Happy New Year! and sewing goals for 2016

In my post about hits and misses I had some forward thoughts. I wanted to make them clearer for me.

The next 5 months is taken up with wedding sewing.  At the same time, I need to complete my textile course. Fortunately, my mother of the bride outfit is my course project. I'm not getting on with any of this in the way I should be. Only 5 months left, well 4 for the course.

I won't be sharing any wedding sewing plans until after the event. I have a lot to do and will be visiting London next week to look at fabrics. I already have dupion silk for my MOB outfit but need lining, overlay if I'm going to use one, lace ditto. I don't have the design sorted out in my head - and I have to submit next week!!  Help!! And I'm not completely sure about the silk. 

I have some nice black fabric to make my middle daughter a dress for work. A nice simple shape so I might fit that in the next few weeks. She's visiting in 3 weeks and it would be great if I could have it done. I'm not going to pressurise myself though.

I've been pattern cutting but really don't want to make my own patterns (and I'd actually prefer to use a commercial pattern altered to fit for my MOB outfit than make one as I'm doing for the course; oh well) My experience will make it easier to modify commercial patterns to fit and perhaps change some little details on them. I’d really like to develop some basic well fitting shapes as a starting point for those variations.

I would like to have joined in a SWAP but timings don't suit,  sadly. Maybe next time.

This year my plans included making myself some well fitting trousers and I didn't manage, despite a lot of trying. So 2016 is the year! Unfortunately, the PR pants competition doesn't fit in timewise. I find a little pressure is helpful - too much,  of course,  not so! If I manage,  and I should,  I need a few pairs of different styles,  including jeans. I have put on weight through inactivity and complacency and must lose some in time for the wedding - this will also help with trouser fitting,  I'm sure and of course with general health. 

I also want to make a smart casual jacket. I don't know what pattern yet. This jacket will be able to be worn with jeans as well as skirts. Last year I made a black linen jacket but it's too sloppy for my liking. It's also too long. I also feel its raglan sleeves didn't really suit me. I'm currently thinking a collarless slightly fitted blazer style might be the one to go for.

Lastly,  I'd like to make myself a dress for next Christmas! Hopefully in a new home? Hopefully my plans for 2017 will include home dec projects for this new home. We'd love to have a house built to our specifications but first need to find some suitable land, which isn't an easy task.

We're hoping to downsize next year so that makes the need to reduce fabric and pattern stashes even greater. I just need to donate quite a bit of fabric that will never get used - and likewise patterns that I'd never have bought, that I've got free in magazines. I thought my daughters might like some of them and thought my youngest might want to make some but I can't hold onto them for ever. I have just too many.

So a very busy first half of the year with lots of wedding related sewing which I have to achieve then a second half of selfish sewing, just 3 items so surely achievable!

I also wanted to say that I am very grateful to those of you who visit my blog and I'm especially grateful for the helpful comments I receive. I'm happy to receive constructively critical comments. Please keep on visiting and keep on commenting!  Thank you. 

Happy New Year!