Well we are a full month into the year already, thankfully January is over – its the longest month of the year IMO. Spring is on its way and its a good time to get planning for the year.

These 9 projects are the major items I’d like to get sewn up this year and I think it’s a realistic goal. I’ve made most of these things already in some shape or form. There will be many other quick t-shirts and shiny new patterns in between. 

Enjoy:

1. Bag

I made the Trap Beag bag by Incomplete Stitches on a weekend in January (see above) – I had it cut out from leftovers of a waxed cotton  Kelly Anorak I made in 2020. I love the bag and I’ve been using it for work for the last few weeks. I want to make another and make it better as the first one has plenty of imperfections. I found this fabric and got some bag-making bits from Zipper Zoo and it arrived last week. I think I will leave it for a wet weekend when I can sit and spend a whole day sewing it. I found sewing the first one very therapeutic, I followed Sarahs Instructions and it came together like a dream. I hope to make the bigger one Trap Mor eventually too once I find some suitable fabric.

       2. Coat for me.

I’m not sure what pattern I’m going to pick for this. I’ve had some tweeds in my stash for years and I’d like to use some of them. I just got some technical fabric (it’s this one) . I thought I’d make hiking pants but it’s far too stiff. I’ve 2.5 m and I know there’s a few jacket patterns I can make with it. Something like this Style Arc Austin Jacket maybe.. That would be a nice spring / summer jacket that would be a bit shower resistant. I might make it early in the year and If I get around to it – use the tweed later in the year. Maybe!

     3. Mens Coat

Laurens has been waiting for a coat for about 2 years now. He liked my Kelly Anorak in the waxed cotton and requested something for himself. I got a few patterns last year for him and I think the main reason this project stalled is he changed his mind a few times on what style / pattern he wanted. I will get him to make a decision and go for it soon. He swung between this Forester Coat or a bomber style jacket. Stay tuned..

     4. Jeans for Me!!

This past weekend I made a muslin (mock up with calico fabric) of the Marilyn Jeans by Charm patterns. I got the pattern printed with Paper to Pattern (see below for 20% discount) and decided to go rogue and cut out the pattern and skip tracing it (I nearly always trace and keep the original pattern paper intact). I‘ve made a good few things with Charm Patterns and am fairly safe with the sizes. I really just have to make the usual changes I make to jeans / trousers to allow for my extra height (I’ve a long waist and long crotch depth) – I will show the adjustments in a future blog post .  The zip is hidden away in the left front pocket and it’s really easy to install. I can’t wait now to get some denim prepped (i.e. washed and dried twice before I make it up). 

    5. Quilt

I made a few quilts since this whole covid thing started and I love them. We have one on every bed in our house now and I would like to make another few for some gifts. I have a lovely bundle of fat quarters from Art Gallery fabrics and lots of batting to make at least one more. I think if I got it cut out I’d sew it up quick enough. I got a lovely book last year for making simple Geometric  quilt designs and I’d like to try another pattern out of it.

   6. Footstool

I want to make one of the Closet Core Pouf but a smaller version for our sitting room. I got the boys to make one each a few years ago and they have them up in their den (previously Dress Fabrics HQ). It’s a great way to use up scraps – I can use up most of my small scraps this way ( I just made some draught excluders for my sewing room doors and they used up lots too). The bigger scraps get donated to the mechanic in the house and anything bigger and useful I try to use or give to a good home.

  7. Boys pants

One of the boys has a 35 – 36 inch inside leg and 32 inch waist and I’ve found it impossible to find jeans to fit him. The local shop has school uniform pants that are fine luckily. I make joggers for both boys all the time and that’s easy. I just keep sizing up as they grow but jeans are a bit more involved. I made some a few years ago using the Thread Theory Jeans pattern, I also have this Wardrobe by Me Chinos that I might try.

8.  Curtains

This summer I’m planning on giving my bedroom a revamp – I thought I’d get to it last summer but I ran out of steam after getting the sitting room overhauled and the hallway painted. I got fabric for curtains last year in The Fabric Outlet in Newbridge so it’s just a matter of measuring and sewing them up. I’m fairly confident I will get this done over the summer as I can’t look at the room as it is for much longer..

  9. Mens Jeans

Finally, I made Laurens work pants with the Jutland pattern last year. I used a khaki green stretch cotton twill and he loves them. He wears them for pottering around the garden (he has proper workwear for work). Since I have the pattern all sorted it will be easy to make him another pair.