Sewing reflections + 2024 SEWING RESOLUTIONS 👗🧵Lessons I've learned through 5 years of sewing! 😊 

Hi everyone! What did you think of this chatty-style video? Let me know what your 2024 sewing goals/resolutions are in the comments below. Thanks for watching! 😊

I love how thoughtful you are about your goals not just of what you want to sew but how you’d like to improve your skills ❤

I love your point about about sewing for art 👏🏻

Mel, you're an excellent communicator and your do a great job of selecting patterns and fabrics that suit you. I agree with your sewing reflections and resolutions. However I do think making a test garment for some new styles really helps with fit. Sewing isn't cheap and then when adding in the cost of your time you're throwing money away.I realize that even the best wardrobe advisors make mistakes in their own wardrobes. One suggestion for making samples is a)choose a solid light colour so you can see how well it is fitting and whether the style line is for you b) make only the top portion at first to save on sample fabric c) use cheaper fabric for the sample but has a similar drape/weight/fabric composition that you plan to make your final version of d) don't bother making the sleeves if this is not an area of concern for you, or if you do then just make the upper part of the sleeves to save time and fabric. You're way ahead in choosing sewing projects than I was when I was your age! I hope this helps.

I like sew alongs and videos about fabrics and patterns

Love the "reflections." So good to step back and see why things worked or didn't and go from there. I can relate to so many things you said, like having to get a creative idea out of your head, balancing art with function, flipping thrifted items, mending, etc. I think it comes down to realistic expectations. If it's a special occasion dress, it would be a success if we wear it once a year and feel great in it. But if it's meant to be an everyday garment that ends up being used only twice, then it that would not meet my expectations. Looking forward to 2024!

afghan dress is out of this world ❤

I enjoy listening to other people's reviews of their sewing journeys. I realised a couple of things you said were also true about me like when you were talking about your fabric preferences and the importance of fit and so on. You inspired me to sew more challenging things, like for example there's this dress that I like and I have no idea yet how to sew it😅 There's nothing like wearing your own clothes. Sewing is so rewarding. I've been sewing for a year now and I'm proud to say my entire summer wardrobe is handmade and unique. Subscribed!

I had been on a sewing hiatus for about 2 years. After many years of sewing, I just got kind of burned out and took a break. But this past Christmas season, I kind of got my sewjo back and I’ve been working on small projects. This year’s goals are to make a couple blouses that I have patterns for, make some trousers, and in the fall I want to make a new wool winter dress coat. I just started making hats too. Those are part of my small projects and I find that fun! Thanks for the video!

Great review of your sewing journey. You have learned so much. I wouldn't call any of your projects fails. You learned what doesn't work and what to avoid in the future. You also learned what you like and don't like. This was a good assessment of your feelings about sewing.

You sew alongs are among my favourite as I learn such a lot from them. Your reflections and goals are insightful and have got me thinking about my own sewing journey.

I love your sew alongs. It's nice to see techniques that are on sewing machine only. I hope you do more of those this year.

I would like to learn about bias sewing as you progress. My goal is to use as much fabric stash as possible in 2024.😊

Doçura!

Great points! Perhaps also experiment with learning to adjust patterns based on your measurements (or those of similar garments you’re happy with) and preferred fit, without making a sample. There’s also the question of adapting the pattern to the type of fabric - if the fabric is stiff, for instance, one might want to add an inch or two to one’s usual measurements to accommodate the lack of stretch. At least the nice thing with samples is that the finishing steps can be skipped, so it’s much less time-consuming than sewing the actual garment. But then there’s the issue of considering the difference between the weight, stretch and drape of the sample fabric vs the actual fabric. Looking forward to seeing your future projects!

After watching your last video I decided to set a new goal for 2024: working on the bias. It's not a brand new tecnique for me but the last skirt I made was not 100% perfect. I must say, I did not do my research, so, it's on me. I'm keen to see your next bias make. 😃

Happy (belated) New Year! I appreciate that you're giving your self-made wardrobe so much deep thought. I'm new to garment sewing, and what you've said about the learning process for getting a good fabric + pattern match is so true. And I have my own little collection of projects that really would be better with just like 10 minutes of finishing or minor fit fixes, LOL. I hope you have lots of success with your upcoming bias-cut and bustier projects

I really enjoy your videos. I too need to learn how to select the correct fabric for the pattern. I'm going to concentrate on making garments I actually love to wear instead of making patterns that "I think" I want to wear but in reality I never reach for.

Hey Mel! Loved all the follow-along videos you’ve posted. Can you link to the washable double-sided tape you use on some of your stretchy projects?

Fiya sauce