

1 each Sew Curvy, Reconstructing History plus Madeline bloomers and Kielo maxi dress.

I made the most in April, with 10 garments completed, February 7 items and October 6 items.  June only had 1!

I only made 8 things for other people all year.  Such a selfish sewer…ah well, I yam what I yam.

I may do a month by month summary, simply because I like it, and it reminds me of clothes I may have forgotten!