2015 Sewing Goals

The middle of 2015 will mark two years since I first dipped my toes in the great sewing pond.

That first year was all about just jumping in and getting my feet wet (you'll have to excuse all the water references, it is hot and I have swimming on the brain). I made some little girl dresses and a dolly for Miss Moo which was to be her baby to stop her feeling left out when Miss Bird came along. I made a baby quilt for Miss Bird with some charms of Kate Spain's Cuzco (using the fab tutorial from Amy at Diary of a Quilter) and bam! I was hooked. Then I discovered blogs and Instagram and a whole new world opened up to me. 

This last year has been about trying new things. I was ridiculously ambitious in some of my project choices and had to park them for a while, but I have learnt so much from both blogs / tutorials and excellently written patterns.

(Case in point #1: The StudioCherie Travel Duffel  - never made a bag before? No problem! Um.... problem. I found this so hard I had to park it for 12 months while I got some sewing experience under my belt. But now, man I LOVE this bag. And I should say that when I pulled all the pieces out and finally made it, it was pretty straight forward. The problem was my experience, not the pattern).

 

(Case in point #2: My Noodlehead Super Tote - This pattern was great, like all Noodlehead patterns in my opinion, but my sewing machine died and I HAD to have it made before I went back to work from mat leave. Yes, I wanted a swanky handmade bag to lug my work gear around in. It had to have a pieced pocket. I hired a machine and finished it the night before. Talk about doing things the hard way!)

And then I discovered "social sewing" - swaps, bees and such. So. Much. Fun!!

(The mini I made my partner for the Schnitzel & Boo Mini Quilt swap Round 2)


So what are my aims for 2015?

1. Try FMQ - I now have a machine capable of doing it. No more excuses
2. Blog! 
3. Learn how to take good quilt photos. Dimly lit 11PM ones just don't cut it. 
4. Sew some clothes - my goal is one garment per month. I think that is achievable
5. Finish some of my mountain load of WIPs
6. Be more realistic about how much time I have and being ok with spending it making stuff for myself. I am currently in three swaps, a handmade birthday club and a bee - it can get a bit much with work / family commitments. I love making things for other people but if I spend all my teeny bit of sewing time doing that then I will never accomplish 4. and 5 - there were times last year which were a bit crazy and I am going to try to avoid that this year. 

What are your sewing goals this year?