Top 5 reflections of 2012

I hope you all had a great Christmas!! I'm back after the Christmas excess with the 3rd instalment of the top 5 of 2012.  Today, reflections and lessons learnt during 2012

1. Blogging
I started sewing in 2009 (though I, like many, had done a bit of sewing at school and my mother likes to talk about the appalling shorts I used to make and wear).  I made my first dress in 2010 and then proceeded to become obsessed with Japanese Pattern books and Liberty of London fabrics.  I decided to start this blog around about the time Zoe announced the dates for Me-Made-Me 2012.  I had such a great time during May posting about my outfits that I was hooked on blogging from there.  I admit that sometimes there is a feeling of, yikes, I haven't made anything to post.  There is great camaraderie amongst the sewing community. I have been a devoted follower of many sewing blogs since I started sewing, but now it's nice to be more connected.  I also used to lurk in the shadows and now, I'm probably the other way.  I'm always commenting on posts and the amazing things made.  Next year I'll try and be more thoughtful with the comments though rather than just 'WOW!  I love it!! You look amazing!'
4 May 2012
First dress I made March 2010
2. Focus
During the year I was inspired by a post on the Colette blog around how to develop good sewing habits.  I decided that I would make little challenges for myself in an effort to improve some of my sewing skills: August is Buttons, Zip-tember, FrOctober and then November was 'all about me' sewing.  I really liked this focus as it slowed me down (generally) and provided me with the space to make something that I was perhaps a bit afraid of doing before.  I still have a long way to go with zippers and button holes and plackets and especially those trouser button things, to make them look nice so I might consider doing this again in 2013.
BeFunky
3. Photography
This year, I've struggled with documenting what I've sewn. I've had some ok photos but with the present of a new camera for my birthday, I now can't say, oh it's the cameras fault! I really need to improve my skills in this area.  I never seem to get the light right with self portraits and Ben (who is a reluctant photographer at best) doesn't seem to look at what is in the background when he is photographing.   Seriously....he didn't see the blue ball in the photo!!
BeFunky
4. Style
I've blabbed on about this a bit lately too much lately already, but I made a few things this year that I made just because I wanted to try my hand at something - namely more clothing using stretch.  Unfortunately the clothes I made weren't exactly me (unlike that wardrobe full of blouses in Liberty fabrics in the photos which are so me). I've gifted my latest stretch projects to my sister over Christmas who I hope will wear them, but sewing time is so so precious that these projects left me feeling a bit empty.  I love to be carried away by a project but it's also nice to have a gorgeous original wearable at the end.  I've had a great year of making clothes (28 pieces in all for myself including 12 in Liberty of London fabric!).  Only 2 of these were complete disasters and the other 4 I've gifted to better homes, so I shouldn't be too hard on myself.. but in 2013, I will think carefully about the projects I choose.   Oh and only buy and make clothing out of fabric that I really love AND I will love wearing!! 

5. Stretched too thin
Following on from 'Style' trying to do too much didn't provide me with a great platform for sewing great clothes in 2012.  This all came to a head in October when I clearly over committed myself with school fetes to prepare, a birthday, frocktober sewing and  of course KCWC.  Every single post for KCWC was a chore and almost every bit of sewing was a chore.   I just felt like it was a bad time to be doing the challenge, I had too much on my plate and yet I didn't pull out or really pull it off.  To add to my problem with KCWC, I was trying to use up stash and it just doesn't work for me if I'm not into the fabric.   So, I wonder will I be any better with loading things onto my plate in 2013!??
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12 comments:

  1. I'm very interested to read that you lurked a lot of blogs before beginning to comment - I thought I was the only one, and I'm glad to know I wasn't alone! I'm very shy, and it was a little scary for me to make that first comment, but as you say: this community is so supportive and open and friendly, it made me feel silly later that I'd been so timid!


    Great post!

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  2. I'm so glad you started commenting on my blog because that's how I acquainted you and your blog! I enjoyed seeing and sharing your sewing journey this year. I'm excited to see how your 2012 discoveries will play out in 2013. Sounds like we might be seeing more Liberty woven creations? :)

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  3. Thanks so much Morgan. Me Made Me really introduced me to lots of great sewers like you.

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  4. Thanks so much for reading and commenting. I too was so nervous about commenting!!! Funny isn't it. But in the end I thought It's so much nicer for people to receive a comment on something they have worked hard on.

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  5. I'm so glad you've decided to "come out" so to speak too ;) since I think your sewing creations are wonderful. I still absolutely adore that first dress you made. Seriously, I want to copy it just about exactly

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  6. I'm so glad you did start a blog, because I love reading it! Yo've definitely inspired me to give Liberty a go... just as soon as I narrow down which print to buy! So many pretties...

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  7. Thanks Gillian! Did you end up making a dress in your Liberty material for Christmas? I hope I haven't missed that post?

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  8. You have my permission to copy it exactly but much better! I still remember how proud I was of it when I went into the fabric store in Canberra and had to show the girls my first finished dress. It's a bit embarrassing now to think about it or though, I probably still do the same with my latest creations... and now over the internet as well!

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  9. How funny, so many of us starting out as lurkers - I'm just finding lots of new sewing posts through Gillian's series, it's great. You are far far ahead of me in the photography stakes, poor (or no) photos of me in my creations is the main reason I've been more a reader of sewing blogs rather than an active participant, but I want to improve this in 2013.

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  10. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!! I used to have a little tripod for my old camera so I think I might need to invest in one for my new camera. Although I always feel so daggy doing a self timer!!

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  11. Wowzers, look at all those lovely liberty fabric garments! It's great that you have such a great sense of your own style, don't be so hard on yourself for making stuff that you might not wear if you feel you learnt from and enjoyed the process of making them. Your sister is very lucky to be getting some of your awesome creations! I hope you take part in this years Me-Made-May! Happy New Year to you xxx

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  12. Thanks so much Zoe. You bet I'll be participating in Me Made May 2013. I can't wait!

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