Be warned – this post is text only. A post of my favourite makes will follow shortly.

A Happy New Year to my readers – I know that there are not many of you but hopefully my subscribers will increase in 2019, especially if I finally manage to get a You Tube channel operational!

I have checked through my notebook of all the projects I made last year – phew! There were a lot! NINETY FOUR to be precise. But be advised – some were only very small, quick and easy projects and some were fails though thankfully not too many were the latter.

In 2019 I will be shopping my stash of patterns and fabrics for two reasons; 1 to reduce the quantity of sewing ‘stuff’ around the house and 2 – saving funds to be spent on experiences, travelling and making memories.

I will also be concentrating less on quantity and more on quality – I feel a need for some slow sewing to feed my soul.

When working in the financial services industry I needed formal business attire and when acting as President of a Women in Business Club, some ‘smart’ outfits. Now that I am fully retired my wardrobe requirements are much more for casual (and comfy!) garments to keep me warm in the winter, cool in the summer, emphasising any good figure features and hiding the bad. Although some people may think that dresses are less casual, I prefer them to separates although I have a feeling that I have made many tops throughout 2018.

Some of my working life skills have transferred to my personal life – I love a spreadsheet and from that I can see exactly which type of garments I have made most frequently, which fabrics stores and pattern companies I have used and more importantly what I need to concentrate of making in 2019 to fill gaps in my wardrobe.

My initial thoughts regarding which type of garment most frequently made has been borne out in the analysis of the spreadsheet. Twenty-three dresses and twenty-eight tops with only three pairs of trousers, two jackets, one gilet and just one skirt. I will continue with my love of making dresses but maybe cut back on the number of tops, although I still want to find my perfect raglan-sleeved top and tie front cardigan/shrug (to wear with sleeveless dresses). I usually wear tops and tunics with leggings, jeggings and jeans although I do also own a couple of RTW denim skirts. I don’t feel a particular need to make more skirts as they are my least favourite garment to wear. I would like to make a coat to wear over my full-skirted dresses, some fancy pyjamas for the sewing retreat and a pinafore dress as I have only one RTW denim version in my wardrobe.

Analysis of patterns used shows that only 9 projects were made using the major pattern company designs, Indie patterns are most definitely my preferred option. Fabrics were purchased mostly from Fabricland, New Threads Quilt Shop and the Textile Centre.

This analysis of my sewing through 2018 has been most interesting and informative. I will be continuing with my record-keeping and see what 2019 brings.