Goodbye 2019!

Earlier this month, I visited Kokoon Fashion, a small retailer here in Minneapolis who opens up her warehouse occasionally with fabric for sale. I picked up almost 20 yards and poof goes my ratio for the year! LOL!!!! Okay, I'm still under but I was doing REALLY well! :-p

This year, I sewed 97 3/8 yards of fabric and purchased 95 yards.
I sewed 48 garments for myself (I was surprised by this low number!!) and 2 gifts.

• I sewed 10 dresses, 7 are still in my wardrobe
• 5 versions of B6221 (!)
• NL6123 which was a wadder
• Burda 04/2019
• McCall's 7246 which was removed after the reduction
• Burda 8/2019 which was removed due to just disliking it
• Burda 09/2018 which was almost a wadder and still needs the armholes bound

I really love B6621! I wear them all and can see this pattern being made up again, soon :) The twist front versions are a little off now because I did do an FBA on them so the v-neck is a little droopy now. 

I was really sad about the M7246. I never got around to reviewing it, the fabric was amazing, but I know I'm not going to undo the neck band to try to make it work.

My FAVE garment from this category is my floral dress from the 4/2019 Burda mag. I love the fit, the fabric, the flounce, the length, everything!

• I made 15 tops, 8 are still in my wardrobe.
• Burda 12/2018 a beautiful top that just fit terribly after the reduction!
• M7722 was a wadder
• KS3848 was never reviewed. I really should because that pattern was wonky! But I love the tank!!
• NL6314 in a distressed french terry (LOVE)
• Burda 12/2009 top which I never fell for as much as I expected
• NL6560 that I never wore and removed after the reduction
• B6378 that I enjoyed wearing but was removed after the reduction
• S1430 that turned out so lovely and is one of my faves
• Kommatia tee
• M7218 top that WAHHHH I want to love but the fabric SUCKS. It can't stay
• V9026 wadder due to pattern+fabric mismatch :(
• Itch to Stitch capelet that will be reviewed but won't stick around because of the fabric
• V9111 top to be reviewed
• NL6644 tee
• Burda 6990 to be reviewed but I've realized I need to shorten it to make it work

I've always had an issue with the category of tops. It's always a low ratio of success. Of the 15 tops, only 8 or just over half, are staying in my wardrobe. I'm going to say the S1430 top is my favorite from this category. Of the several times I sewed the shorts, I always considered the top but never sewed it. I can definitely see using this pattern more when the weather turns.

• I made 4 jackets/cardigans this year, 2 will remain in my wardrobe
• B6641 which was going SO well and then, IDK what happened. It's been a UFO since January/February
• V9190 which is a sleeper IMO! It doesn't look super interesting on the envelope but I love it
• V9099 which is *this* close to being done. Oy! Luckily, it's a very lightweight wool and in a color that I think will work for most of the year
• M6996 cardigan which I need to review for Minerva then I'll be gifting it to my coworker. She tried it on and loved it.

My favorite from this category is totally my blazer but man, that olive V9190 is a runner up, for sure!

• I made 1 jumpsuit, 2 pair of shorts and 9 pair of pants. The jumpsuit, 1 pair of shorts, 5 pair of pants remain in my wardrobe
• NL6189
• V1411 was a wadder due to...something
• Burda 6659 shorts for lounging
• Deer & Doe Sirocco jumpsuit that still fits after the reduction! Yay!
• S1430 shorts were never worn and will be removed. I know now that the crotch on those shorts don't work that well for me
• NL6459 removed due to fabric :( The pants would grow and grow and growwww throughout the day
• M7726 was a big 'ole ugly wadder. Ugh. I hated that pattern
• Style Arc Sandra jeans are seriously just awaiting belt carriers. DOH!
• Burda 9/2018 WADDER!!!!! Hated this pattern too!
• NL6644 haven't been worn yet but I am happy with them!
• V9210 were recently finished and I think they'll come in handy
• S2700 is recently finished and is an old fave

With garments that were finished late in the year and haven't really been in the rotation, it can be hard to choose a favorite but the unreviewed NL6189 make me so happy when I wear them!

old pic from the summer!

• I sewed 7 skirts, 5 for sure, and maybe 6 remain
• V1501 in the beautiful print crepe fabric
• Burda 6659 denim midi
• NL6326 hot pink mock wrap
• Burda 4/2019 in bright green twill
• NL6418 matches the M6996 mentioned above in the Minerva fabric. I'm not 100% sure about it. Review to come
• Burda 2/2017 in a beautiful painted tweed
• NL6418 in faux leather that I am really uncertain about. The good thing, is even with all the work to "press" and topstitch faux leather, it's a quick project. But my pin and try-on session left me wondering if I'll actually wear it. 

The Burda skirt hasn't had a chance yet but I'm going to tie it with V1501! I adore the Vogue skirt and wear it often, but the Burda is so beautiful!!

So, that's 29/48 garments or 60%. This doesn't include the 4 garments that were removed post-reduction (which would increase my success rate to almost 69%). 

My goals for this year were:

• Sew 18 Burda Mag patterns - Err. I sewed 9. But, I did sew less overall so I suppose. What I find more surprising, is that I only sewed from one 2019 issue this year - 2 patterns from the April mag. This doesn't bother me much, because I know how Burda patterns grow on me. 

• Sew 4 Ottobre patterns - Errrrrr. I sewed ZERO! Eek!! I'm going to have to reconsider this subscription if patterns continue to go unused.

• Buy fewer patterns overall - FAIL! I purchased 89 patterns this year.

• Be more mindful with fabric purchases - I feel like I did okay with this. I had that melanoma scare early on in the year and I bought a bunch of random stuff waiting for the results but otherwise, I felt pretty good about most of my fabric purchases.

• Sew menswear - FAIL. I did not actually do this but I AM working out a muslin for him for a blazer. I also bought the Thread Theory Fulford jeans to attempt for him.

• Outerwear - I did not sew any outerwear pieces this year.

• Sew a blazer - yay! Done! Well, I just have some hand sewing to do on the Vogue jacket but it got done! I took the tailoring class at Hello Stitch taught by Beth and SunnyGalStudio.

• Sew party clothes! -  I sewed a sparkly Sirocco gold jumpsuit, the cute V9111 top and the sparkly V9210 leggings

I also ventured way into pants fitting this year and managed to sew a decent amount even with 2 surgeries. I didn't sew at all in March and April and sewed 2 garments in May. I wish I'd achieved a better ratio on fabric in/out. I wish I'd done much better on pattern acquisitions and I wish I'd done better on overall sewing spending (gahhhhh!). 

I will post my 2020 goals and plans in a separate post!