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Top 5 - Goals for 2018!

A final post in the Top 5 series, playing along with Gillian from Crafting a Rainbow

The series is supposed to be 5 posts - hits, misses, highlights, reflections and goals.  I have skipped highlights and reflections - as this is mostly a sewing blog and they are likely to end up as very similar content to the hits and misses (Highlights:  sewing things which were hits because I wore them. Reflections:  sew more hits and fewer misses...you see what I mean!).

Goals, on the other hand, I can get on board with!  So here are my goals for 2018:

1.  Be more considered
This means many things for me - one is to slow down a bit but to actually sew more.  I think this looks something like:

  • Sticking to plans - I often get distracted by signing up for pattern testing (which I LOVE doing).  I need to be more disciplined and only sign up if the pattern will fit with my existing wardrobe, if I have fabric, if it fills a gap identified in my sewing plans already and so on.
  • Searching for more TNT patterns - this was really highlighted for me by The Sewcialists TNT month when I realised I didn't have one!  I get distracted by the next thing and don't spend a bit of time with a single pattern to make a few versions, get it right and have some items I am really satisfied with.
  • Doing things I have always wanted - working methodically through the Dorothy Moore book I have (where you draft your own stuff according to your shape), sewing lingerie, making more jeans.  These have been goals for the last three years and I still haven't started!!!
  • Making some time - if I am going to maintain this blog and use it to help me catalogue and chronicle what worked, what adjustments I made etc, I need to give it some dedicated time.  Designating Tuesday night or Sunday morning as blog time might work for this?
  • Consuming less - considering the fabric and patterns (especially the patterns!) I already have, before buying more.  A bit of "make it work" wouldn't go astray... 
2.  Take better photos
This really means finding the right spot for pictures and not hurrying them.  New house is awesome, but there is nowhere uncluttered with good light (inside or out) which seems to work. 

Plus we keep taking them at night or in a rush in the morning to meet testing deadlines.  If that has to happen, I should go back and take better pictures later.

No idea how to meet this one - suggestions welcome!  Maybe I need a big plain drop sheet to hang up for photo time?

3.  RTW Fast
Not sure whether to be excited or scared about this one!   I have never had enough handmade to do things like Me Made May or similar, but this year seems like I can handle the idea of making all my own clothes.  I am joining in with the Goodbye Valentino Fast, as well as maybe also the Sew Seamless pledge (because they are just about the same and therefore I can achieve doubly!)

This links in nicely with goal #1 - I will need to consider what I need to make rather than just what I want to make.  I think a wardrobe architect revisit will be on the cards, as well as a bit of Kon Marie tidying magic.  If I have clothes I don't wear, I should donate them and replace them with items I will wear.

4.  Engage with online community
One of my highlights of 2017 (see what I did there?!) was being part of the Sewcialist blog team.  I really enjoyed helping out with posts and round ups, and especially enjoyed the stats exercise I undertook for the TNT month.  I think this goal is really just to dedicate some more time to the Sewcialists but perhaps also trying to comment on blogs a little bit more?  I comment freely on IG, but am somehow held back on a blog post.  Given there is more effort in the post, it should be the other way around!!!

5.  Teach (maybe)
My daughter asked me to teach her to sew.   She is ten and this made me very proud :)
She did, of course, ask me just after I signed up to sew all my own clothes this year...
Will I have time?  I should make time - so as long as she doesn't lose interest, this will definitely be a goal for this year.

That's it!  I am going to write / print these out and hang them on the wall in the sewing area so I see them before the end of 2018 review comes around!

Ciao for now...

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