Top 5 of 2012 - Reflections, Inspirations and Goals

Carrying on with Gillian of Crafting a Rainbow's 2012 wrap up, the reflections, inspirations and goals really made me think.

Reflections

1. I love sewing! 
I always used to like it a lot, now I am doing it more and better than ever and I love it, the more I do it, the more I love it.  I love the time with just me and my machine, I love the process of making two dimensional fabric into a curvy, shaped garment, I love the creative process of putting a garment together and making it my own.

2. Slow Sewing
When I was a teenager and in my early 20s before I had a serious job or needed sleep, I used to start making a garment in the afternoon and have it finished to wear the next day.  However looking back most of these were rush jobs and were lacking in quality or detail.  Now I would rather take longer to finish a garment and be happier with the finished product.

3. A New Love of Clothing
For the past few years I haven't spent much time sewing and as a consequence had to go to the stores and purchase RTW. This is usually a traumatic experience with many hours spent trawling through the shops trying to find something that kind of fits that I would settle with. Now I can be happy with a garment, the fit, the colour and the design.  I also love having clothing that no-one else has. I love to go out and know that I won't run into someone wearing the same thing. I also like that I have my own style and that I can express it

4. Confidence
Making my own clothes and blogging them has given me more confidence in myself and with my shape.  I no longer have to fit into a specific size dictated by a store.  My small shoulders, larger bust and shortness are no longer of consequence! 

5. Support
My hubby is super supportive of my hobby and gives me the time and space when I need it. For this (and so many other reasons) I love him dearly.

Inspirations

Other bloggers have really helped keep me motivated to take care of the quality of the garment and the fit.  I don't want to post up items I am not happy with, so you bloggers out there keep me pushing myself to make better and better garments. I also like seeing people with a similar shape to me as it helps me find patterns to suit me that I might not otherwise try.  I can't narrow it down to five as there are so many bloggers I love, maybe just check the blogroll to the right as I can't even name a few for fear of missing someone!

Independent pattern makers - Colette, Sewaholic and Megan Nielsen are my favourites, but I am sure that there are many others I haven't discovered yet! When I previously sewed more I always used to get frustrated that the big companies didn't have patterns that I liked, the independent pattern makers really seem to be addressing the demand for what is needed. I seem to gravitate towards these more than the Big 4.

Goals for 2013

1. Make more of my vintage patterns, I have a great stash just waiting to be used
2. Make muslins more often to guarantee a better fit
3. Organise and catalogue my patterns
4. Really take time to think through my makes...will the pattern suit me? will I wear it? is it the right fabric for the garment? what do I need in my wardrobe?
5. Make a fun or "frosting" garment - it is always fun to have some frosting!

Wow - that's my wrap up for 2012.  I am looking forward to a productive 2013!