2017 Sewing Top 5: Hits

2017 was really my first serious year of garment sewing. It’s crazy to think how much my me-made wardrobe has grown in just a year. It’s hard to pick just 5 which is a good thing! In no particular order, these are the 5 makes that made the most impact on my wardrobe or me as a sewist this year.

#1. Granville shirt in chambray

When I made this shirt last summer, it was easily the most complicated thing I’d made so far. Fitting wovens terrified me (still does, really), and I thought the likelihood of it turning out well was pretty small. I love button down shirts, but I’ve never been able to find any rtw ones I like, because they all run so big. Yes they’re meant to be tucked in, but I often feel like I’m wearing a deflating balloon because of the extra ease. I knew the only way I’d get button downs into my wardrobe was to make them, but due to the aforementioned unfounded fears, I was nervous. And then once I dove in, this pattern turned out to fit me almost perfectly straight out of the envelope. I think I narrowed the hem to take some of the flare out at the hips, but that’s it. I’ve been refining the fit on future shirts (like the lines from shoulder to bust). This shirt goes with everything, fits so well, and I love the way it looks tucked, untucked and tied at the waist. It’s one of the first times I remember thinking “wow, maybe I really could make more of my own clothes…”

#2. Kelly Anorak

Okay, I’ve talked all about my love for this jacket here. Like the Granville shirt, this was a HUGE sewing confidence booster. It’s the most complicated thing I’ve made to date and it turned out beautifully. I learned to install all sorts of hardware, which is seriously easier than sewing a button hole. I wear this jacket at least a couple times a week, and I always feel effortless and cool in it. Win.

#3. Olive green sunshine dress

This turned out to be my most worn dress all year and my favorite dress pattern (which I talked about here). I love the faux wrap bodice, and the slim skirt silhouette. I narrowed the skirt a bit from hips to waistline instead of leaving it as a straight rectangle, which took out some of the gathers and gives it a more flattering shape I think. The large scale print is perfect for the maxi length and I love how this dress rides that line between dressed up and dressed down. It’s often the first thing I reach for after doing laundry, which is probably the highest praise clothes get!

#4. V9252

I talked about this dress here, so I’ll just give you the highlights: crazy beautiful color, awesomely flattering neckline, dramatic skirt perfect for dancing, cool contrast bias hem. Bonus: getting all the compliments on your dress all night and being able to say “thanks, I made it”. I felt my confidence as a sewist really level up with this one.

#5. Agnes t-shirts

Okay, so this is more than one garment, but I’m really nothing if not a rule bender. This pattern has been such a game changer for me. Having high quality, well-fitting t-shirts honestly makes getting dressed in the morning so easy. I don’t know about you, but I was getting pretty damn tired of flimsy H&M shirts that get holes in them in a few months. And it felt so wasteful. These Agnes tees have become the workhorses of my wardrobe, and I can’t see that changing anytime soon. My favorite outfit in the summer is an Agnes tee and a Hollyburn skirt, which I professed my undying love for here.

That’s all for today friends! I’ll be back in a few days for the rest (the misses, highlights, reflections and goals)!