Welcome to the blog! This is the very first post where I'm going to reflect on my sewing goals for this year. After all, it's still January and there is still time to jump onto the New Year's resolutions train!
First of all, I promised myself to think twice before sewing anything and at least try to make clothes that match my already existing wardrobe. Or something that I can wear in more than one outfit. This includes colours as well, I noticed that I've entered the black phase and it's becoming boring. Yes, black is easy to match, but I need more colour and by that, I don't mean just 'add blue'. More colours are definitely on the list, I'll encourage myself to consider even some neutrals I usually ignore. Next, I'll try to make clothes of fabrics they are meant for. I'm sure everyone new to sewing has been through a phase of sewing stuff from whatever fabric is available, and failing miserably. The best example of this was a tight-fitting turtleneck made of wool ponte. The fabric was meant for something else, but when it arrived, I was stunned by its firm elasticity and smooth look, therefore, I decided to make a close-fitting turtleneck. Boy was that a mistake!! It felt like armour (not that I've ever worn one lol) and looked like a Star Trek outfit, it constricted my breathing and blood flow. In the end, I cut it up and let go, promising myself to choose the fabrics better. There were more mishaps with fabrics that weren't ideal for my projects, including sewing a fitted dress out of velvet (that I didn't finish), shorts that ended up translucent, and more. But I'll try to learn from my mistakes and check fabric recommendations before sewing anything.
Also, I'd love to start drafting more of my patterns from scratch. The main reason for this is that patterns never fit me out of the envelope and the amount of adjustments I need to make gets exhausting. First of all, most patterns are drafted for women of 168 cm (+/- 3 cm) and Im 174cm. Secondly, I have an abnormally long torso, meaning that even if the patterns were made to fit my height (e.g. Vikisews patterns that offer a range of heights), it does not guarantee the correct proportions. If I'm making a T-shirt or something relatively simple, it's no big deal. However, more complex patterns require adjusting a lot of pieces and I always wonder if the time and effort to print out the patterns, trace them and later cut up to completely redraw the lines is worth it. I have tried drafting a few pieces, but the only time that it worked was when I used an already trusted trouser pattern to draft shorts. This Christmas I got two patternmaking books (W. Aldrich, Metric Pattern Cutting for Men's/Women's Wear). I heard a lot of good things about them and I hope they'll help me learn to draft clothes that fit!
Finally, not really a sewing goal, but related to creating outfits, I'd like to accessorize more and put more thought into what I wear in general. I don't really have anywhere to go where I'd be required to follow a certain dress code, but it doesn't mean I can't create my own! It's probably obvious to a lot of people, but to me, it certainly doesn't come easily. I'll try my best to find what works for me!
