2025 What next?

Thinking about design lines, I took some time this January to sketch my top 4 garments as silhouettes on my croquis*. Used colours which are favourites in my wardrobe. Tidy tee, jumper (sweater), collared shirt, trousers, and joggers cover 90% of my clothing needs, provided I vary the fabric. Think wool or linen trousers for the office, canvas for walking, cotton or silk for summer in town ... 

I have patterns in these basic shapes that already fit better than ready to wear. I'm only an improver, though. I'm still trying to get the right balance between style ease (how does it look) and movement ease (how does it cope with daily life) 

Here's the evidence of how far I have to change basics to fit my petite pear shaped frame, with forward-tilting hip crests. 

In 2025, I want to continue refining these basics. My tee pattern is tidy but could do with 1/8" tweaks before I experiment with necklines; my knit jumper pattern needs work at the armscye and neckline; the woven top hasn't yet evolved into a collared shirt; the woven trousers are the best fit in decades but I notice a leg twist; joggers are a little long and could be improved by a pseudo-curved elastic at the front. 

I've added a below knee skirt to my basics wishlist and sketches but will probably not get round to it this year. 

So, to turn aspirations into achievements, let's prioritise existing projects:

Alter woven top trial garment S6614 at shoulder point, then make another simplified version, maybe do trousers first for a better sense of curves around waist and hip. 

Reknit my teal Talvi jumper from the armscye up. 

Replace at least one of the older plain tees. 

And a new project, try TDCO trouser fitting method, starting with a tracing of the simplest pattern in my collection. 

And as a grab bag when out and about, a couple of foot square panels of granny squares. 

There'll be other small projects, of course. For example I only have one decent sunhat, summer joggers need replacing... The jacket project may have to wait for 2026.

* croquis, an outline of a body shape. Having no claims to artistic ability, I traced a photo to get my own proportions. Commercial offerings are available but I haven't tried them. 

2024 roundup

 Happy New Year 2025

It's been a busy 2024 for family, for work and for non-crafty projects. For instance, I refreshed my schoolgirl Spanish to accompany DH to an event in November. And to be honest, when I look at my clothing, it generally serves it's purpose better than when I "retired" six years ago.

I have about 50 indoor items of clothing now, that is tops, bottoms, dresses and cardigans, mostly me-made or altered to fit better. I like all the colours and most of the styles. However there are a few gaps, some are getting ready for replacement, and the jury is still out on whether to keep, say, more than two skirts or short sleeved tops. Overall, though, it's about the right amount for my lifestyle.

And how did I do with 2024 plan?

Cycle shorts in bright yellow as an underlayer and a cami in Monet jersey finished, a constellation-print shirt S9210 for H. Adapted a charity shop denim skirt to fit me, however I find the walking slit cold so it may not stay long in my wardrobe. The woven shirt/top has had a couple of attempts, but still nothing finished that I'm happy with. Formal dress, woven shirt, office trousers, summer joggers and my mouse-fabric waistcoat didn't get to the top of the list. I've started dreaming of a coat, however a sewn cardi and/or jacket would be good practice.

As well as the planned items, in 2024 I sewed one pair of stretchy trousers in antique gold ponte, one tee in  Monet jersey, and two rectangle skirts one in mustard and one burgundy. Knit one Hermia cardigan in Mallard merino, a Manx loaghtan yarn hat, and brown merino wrist warmers all for me.  Some extra knitting for  presents: merino legwarmers for H, a beanie for K, a mustard aran hat for E.  Community arts contributions: poppies, granny squares, and cafe decorations. Plus the usual hats and booties to give away. Fails? The chicken-print Betty neckline was not a success, nor the L shaped scarf due to fabric choice. The usual ongoing repairs have been done, and some rarely worn garments brought back into use, mostly be letting out at the waist and high hip. DH's old work wear fleece was delogo-ed and is in use again. Some small knit items were reknit or extended and are better now.

I've bought a number of charity shop items to try, of which a couple have been altered, the white floral shirt significantly refitted. Several garments were donated back as too far from my own shape or other needs, but that's ok occasionally - it's been interesting to try. Unfortunately I've had to part with some old favourites, either worn out or because they've become too tight at lower shoulder blade height.

The fitting programme inches forward. I have trouser and tee patterns, cami and cycle shorts, however the joggers still need a better waist treatment.  I'm  actively working on the woven top again, having abandoned B8957 for the Betty, then found S6144 is better (tighter scyes so more movement ease) at the shoulders. Over the last week, I've unpicked the 2021 Talvi jumper ready to reknit up from the underarms.  

What else crafty? Reading blogs. Watching historical and fitting videos. Clothing and stash sifts. Two lots of inherited stuff sorted and absorbed or rehomed. 

FFFF directions: A long essay in my diary about Function and Fit by garment type is in my November/December diary. I think my Finishing is improving - certainly my cutting and marking have*. Not so much Fun added to the clothing because the chicken print failed. And because I need more plains to balance the prints I have. Does it count that I've had fun trying or rediscovering techniques?

* I'm starting to be confident to use decent yarn for myself, but need to do the same with decent fabric now that Fit and Finishing are better.

Overall, I can definitely count myself a Crafty Little Mouselet for 2024. 

Wonder what will happen in 2025? 

2024 November and December

The main activity while away at the beginning of November was planning. I wanted to think (again) about what needs I am meeting. Geeks know this as collecting functional requirements. My sewing diary now lists how many of what kinds of garments I think I need, then goes into a bit more detail. Obviously my choices are personal, depending on things like local climate (mild, damp and changeable), physique (petite, proportions far from standard, sensitive to cold and sun) and residence (little drying or storage space). Chattered about which patterns I started with, all fairly ordinary since I'm only an improver as far as fitting is concerned. Many of them are now out-of-print. However similar basic ones are easily found. I've been better in the last few years about taking photos of makes and acquisitions (analysis of existing system), so I hope that will inform my next specific sewing goals. 

Knitting 

Finished H's new legwarmers, made from the overbought Mallard merino. Two balls make a pair about 10". She wore them moments after they were given, and I've seen her in them several times since :) 

The Mallard Hermia cardigan was very slowly completed. Decided to do a folded hem since a rib emphasises my overhang. Finished grafting the hems just into December. Buttons had been chosen (on holiday in Spain) and the band, with all those stitches to pick up, just in time to wear on Christmas day. 

Sewing. Thought I might make progress towards a woven top, even in winter, by rough fitting  over a long sleeved tee. Vintage Simplicity 6614 size 14½ was the plainest woven dress in my pattern collection, A half size (37" bust) dress with a back zip, two long back darts, and a French dart at the front. Wasn't expecting much from the first version. Would you believe it? It's an improvement on my hard-won Betty in the shoulder and armscye area. V1 was fitted downwards, pretty good to empire line, not too bad to waist, not enough fabric from previous toile to go over my high hip. V2 continued down to top of leg, adapted to hang a bit straighter at low hip since I intend a top. and was tweaked by 1/8" here and there higher up  Like the V1 sheeting, the V2 gingham was third-use fabric. After an hour's V2 test wear, I'd like a smidge more movement ease in biceps and lower shoulder blades. But I am really pleased with how it drapes on me, and that the grain lines are right. I've started tracing the adjusted pattern ready for v3. 

Repairs done. 

De-velcro-ed a baseball cap after it ate my sunscreen scarf. Well,  the said cap will be donated to DH who tans, since the side of my own face burnt anyway. 

Tightened up plaid pj sleeve and leg hems. Not sure I like the look of the now lantern legs, but they can be unpicked if need be. Warmer and less of a trip/spill hazard now. 

Ancient V-neck white tee, added sideseam darts to help shoulder fit.  Same change to an old Freya, which rubs less than it did at front scye. 

Tighten up grey pj sleeves, they were letting the draughts in. 

The pink fleece pj trousers had their elastic snipped, Happened to be wearing them when taking a fitting photo of Simplicity 6614. No wonder I rarely choose them when the cb was so hungry. They needed an elastic scrap, about 3", inserting for an even waist.

Chose not to do:

Another Betty pattern test, because Simplicity 6614 feels better in shoulder area, and is more fitted. I'll continue with that for now. 

Replace oldest cycle shorts, because I realised I can use some of my pieced or cropped trouser toiles as loose linings for trousers. 

New arrivals: 

A purple (charity shop) quilted coat. It keeps cold and rain out well enough, but swamps me above high hip. I really do need to work up towards coat construction. Oh no! Realised I wore this, when rushing for a train on a wet day, with a red hat that doesn't go. Not that I dressed soberly in my youth. 

Denim skirt. For a western themed event. Well, I can't run for a bus in it, but it's OK for mild weather. Let out half an inch at each front high hip, and hangs much better, and no longer creeps up my waist throughout the day. . 

Cowboy hat, was definitely for this event only. Returned to the charity shop soon after.