Ah, it’s the 31st December, when I look back over of my year of making and wearing and do a little analysis… to kick off, some of my favourite pictures/outfits, one for each month. Several of these pictures are not even “blog pictures”; by that I mean have never appeared on my blog, but may just be an outfit or picture that I particularly liked, or may be because of a particularly lovely memory of that day or something…
January
just a particularly gorgeous day and in my happy place…
February
… because I love this outfit so much
March
…the prototype of my first sewing pattern!
April
… the day of Tim and Kelly’s engagement party which is pretty special I think; so I made a special skirt just for the occasion
May
… in Bali for our friends L + L’s wedding; so much fun!
June
… just because of this gorgeous cockatoo fabric! unfortunately also the day my trusty old camera nosedived into the sand and died, and the beginning of several months of annoying “photo improv”
July
… made a raincoat to commemorate the wettest year we’ve had for like 50 years, or thereabouts…
August
… just had a really nice hike, that’s all….
September
… love first “bare leg” day of the season…
October
… luscious lace, and cheers to a lush, rain-engorged garden…
November
… our daily constitutional…
December
… my most recent creation! Thoroughly enjoyed this, and the whole fun experience has sewn some fertile seeds for a new project I’m dreaming of for next year 🙂
What did I make?
So, it’s funny; this year I didn’t feel so productive and could have sworn I didn’t make as much as previous years, and yet when I added it up I made 77 things, including 22 items for others, 2 prs of shoes, and our 2 sewing patterns. Surprised! and even a little embarrassed? This is on a par with last years’ production levels, though to be sure some items this year were definitely on the quick and easy side. Breaking it down: 13 tops/shirts/blouses, 6 skirts, 4 prs jeans/trousers, 9 prs sockettes, 2 prs tights, 2 prs shoes, 6 hats, 1 baby romper, 12 dresses + 2 wedding dress muslins, 3 coats, 1 jumpsuit, 3 sets of lingerie, 2 knitted cardigans/jumpers, 5 bags, and 4 dolls complete with wardrobes. I know, right?! In fact, now I think about it, I actually made 3 further items over and above than this, but those things have not yet been blogged since they are all patterns still in the testing phase and I’ve been sworn to secrecy until their release. One of them is a Pretty BIG Thing, though.
This year I also started making our soap, and think I’ve made enough for several years’ supply already, lol. Luckily, we really like using it, and I also gave several bars away during the year, as little gifts for friends and family too.
What did I wear?
I still keep my OOTD blog up to date and tally up the things I wore and frequency thereof. Documenting one’s outfits is a pretty obsessive thing to do, I realise that, but I still really like doing it. The clothes I wore the most frequently this year can be summed up in the following:
This collage comprises more outfits than I’ve posted in previous years for this category, but I have an explanation: keeping an outfit tally has opened my eyes to the fact that I tend to favour certain wardrobe items and ignore others… and I’ve been making an effort to “spread the love” around my wardrobe more. This might seem like an artificial thing to do, like why force yourself to wear something you don’t love as much as another thing? Why not just wear the things you love the most? But I’ve found that wearing something breeds a love for it, so pulling out not-quite-so-loved things, experimenting with them and finding outfits in which they can shine; is a means to the end of loving them more, thus loving ALL your self-made clothes, MORE; and so getting more wear out of everything. I loathe waste, and particularly waste in clothing, so I don’t want for things I’ve spent care and energy making to be unworn and tossed out before their time. So, I wear them. Make sense? Well, I know what I mean, anyway.
Apart from various shoes/boots and my self-made black tights, all of which are always worn the absolute MOST in my wardrobe; the most frequently worn item this year was my new mustard raincoat with a total of 31 wears, closely followed by my grey Sasha trousers at 30 wears, my trusty little paprika cardigan at 22 wears, and my pink Kelly raincoat and scarlet Miette cardigan both at 19 wears each…
Favourite creations?
Oooh, this one is always so tough… I mean, how does one choose one’s favourite child?? of course it is impossible. Having said that though, I think my favourite creation(s) for the year are something a little bit different; our sewing patterns! Because, yes; of course, during the year Cassie and I released two sewing patterns; our Perth dress/blouse, and our Kimberley rag doll. The response has been fantastic, for which I am so SO grateful. We’re fully immersed in plans for TWO more patterns too! It’s a LOT of work producing a pattern, and I’m eternally thankful to everyone who did support us in this new endeavour this year. MWAH! to all of you. Thank you xxx
As far as favourite made clothes; well, if I really did have to pick… it’s nothing special, far from it! but I really enjoyed making, and I really love wearing my “piñata” outfit! A little bit weird, all very spontaneous, the fabric was such an impulse buy, and I ran it up on my dinky, clunky, plastic-ky little holiday sewing machine, in our holiday house with the bare minimum of sewing supplies. Maybe all that “wrongness” is what combined to give it a paradoxical rightness … and I have a soft spot for those orange pompoms too!
I also really really love my cockatoo outfit and also my floral trench coat… I must be having a colourful moment?!
What are my plans for 2019?
So, BIG THING…. the first part of this year I will be making Kelly’s wedding dress! yes that’s pretty huge. I’ve made two muslins so far… the second one is nearly perfect so with only one tiny adjustment and one further fitting, I hope to actually cut into the real fabric early in the New Year. Scary!!
muslin number 1
muslin number 2
I am also beholden to make two bridesmaids’ dresses; one for Cassie, and one for her’s and Kelly’s mutual friend G. I’m going to tackle those after I’ve got the bare bones of the wedding dress all done and dusted though.
For myself, well of course I want to make a mother of the groom outfit for myself! Yup, pretty excited for that too!! I know exactly what I want, I have my pattern all ready and lined up, and I just need to find the perfect fabric.
In other, more ordinary, sewing plans; the smalls drawer! I did not make much this year and now find myself in need, so there will be more lingerie this year. I am also in a very sad sock situation at the moment, my old socks are all darned and darned and even then darned some more. So my plan is to knit 1 new pair of socks per month. A dozen pairs of socks!
And, yes, I have plans for two new patterns this year. The groundwork has been laid, and I just need to get in and on it; and tidy a few things up. Well, there’s a LOT to be done, to be honest, I only hope I can get enough time together to do all this… obviously the wedding dress is my number one priority. 🙂
Anything else?
Well, finally and of course most importantly of all, I just want to say THANK YOU! to everyone who reads my blog and who takes the time to leave a comment, I am so grateful for each and every kind thought. Thank you all so very much, and I’d like to wish all the best to everyone for a safe, happy, peaceful and wildly creative 2019! Mwah! xxx
And thank you too for shRing such an inspiring and creative blog. Looking forward to seeing what 2019 holds.
An amazing year for a truly inspiring blog! Thank you.
Beautiful wedding dress for your soon-to-be DIL Caroline! The wedding pictures replete with all your creations will be a sight to behold! Can’t wait 🙂 Happy New Year to you too and congratulations on having such a glorious and productive sewing year…. and personally fulfilling too!
What a great year, I am always so happy when I see a new blog post from you. The wedding dress will be so exciting, the shape is gorgeous in the muslin stage. Happy New Year to you and I look forward to seeing all your new project next year.
Happy New Year! I always love hearing about your sewing journey. That wedding dress is going to be amazing! The muslins both look beautiful.
Happy New Year to you. I hope that 2019 is as happily productive for you as previous years. Your creations are an absolute delight. Thankyou for your sharing of them.
I love your creativity Carolyn, thanks for sharing it on your blog
Always happy to read a blog post from you! Such pretty clothes, and I am VERY excited to see your new pattern releases. Congratulations to the newly engaged couple! Making a wedding dress is a huge undertaking, but you are 100% able to pull it off with a gorgeous result.
I always love reading your retrospectives! You’re such an inspiration to me. 🙂 The pom-pom dress was my favourite creation of yours, too. Looking forward to seeing what 2019 holds! Be well, Carolyn!
As ever, your productivity, creativity, and generosity are an inspiration. I never tire of reading your posts or seeing how you remix your creations, and I look forward to all the new adventures you embark on in 2019!
Carolyn, I totally understand giving ALL of your clothes some love. I actually pull things from the right side of my closet and put.them back on the left. The clothes are grouped by tops, bottoms, and jackets. That way if I see that I have been skipping over something I have to figure out why. Poor fit? bad color? Or lack of coordinating items?
The process actually stretches me to find new combos that I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.
Can’t beleive I missed the cockatoo outfit! It’s fab!
You are seriously productive and I cannot wait to see the wedding dress in its final reveal!
Happy New Year! Yours was one of the first sewing blogs I started following and I am still amazed by your creativity and have learned so much from you! Cheers and good wishes for you and your family in the coming year!
Happy New Year! Sounds like 2019 is going to be very exciting for you and the family.
I’ve loved following along again this year Carolyn & really enjoyed your round-up. I’m looking forward to seeing all you get up to in 2019, including those wedding outfits & the patterns! Happy New Year x
Thank you so much for sharing all of your interesting thoughts, Carolyn! And of course, for this retrospective showing some of your stunning makes of 2018. I enjoy so much reading your posts, everytime I am learning something and I love your style. I agree in not waisting clothes easily like making a lot and not wearing it. I guess you are right with loving some not so loved garments more after wearing them. Maybe it‘s like with music pieces you can appreciate more with hearing them for several times?
Your two patterns are so very special. I would like having more time for making the doll but I don‘t have any recipient. One day I will make it with pleasure for sure. Your Perth dress has received some compliments, same my daughter wearing it! Now I can‘t wait seeing your next pattern!
Kelly‘s wedding dress will be so elegant! I am so excited seeing your dress of mother of the groom!
So much to wait for; wishing you an extraordinary and wonderful year 2019!
Your friend, SaSa
that’s a very inspirational year of sewing and crafting in general!
happy new year to you! looking forward to seeing all the fabulous things you’ll make in new year 🙂
I love each and every blog post, and I always learn something from you. So thank you very much for continuing to provide me with inspiration and education! You had a great year, and I can’t wait to see what you do this coming year. Happy, healthy, and productive 2019!
I love reading your blog Carolyn it is so totally inspiring. It is handmade but so sophisticated and aspirational for my own sewing conquests. Looking forward to your wedding sewing projects this year, I know they will be out of this world. Jo xxx
Thank you, Carolyn! I read your blog religiously because it always provides inspiration! xo
Carolyn you are truly inspirational, so multi-talented, creative and such fabulous style. I love following your blog and IG photos and look forward to another year of gorgeousness. It was lovely meeting you when you kindly delivered my divine doll which is about to be gifted, I know the lucky little girl will be thrilled. Best wishes to you and your family for a wonderful 2019 and thankyou, X Jenny
Some socks are just too beloved to toss … if the leg portion is still good, I cut off the foot, pick up around the bottom of the leg, and completely re-knit the foot. (Have one lambswool-legged pair with all-around traveling cables that has had its feet reknitted four times.) Can also add to the length of the leg before re-footing, if those socks were too short.
Happy New Year from North Carolina, NC.
Happy New Year and an amazing year you have had. Love seeing all your makes and looking forward to see what transpires in 2019.
Thanks for all your posts over the year – I love your attention to detail, I think because I don’t have it! Hope you enjoy writing your posts as much as I enjoy reading them, and may 2019 be good to you. Mel x
That wedding dress looks like it’s going to be amazing!
So much fun special occasion sewing coming up in your life! I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with. Also, I always love your beach photos, and your engagement party skirt and that striped sweater at the end.
Your blog will always be a favorite as your ‘maker’ energy is inspiring and contagious. Love reading your posts and seeing what creative project you are up to. You’ve had a great year and 2019 sounds like it will be fabulous!! Look forward to seeing the wedding dress and all the other accompanying wedding outfits.