Review of 2021 resolutions: where do we stand?

For two years now, I have been setting myself a challenge of sewing resolutions for the year. 2021 had its own share of challenges too! So let's look back together on this very special year for me 😊, which saw my career change and the development of the shop.

I suggest we review the 5 sewing resolutions for 2021 and draw some conclusions... perhaps they will give you ideas for resolutions for 2022... who knows?

Let's get started!

My first resolution was to buy fewer PDF and printed patterns and, above all, sew the ones I already owned.

I am quite proud of how I managed my patterns this year. In fact, I bought just one PDF pattern and sewed it straight away. It was the Monceau cardigan by Cozy little world, which I made in a herringbone jersey from the shop. I am proud that I no longer bought printed or PDF patterns on impulse, telling myself that the design was lovely and would be wonderful to sew… only to put it away... and wait... I think I will continue with this resolution next year, as I still have the Nadine jacket by Coralie Bijasson and the Sierra and Tamara dresses by Maison Fauve... to make, so plenty to keep me happily sewing in 2022!

I also had the resolution: "I will sew the PDF and printed patterns I already have in my stash", and there... well, I have not made much progress 😅. I did sew one printed pattern that I had wanted to make for a long time: the Gotham cape by Louis Antoinette, which I wore as my Halloween costume. So I still have plenty of printed and PDF patterns to sew in 2022!

I should mention that I subscribe to La Maison Victor and Fibremood magazines, which are full of patterns; they helped me make quite a few lovely designs this year in fabrics from the shop.

My second resolution was to continue reducing my personal fabric stash, which I had already started doing in 2020. I am quite proud because I am still emptying my drawers! I had planned to buy only fabrics for a specific project that I did not already have in my drawers. Mission accomplished 😊

However, I had planned to use up more of the remnants of Japanese fabrics in my personal stash, which I love so much! I have not made much progress on that front... but there is always 2022!

My third resolution was to reduce my stash of scraps. 

2020 was a good year for using fabric scraps; like many sewists, I made masks, which helped me reduce my stash considerably.

This year, I continued thinking about how to use scraps, particularly how to make the most of them by

• Choosing pattern/remnant combinations that minimise the creation of scraps
• Combining two large fabric scraps for a project
• Sewing baby and children's clothes from scraps
• Choosing patterns that require little fabric so I can reuse large scraps, such as the Ségur top by Cozy Little World, ...
• Making small, useful projects such as lingerie, slippers, hats..
• piecing together small scraps to create patchwork

On that subject, I wrote an article about reusing jersey scraps, so do take a look.

I also had the idea of sewing a patchwork blanket from the small fabric scraps I have left, but I was not able to complete that project. I would also have liked to find a storage solution for scraps that really worked, but I have not found the ideal solution yet.

My fourth resolution was to keep learning.

Yes, the idea was to keep challenging myself with my sewing… And 2021 was full of challenges, both in sewing and in my personal and professional development!

I had set myself some goals:

• read good-quality technical books
• make innovative, complex projects involving new techniques to learn and master
• create made-to-measure patterns from scratch to improve my patternmaking skills
• take another course in 2021 or 2022 with a skilled professional to develop my sewing and patternmaking techniques.

I achieved all of this except for the course, particularly because of the public health situation... I kept reading and bought sewing books that help me improve and bring you well-structured, well-researched sewing articles every week.

I kept sewing (less than I would have liked, but it was for a good cause), learned new techniques, including sewing jeans for my partner, and made bespoke garments for customers 😊

But beyond that, this year I learned how to communicate, build a community, take photographs, find new suppliers, create product listings, answer your questions and even anticipate them... what a learning experience!

My fifth resolution was to continue developing the blog and the shop.

This resolution went far beyond what I had planned, as I have now been working on this activity full-time for 8 months!

I had resolved to:

• bring you at least one blog article a week
• offer you new haberdashery supplies
• offer you a selection of carefully chosen fabrics with excellent value for money

I think we managed it!

What about you? Did you make any resolutions for 2021? Did you keep them?

Would you like a sewing resolutions challenge for 2022?