Reflection on 2015 Goals

From my 2015 sewing goals:

1) A new sewing machine
I got the Singer machine that I was eyeing! I still have no plans for anything near a TOL machine anytime soon and aside from a couple of annoying things, I'm loving this one.

Yay for auto buttonholes
Yay for needle up/down function
Yay for auto presser foot pressure

2) New techniques
I have to get over the welt pocket fear. I mean, that whole 'slicing into my fabric' thing is kinda scary.

I sewed welt pockets! YAY!!!!! And in a knit too!

I sewed a swimsuit!

3) Using my Burda mags
 I treated myself to a Burda subscription and will plan to sew a Burda a month.

Soooo about that...What I've found is that Burda tends to grow on me. Even when I really like the issue, it usually takes time before I really want to make an item. I don't plan to give up my sub any time soon...on an annual subscription it equates to less than $8 per month which is worth it to me. And I don't have storage constraints - yet.

This year I made 8 garments from 6 issues. Not bad!

Jan:

Feb:

June:

August:

October:

November: Not for me, but still got used!

For December I SO intended on sewing this top:

But got scared off the back finishing. Maybe next month :)

4) Patterns
I HAVE TO slow down on pattern purchases!!!

Err, when I posted this last year I had 453 patterns and am up to 561. That's an average of 2+ patterns per week. Gah. I think I will be pattern fasting for a little bit.

Oh hell. I just realized the 4 Simplicity patterns I picked up aren't logged yet because they haven't been "released" and aren't available on PR yet.

I have a problem!

5) Fabric
Again, I hope to be a little more judicious and not buy all.the.things.! I won a membership to Julie's Picks for this year and hope it doesn't end up making me go even crazier with fabric acquisitions.

I fasted for MONTHS! WOOOOHOOO!! I have so much stash and I need to find a way to use it - or get rid of it. Which is hard.

I will try to fast the first quarter of the year. I am sure I can do it. And my monthly Fabric Mart posts should provide enough "ooh shiny!" for now.

Also, Julie's Picks was nice and I do reference the swatches I got from time to time but I don't think I'll renew. I think I bought 5 JP fabrics all year.

6) Budget
I NEED TO SET MY SEWING BUDGET AND STICK TO IT

Budget, shmudget.

When I think I've done good I realize I've not done nearly as well as my mind has told me I have! LOL! I need to revise my 2016 overall household budget. I have a lot of big events and so spending for sewing will definitely need to be decreased.

7) Personal goal related to sewing
I have to lose weight. I was recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my knees and my rheumatologist says I need to drop some pounds.

I'm not sure what I weigh now but I know that I've lost some weight. This is great but the sad downside is some awesome things are too big now (Like my awesome green B5926 knit jacket and both pair of Style Arc jeans).

I'm trying not to dwell on that and focus on all the new things I can sew!

8) Documentation
Recording my projects. I took advantage of a sale last month and got the 110 Creations sewing journal. 

Yeah, no. It's an awesome book but I don't sketch. I don't want to sketch. I don't enjoy sketching. So I gave the nice pencils to my (artistic) daughter. I just try to make sure I blog each project. Sometimes I don't blog multiples and especially if I make it exactly the same as a prior version.

9) Jeans
This was going to be a goal for 2015. I'm terribly excited to sew more jeans this year though!!!!

DONE! I sewed 3 pair this year!

10) Progression

I have accepted/decided/etc that I am a fast sewer. 

Yeah...I just sew fast. Even when I think I'm sewing slow, I'm sewing fast. But that's just me. I move too much and do everything on level 10. So, that's just what it is.

I don't necessarily feel like I HAVE to sew less - I don't have any kind of issue with my output. Going into year 3 of sewing, I just want to think a little more about what I sew and how it will fit into my wardrobe. 

Well with getting laid off this year and more life stresses I did end up sewing a lot of 'stress busting' stuff. Just using the machine to save my mind. 

I will be taking that bodice sloper class this spring and hope that my first project using my sloper will be a shirtdress.

I didn't take the sloper class. Boooooo! :(

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Lastly, as I said last year (or really, earlier this year because I posted goals on my "Sewing Anniversary"), the blog will remain as is.

I need want my blog to just be a true reflection of me. It HAS to just be my voice. I'm not trying to be  "a blogger". I have no desire to monetize or teach (sorry! I stink at teaching others!) or become a "pattern tester" or anything like that.  I'm not providing content, I'm just being me.

Because really, I just want to sew and share my sewing projects with other sewers who are crazy in love with sewing like me!! (how's THAT for a run-on sentence!?)

Yep...still true. With the exception of doing the Fabric Mart blog but I feel pretty good about that.

I'll be back at some point with a plan for 2016!

Happy New Year!