This always comes around too quickly, and I realised a few months ago that I never published my sewing goals for this year. No accountability for me, yay!
2021 has been another strange one in some respects. We regained some "normality", only for that to be on a shaky peg by the end of the year. I was due to attend one event in December which I decided not to go to, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy. I may only have posted a few times this year, but I've been drowning in projects that I haven't finished.
This year wasn't great for me personally, in fact it was pretty shit. I was under a lot of stress for the first 8 months of the year, and it accumulated in me getting ill during the summer. After the health scare in the summer I started to lose a lot of weight, which is good for everything but costuming. The number of alterations I had to do on the projects I started during the latter half of the year was ridiculous. I'm talking almost finished projects that only need a fastening having to be unpicked and taken in. Not that I'm trying to humble brag, but it was quite frustrating when I had never set out to lose weight. My life managed to sort itself out eventually, helped along by my 2.5 month long career break in September. Hopefully 2022 will be marginally better. It wasn't all bad though, I became Dr. Sew Honest this year, finally passing my PhD after 4 long years of slogging through a valley of shit. Thank the Gods it's over.
But you're not here for that, so let's start with the projects I managed to finish this year.
1.) 1940s trousers: Apparently this was the first project I finished this year, and they're not particular good, and now they don't even fit. I loved the dark academia vibe, though. I definitely want to remake this, possibly with a different pattern that I haven't lost the instructions to.
1.5) 1940s shorts - I made 2 pairs of cute vintage shorts for summer, and ended up not wearing them, and now they don't fit. Yay!
2.) 1790s remake - This was on my list to do this year, and I actually managed to do it towards the latter half of the year. This used to be a chemise a la reine, but I never really liked it in that style, so after making a proper white chemise a la reine, it was time to recycle this one.
3.) Pet en l'air finishing touches - My pet en l'air is one of my favourite projects, but I felt it was always missing something. Fluffy sleeve-y things! I barely had enough scrap left over of the fabric to get one modest set of sleev-y things. Now all I need is to finish the matching stomacher...just give me another 2 years.
4.) 18th century witch's gown - This was supposed to be my favourite project of this year. I spent months planning it, spent quite a lot on fabric, and a lot of time actually making it, but I don't actually like it all that much. The straps are too thick, and because of my drastic weight loss it doesn't even fit. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate it, but it definitely didn't live up to expectations. I liked dressing up through, and I'm proud of my hair and makeup for once. I'm also planning for next Halloween so let's hope it's not a big disappointment either.
5.) Early Tudor Kirtle - This was actually one of the first things I finished this year, to go under an overgown that I never finished. I even made pin-on sleeves (from the same cotton fabric that the overgown is made of).
6.) Patterns of Fashion 5 1735-1750 stays - These are actually from 2020 and were made to go under my robe a la francaise (which is currently a UFO). They've been finished for ages, but I never got around to binding them until early this year (and even that job I managed not to entirely finish).
7.) Augusta 1780s stays - I made a pair last year from this pattern but they never really gave me the shape I wanted. I used the "straight" pattern the last time because I have a small bust, but I decided to make them (in the exact same fabric) with the "curvy" pattern instead. I don't really think I noticed a difference, and now they're too big anyway. I also decided to use twill tape for straps instead of matching fabric as I can't ever seem to get straps set right on my shoulders.
b.) Gown - my favourite bit, and probably yours too. A bib-front 1790s gown made of a lovely green cotton Chintz.
c.) Green velvet spencer - I made one a few years ago that ended up in the bin, but finally I've managed to make some outerwear. A few problems, but nothing too serious. Again, serviceable.
d.) Reticule - I made this ensemble to attend an event, and since I didn't have pockets in my 1790s gown I thought I better have some place to put my things.
Now onto the started but unfinished. Oh no, these are called UFOs aren't they? Oh dear.
1.) Early Tudor overgown - at the end of 2020 I went through a phase of making 16th century headgear (french and Gable Hoods - more UFOs) so in the new year I started on making an early ensemble using The Tudor Tailor. I finished the kirtle (as aforementioned) but the overgown proved to be a stumbling block and I quickly threw it in a corner after I stuffed the back pleats on the skirt. I think I couldn't figure out how to attach the bodice to the skirt and I lost steam. I might put it on my list for next year as it's nearly there.
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| This is the only pic I've taken of the entire thing - the pleat sausage stuffing |
2.) Embroidered 18th century petticoat - This was my big project of the year, and it took me months. I hand embroidered some cotton lawn to make a petticoat. I got 3/4 of the way through, realised I wasn't finished by Autumn, and decided that the project was best photographed in spring/summer so put it aside to finish in 2022.
2.5) Yellow Pierrot - I had enough fabric left over from my pet en l'air to get another jacket out of, and I wanted another Pierrot. This one is practically finished, it's got sleeves and everything, it just needs hemmed. Except, it's now too big, and I pleated the entire back panel down and stitched it by hand. It's going to be a bit of a finicky job altering it, and since it's matching petticoat (number 2) isn't finished, I decided I'd re-start this project in 2022.
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| It does have sleeves and straps now, but I haven't taken any good pics |
3.) Robe a la francaise - I hate it, I hate this project so much. I honestly think it's mostly to do with the relatively expensive faux silk tafetta I got. The only nice thing about it is the colour. It's still taking up space on my mannequin to this day, despite my starting it months ago. I got confused with the side gores, and then quickly gave up. I may or may not take this project up again, and instead find it a hole to live in for the rest of its life.
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| Ugh... |
4.) 1840s 5m challenge - I feel bad for this project, I can just never seem to find the time. As the name suggests, I have 5 m of printed cotton that I wanted to make into an 1840s dress. I think I've got so far as to assemble the bodice, and cut out the skirt panels, but that's where I had to leave it for other projects. I've taken no pics of this one.
6.) Grey lace 18th century gown - This one just needs the skirts attached, but I haven't taken any pics since I put the sleeves on. It was my alternate for Halloween, but put it aside to focus on finishing the black one. I really like this gown, even though it's not the most accurate. Let's hope it turns out alright.
7.) All the corsets - I made 2 Edwardian corsets this year, which now probably don't fit. Both were from different patterns (Waugh and SewCurvy). I just wanted to make something that wasn't 18th century for a while. All they needed was binding, now all they need is to be completely refit, and then bound. Ugh.
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| Waugh |
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| SewCurvy - no pics of it on me (yes, I used the same colour combo, just to be confusing) |
I think that's it, but you never know. Every time I look at my camera roll I find pictures of another project I started this year. Overall a very busy year sewing wise, but this isn't reflective of normal life. I had a lot of time on my hands this year, so a lot of sewing projects, but life is changing. I have a new job back in Scotland, so I'll be moving in 2022 (hopefully) and my job is full-time and I'm already starting to feel the time pinch.
As always, Happy Hogmanay!
