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New Year's Resolutions: Crafting Edition

What are you thinking of crafting in 2021? Have you set yourself goals, ambitions, vague intentions? 

I've come up with some categories to help guide intention-setting:

1. A new project

2. Finishing something from your abandoned-works-in-progress-pile-of-doom

3. Learning or practicing new skills & techniques or trying something new

4. #StashDown - don't buy any new fabric, wool, paper, paints or whatever materials you use for your craft. Use up what you already have!


Here are my resolutions!

1. A new project: making myself clothes

One of the key reasons for taking up sewing was to make myself clothes. I'm plus size (UK 20) and find it hard to get good quality clothes that fit me well. I'm also trying to be as eco-aware as possible and buying poor-quality clothes with a high plastic content that were made by 8 year olds in a sweatshop doesn't fit with that ambition! I have been building up the confidence to start making myself something, but I really am at the stage where I need to just get on with it. I've bought these patterns so my aim is to make some or all of these over the course of this year:

https://shop.tillyandthebuttons.com/products/bobbi

https://www.cashmerette.com/products/lenox-shirtdress-pdf-pattern

https://www.ellieandmac.com/products/slow-sunday-top-dress-pattern

https://www.ellieandmac.com/products/adults-sweetie-pie-tunic-dress-pattern

https://www.ellieandmac.com/products/curved-hem-pocket-tank-pattern

https://www.patternsforpirates.com/product/peg-legs/


2. Finishing something: cross-stitch

I have two cross-stitches that I started literally YEARS ago that I really want to finish. One was meant to be a wedding sampler for myself - I'll have been married 11 YEARS this year so that's been hanging around for a long time. Then I began a birth sampler for a friend, and you guessed it, her son will be 7 this year and I haven't progressed it.... So I'd like to get his sampler done by his birthday in May and my wedding sampler done by my 11th anniversary in September!



3. Learning new skills: dressmaking

This ties in with resolution 1 - making myself clothes is going to involve a lot of new skills and techniques!

If I have time and inclination, I would like to try quilting. I have a box of baby clothes worn by both daughters and want to make a memory quilt from them.



4. #StashDown. I've actually used a lot of my stash on making face masks during 2020, so I'm not doing too badly here! I will continue to be eco-aware in my sewing including plenty of scrap-busting, zero-waste sewing and making eco-friendly alternatives where I can e.g. washable 'cotton wipes', napkins, kitchen roll etc. I have a Pinterest board with eco-sewing ideas: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/historykat/making-and-crafting/upcycling-recycling-zero-waste/


Please share your resolutions - we'll do a periodic accountability check-in and see how we're all getting on!


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  1. StefanieArchivistJanuary 1, 2021 at 10:57 AM

    Good luck with the resolutions!
    After last year’s constant re-evaluation of goals I’m trying not to set myself up for inevitable failure. But I have some lurking long term WIPs, an enormous stash I shouldn’t add to and no real need to buy any clothes at all, so I do want to use more of what I have and finish some things I started (before starting another shiny thing over there!).
    Here’s to however long that lasts.

    My dressmaking top tip?
    Make a toile/muslin. Yes. Booooooorrrring! But, it saves the expensive/pretty fabric; it helps you learn *your* body & fitting challenges (and standard adjustments!); and it gives you a place to try out your understanding of the pattern instructions in a low risk way.

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