Happy New Year! If you’ve followed me for a while, you will know that I absolutely love planning my sewing projects – they say that buying fabric and sewing are two separate hobbies, and for me, planning sewing projects is another. My favourite planning tool to use is a #makenine and I pretty much start making a list of patterns I might like to include in the summer – good planning takes time, you know!
Last year I chose a nice mix of wardrobe basics and more special projects. I already had 6 of the 9 patterns and although I keep my fabric stash small, I had things lined up for several of them. It was another busy year for my business in 2023 and I also took on more hours at my job at The Fold Line. Throw in a house move and building a sewing studio, and kiss goodbye to personal sewing time! I am incredibly grateful to have three jobs that I love and the peace and quiet at home that we yearned for, so sewing a bit less this year has been a sacrifice well-worth making. Of course, being a notorious completer finished, I still managed to complete my 9 projects (as if there was any doubt), but it did take me all 12 months to do it!
I have written blog posts about most of my projects, which are linked below in case you would like to read more. From top to bottom, left to right I made…
– I Am Patterns Nout Trousers
– Paper Theory LB Pullover
– Style Arc Bob Pants
– Sew Liberated Studio Tunic
– Maven Patterns French Dart
– Anna Allen Helene Selvedge Jeans
– Vivian Shao Chen Nepheline Blouse
– Merchant and Mills Omilie Dress
– Named Clothing Syli Dress
I think my favourite make was definitely the LB Pullover and I actually made a second in 2023! The Bob Pants are another favourite and I have worn them countless times. This year, I wouldn’t consider any of my projects ‘unsuccessful’, but I think the garment I have reached for the least is my Nout trousers – although I am not sure why!
But now, what we’re all really here for… my 2024 plans, and it’s shaping up to be a great year!
In all honesty, I had anticipated making a couple of these garments in 2023, but the good thing about sewing projects is that they can just sit there until you are ready! I’ve gone for a mix of garment types and some easy-sews and more involved makes, so I can pick a project depending on how much time I have to sew as I work my way through the list. I actually already have 8 of the 9 patterns, and in my modest stash (I try to keep it under 10 cuts at all times) I have fabric for 6 of them. From top to bottom, left to right I will be making…
Sew Liberated Chanterelle Pants
I was super excited about this pattern when it was released last year and I have seen lots of lovely versions on Instagram. They are quite similar to the Bob Pants, so I know they will get a lot of wear! I bought some lightweight wool suiting in an ochre colour from Fabworks Mill Shop, which I think might work well for this pattern.
Ready to Sew Pablo Overalls
I added this pattern to my basket the day it was released! You can never have too many pairs of dungas, and the wrap design of these is really interesting. I bought some rusty coloured linen from Rainbow Fabrics Kilburn at the Festival of Quilt specifically for these overalls, so I’m looking forward to sewing them up.
I Am Patterns Mowgli
I am turning 40 this year and I don’t actually think I have ever owned a pair of sweatpants?! I have a lot of active wear, but feel some proper jogging bottoms for lounging are definitely missing from my wardrobe. I have some lush caramel coloured tencel jersey in my stash, which I bought from The New Craft House and I think it will make a really great pair of sweatpants.
Tessuti Fabrics Rae Top
We sell an awful lot of copies of this pattern at The Fold Line and I want to know what the fuss is all about! I’m looking forward to this project as it looks like a quick and fun sew. I don’t have a fabric in mind for it just yet, but will probably go for something like a lightweight linen.
Crosstown Crescent Bag
One of my lovely students told me about this pattern and I had been looking for a cross-body bag pattern to sew, so I added it to my list. I have a couple of lovely canvases that I could use, so it will be fun to shop my stash for this project.
Matchy Matchy Makers Over Shirt
Another instant purchase! I wear my Friday Pattern Company Ilford Jacket all the time, so adding another similar garment to my wardrobe seems like a great idea. I love that the shirt doesn’t have a collar and all of the samples look amazing! I don’t have any fabric for this yet, so I feel a little trip to Merchant and Mills is on the cards.
McCall’s M8312
This pattern has been on my radar for a while, so when a copy popped up in the charity box at Hometown I made my donation and snapped it up! As is often the way with commercial pattern covers, the sample isn’t particularly appealing, but I love the line drawings and there are a couple of really lovely versions if you search the hashtag on Instagram. I don’t have any fabric for this yet, but a nice checked linen would be dreamy!
I Am Patterns Merlin Coat
I have been planning to make this for SO LONG! I saw a couple of stunning green coats (you can see Tracy’s gorgeous coat below) last winter and on a trip to Fabworks Mill Shop last Christmas, I saw the perfect boiled wool. I didn’t buy it and then regretted it until I visited again in February and snapped some up! This pattern is the perfect, simple design to showcase a bold colour and I can’t wait to sew it up. I need to get some lining fabric and I’m thinking of buying something equally bright and colourful for the inside!
Emporia Patterns Penelope Dress
The lovely Clair and Charlotte kindly gifted me a copy of their most popular pattern when I saw them at the Festival of Quilts in the summer. There are so many stunning Penelope’s out there and she works well with pretty much any fabric, but I am envisioning an autumn/winter version to wear with chunky boots and layers. I bought 3m of washed cotton in a beige/burgundy/black check from Simply Fabrics with this pattern in mind and I think it will be perfect.
So there we have it – 9 lovely things to add to my wardrobe in 2024! Hopefully, these will not be the only garments I make, but with a complete house renovation on the cards, I’m going to try not to set my expectations too high as I know my sewing time will continue to be limited. I think I’m most excited about making another coat – I first made one way back in 2018 and I feel like I know a lot more now than I did then! Hopefully I can do my gorgeous boiled wool justice and make something I am really proud of.
Thanks, I really enjoyed this review and your 2024 plans!😁 You might be interested – I’ve started to sew in “collections”, the first started in September and still underway after diversion for an involved gift. I too seem to be choosing brick red, burnt orange, type colors! I’m enjoying mainly shopping my pattern collection and fabric pantry for this, and using some patterns I’ve had for ages but not made up.😊
Hi Heather! Sewing in collections sounds like a great idea – similar to the concept of the Make Nine, but you can start it any time of year and there is no deadline to finish! I love all of the autumn colours, although there are a few more jazzy cuts of fabric in my collection at the moment and I am looking forward to sewing with them. 😊