2011 Sewing in Review

I thought it might be fun to do a sum up post of the sewing projects I blogged about last year. Here's a little update on each item:

Simplicity 2403

I have only worn this dress a handful of times. It's a bit too tight in the bust and arms to be comfortable. I love it and adore it and hope to be able to fit into it again someday. The fabric is lovely, and dotted. What's not to love about polka dots!

Simplicity 2337

I think this dress wins the award for most impractical. I have worn it once. The wonky neckline makes it uncomfortable to wear and the color washes me out. I love the design of the dress, however. I just might try again someday in a better color fabric. I'm a huge fan of ruching.

Simplicity 2633 Orangine

I never fell in love with the color of this top. I just didn't feel fabulous wearing it, so it was donated to a secondhand clothing store. I liked the fit, but the color just didn't work for me. I think this is when I learned that I need to be more choosy when buying discount fabric online. If it's bright online, it will likely be brighter in person. That's the lesson I take from this. 

Vogue 1169 finished, for the second time

I think of all the projects I completed this year, I am most proud of this suit. It's lovely! I like the way it fits, I love the fabric I chose ( a worsted wool), and the design is just fantastic. I took my time with the details (the decorative hand stitching, the piping, using hem tape, etc.) which made for a great completed project. I wore this suit to my SIL's wedding in July, and several times to church. It's a great outfit that I plan to keep around for a long time.

Simplicity 2473

This dress wins the award for best fitting. I took my time with this one and fitted the bodice and skirt to a T. I adore it. The fabric is a cotton sateen, and I used the wrong side of the fabric for a more woven look. This dress is great for wearing to church, or to work. It can be dressed up or down. The color is great. I can go on and on about this dress. It's a favorite for sure.

Simplicity 9825: animal print

This skirt is a classic. I love the print. I think it's a whole lot of fun. What's not to love about a simple pencil skirt? The only thing I don't love about it is the fit. I made it a bit big, and a bit longer than I'd like. So on my to do list is to go back and take the skirt in and take the hem up. This summer the skirt got quite a bit of wear for casual days and dressier days too.

McCall's 4922

This shirt wins the most useful award. I wear this top all the time. I will likely make it over and over again. I love the cotton pique fabric I used for it. It has a slight stretch to it, which makes it easy to wear. It's long enough to wear with jeans, and despite the contoured hem, I wear it untucked with jeans all the time. 

Simplicity 2257: Who's that lady?

I feel like such a lady in this skirt, so this one wins the most ladylike award. I wore it several times over the summer, I wore it in Argentina over Christmas, and plan to wear it over and over again this coming summer. I love the print; it reminds me of pineapple tops, which makes me happy. I feel so twirly and lovely. 

Vogue 1220: Everyone else is doing it

I love this dress. I brought this one along to Argentina too. It's comfortable, easy, and just lovely. I would love to have this in grey or navy. The cotton poplin I made it from wrinkles like crazy, but I still love the dress. It got a lot of wear last summer, and I plan to wear it throughout the year. Definite success. I can't say enough about how much I love this dress.

Vogue 1241, A Copycat

This dress is tricky. I love the print of the fabric. I love the idea of it. I love the ruching and the split neck. But it's tricky to wear. I really messed up the bodice. I really should have made it in a bigger size to accommodate my bust. The modesty panel and button make it wearable, but I think it cheapens the quality of the dress. I have still worn it several times, but I don't have complete confidence in it. 

By that same token, I think I'm being overly critical. A lady in my ward (congregation) told me that she thought I had bought it at Banana Republic and had searched their website looking for it. She was disappointed that she didn't find it there. That was a huge compliment and made me feel like a million bucks.

I had doubts that I would make this dress again, but now that I'm remembering all that I love about it, I'm starting to reconsider.

So there you have 2011 in review. It seems like a general rule that the things I took my time on, I love. And the things I rushed through I don't love. Let that be a lesson to me for 2012 sewing.