New Year, New Projects!

Before I dive right into the bazillion projects I've got in mind for this year, here is a brief recap of my sewing projects from 2011! I also added in the knitting projects for good measure.

"Personal Style"

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It's really hard to narrow down and pick a few highlights. My Lady Grey jacket gets TONS of use and lots of unsolicited compliments, but the "Woman in Red" Dress really is the show stopper. Although I've only worn them a few times, the seersucker dress and the jumpsuit were big wins. My flowered pants and single seam skirt - both a cinch to sew - have been worn with glee on many occasions. And my most recently finished garment, the Karl Lagerfeld skirt, is in heavy rotation and probably will get worn plenty more before spring.

Really, I only had a very few projects not go my way.

The Donna Karan skirt that I scrapped before finishing (poor fabric choice), camo pants which did not fit my nephew, and this Burda top which really was just too big thru the neck were the only flops. Not too bad considering all the risk taking and new skills I tried out.

Anyway, on to 2012!  I've got so much more on my sewing list than I can reasonably expect to sew.  So this is really more of a wish list to get me started. I'll have to do some editing and prioritizing as I go.


I've got two projects going already, which should be done in short order:

• Boxers for Phin which are cut and ready to be sewn
• Burda dress from the cover of 9-2010 which is basically together and just needs arm/sleeve bands added and the neckline and hem finished.

Nearly Done!

A few gifts:

• A diaper bag  - for my excellent friend, Dr Kiang, whose new little one surprised us all by arriving 2 months earlier than the stork predicted. I'm having a mental block on the fabric choice. 
• Housewarming/newlywed apron - for my excellent friend, Magenta. (Magenta, you can blame Dr Kiang for this not being higher on the list)
• Re-do of camo pants for my nephew - Who am I kidding? I'm in the denial phase of this project. I bought two different patterns to ponder and that's where I stalled.

For me me me!

• A black sheath dress with leather piping - I've had this dress in my head for a while now, using Vogue 1237 (Tom & Linda Platt). It's got princess seams, which should make fitting much easier.

 

• A leather jacket - I am getting an urge to sew another jacket and I've been wanting to work with leather after seeing so many other sewistas have such great results this fall. Plus, I now have a rolling foot for my SM, which should make things easier. 

Burda 07-2010-118

• Slips and a Kimono Robe - really this has been in queue since this time last year. I have a vintage pattern in my stash and since Sherry did a fantastic sew along, I'm even more inspired. The kimono would match the slip (naturally). 

• Corset - OK, I admit this is not one of my more practical projects, but now that I have a book, I'm eager to use it. Plus, I think this will really hone some of my skills, like working with boning, waist stays and other hardware. Plus, I do have a bit of left over to-die-for red crepe back satin from the red dress in the stash. Wouldn't that be luxurious?

And then there are the not-fully-formed plans. I have fabrics in my stash that I really want to sew for spring. I'm just waiting for a pattern to suggest itself. Like these two:

Cotton sateen and orange jaccard

And I have a list of patterns I want to sew just waiting for a fabric to suggest itself. Do you have these kinds of projects in your head just waiting to get out?

Happy sewing in 2012!