Hello, hello! It’s been a while since I last posted but I’m hopefully back to posting a little bit more regularly. Since this is the first post of the new year, I thought I would update you on where I stand with my Make Nine plans for 2021 and give you my thoughts on sewing this year.

Wrap up for Make Nine 2021

2021 has been a year of opportunities, self reflection and exploration. My personal life was turned upside down, and I had to deal with the emotional upheaval this caused. But now looking back I think I’m a much better person and in a more solid space than where I was in 2020. I started the year strong despite the personal storms in many teacups and I pushed myself out of a few comfort zones with my sewing. 

Here’s my Make Nine 2021 post if you need a refresher on what my plans were for 2021. The start of the year was busy with a new job but by mid year I had had enough and wanted a much bigger breathing space. I wanted to explore different crafts and find myself in my own sewing. I lost my style a while back and, with the lack of office, found myself wearing very similar outfits day in and out. Surprisingly I made 7 out of the 9 projects but it was only late in the year that I started making pieces that I would unconsciously reach for. 

Last year I barely posted on Instagram and wrote even less for my blog. I found myself falling out of love with writing about my makes and showing them off on my feed. For me writing and photographing were the full stop at the end of the project and soon I started resenting both platforms. But after taking a few weeks off and after some serious consideration here I am back again,  hoping that this year, 2022, will be filled with even more opportunities, whether that be in writing or sewing. 

Sewing plans for 2022

And now that you are up to speed with where I’m at, here’s what I’m interested in making this year. I’m not going to use the Make Nine format as I want to focus more on the process of each garment rather than lose myself in another goal oriented task. So this is more of an idea list, or a guideline for this year’s sewing.

• Trousers
  Over the last couple of months, my body has changed and it's been hard to get used to my new shape. I sit way more than what I used to and do less vigorous exercises now. Who would have thought that it would take a pandemic and a few other things to help me put on weight? But now many of my trousers, which I’ve had for over a decade, no longer fit my new waistline. I would like to make some trousers that would help me feel more comfortable but also say grownup chic. I’m swaying more towards tailored rather than something loose, in a muted colour that would pair more easily than my large floral trousers. For this I’m thinking Adeline Trousers from Vicki Sews or Tyni Cigarette Trousers from Named.

• A Winter Coat
  Over the years I’ve made a couple of coats all with varying degrees of success. I’ve usually gone for an oversized shapeless look too but personally I prefer a slightly more fitted coat. My ideal would be a full length double breasted trench coat or something similar. So for this I’ve already got Bella Loves Traveller Coat in mind paired with either this gorgeous sage green or this dark navy blue. Both fabrics are 100% wool and gorgeously soft to the touch

• A Tailored Jacket
  I think this is almost like the short prelude to the winter coat. I've had my eye on the cropped Nancy Jacket by Vicki Sews and the Jasika Blazer by Closet Core. The Jasika is very involved but for a nice tailored garment I'm willing to spend the time and attention on it. I have the Nancy but my copy is currently all in Russian and though the pictures look like I could have a good stab at it, I would prefer to make one crisp looking jacket rather than an average one.

• A Bodice Block
  To help me better understand my body, I want to make a bodice block and be able to use it as a reference point for all other top patterns. I find that I generally always have to do a swayback adjustment, grade out at the hips and do a small bust adjustment. It would be nice to not always have to make several drafts to work out all of these adjustments, maybe just one or two.

• A full length Pyjamas set
  Almost every year for the last two decades my mum has been buying me Christmas themed pyjama sets. And usually they are well received but I've grown tired of the festive print or the red and white tartan that usually accompanies the brush cotton fabric. I've been declining a new set for the last few years, but now I really need a new set. For this I'll be trying the Carolyn Pajamas from Closet Core featuring piping, combined with a plain coloured fabric and maybe something a little bit more fun. 

So there you have it. Overall I’m just excited to continue finding my style, trying different patterns, learning new skills and improving on the techniques I have gained. Making my own clothes that fit my style has been really empowering. Happy new year everyone, hope you all have a lovely year of sewing 💙