If you keep up with the online sewing community then I don’t have to introduce the Make Nine concept (and if you’re not, a quick Google for “make nine” and “Home Row Fiber Co” should get you caught up!).
So it’s now 2019, no more time left to complete anything on my 2018 Make Nine list. How did I do?
(drum roll)
Four!…ish
You can check out my original Make Nine 2018 post from exactly one year ago for a longer explanation of all the choices, but here’s a quick run-down of what did and didn’t get made, and why.
Amsterdam blazer (Orageuse Patterns): I am still completely enamored with this pattern, but it’s a bit advanced, I’m not in love with the (cheap) fabric that I bought to make a “wearable muslin” with, and I spent a lot of valuable sewing time doing pattern tests and competitions. Soooo, lots of excuses, but I still very much intend to make this (or some other sort of blazer), so this rolls over to my 2019 list.
Maisa denim jacket (Named Clothing): check! This garment is everlasting love.
Mona moto jacket (Make My Lemonade): Maybe I’ll make this some day, but the fabric I had set aside to use for this ended up being very cheap and not right, so I still need to wait for the right fabric to come along and bring some excitement back to this project. I’m not going to give this a definite spot in my 2019 list just yet.
Karri dress (Megan Nielsen Patterns): I had intended to copy a dress I found on Pinterest using a black and white Liberty fabric and neon yellow piping. I still really like the idea, but it’s just not a garment I need in my life! I can’t motivate myself to make something that I probably won’t wear often. Maybe there’s still a place in my life for that fabric and piping, but it would have to be a more casual, loose-fitting garment. Or maybe fancy pajamas?! That would be so rad!
Ginger jeans (Closet Case Patterns): I made these! Not the best project management because I had cut out one single leg about… a year or so before actually sitting down to cut the rest of the pattern out. They’re too big, the denim has terrible recovery, but strangely I find myself wearing them really frequently (I consider them one of my Top 5 makes of 2018). But anyway, I have another pair in the works that I’m hoping will fit much better.
Dahlia dress (Colette Patterns): I didn’t even think about making this for the whole year. It’s a very cute dress, but never fit with my lifestyle (which, last year, was working in a casual tech office and, this year, is being self-employed at home). Sorrrrrry!
Menswear (Free Sewing): I just about finished a Simon shirt for my husband right in time for me to still count it for 2018, but it’s not the final garment, so the obligation still carries over. I made my husband a test version for Christmas, and lost any hope of it being a wearable garment when I switched the front sides and completely obliterated the flat-felled seams (on a sleeve!?!? whyyyyyyyyy!). It still served its purpose as a test shirt, and now I know what needs to be fixed on the next version, plus I’ve had practice on flat-felling seams! Always look on the bright side, kids.
Somewhat related, I have recently become a tad bit obsessed with sewing menswear. It won’t feature on my Make Nine list, but I do intend to dive into the topic in a future blog post, and who knows! Maybe even sew a wearable garment for my husband… some day.
A-line mini skirt with buttons: I was totally ready to start this project, until I realized that the fabric I thought I had, no longer existed in my stash, and the pattern I had, no longer appealed to me. I think I will eventually give up and purchase the Rosari skirt from Pauline Alice, which was what I wanted all along, and I will carry this over to 2019’s list.
Pretty lingerie: This is always a work in progress but I would call this one a solid win! Even with my three matching sets for November’s Sew My Style, I’m still continuing to make new pieces. Beyond those, I’m still full of ideas for more lingerie, so this both counts as a win and is getting moved over to next year.
I don’t consider the Make Nine a failure because it’s a very low-stakes challenge and hello! I made a billion garments during the year. I’m very proud of myself. But what’s in the planner for 2019? I’m going to drag this out to one more post and reveal it in a few days!