sew weekly: 2012 dismount!

With a tear in my eye, I just wrote my last post for the Sew Weekly, to appear sometime this week.  Holy crap I sewed a lot of stuff this year, 100% due to the SW.  I became a contributor at the last minute when Mena revised the commitment to occasional participation and never dreamed I would complete 51 out of 52 challenges.  Letting go of grand ideas and just getting a garment done each week has been huge for me.  Not only do I have plenty of pretty clothes to wear, I've learned so very much, including:

• How to fit.  Still a struggle, but I know a lot more about what to expect from different pattern companies and eras and how to approach my personal fit issues.  And I have a magical pants block.
• A million new techniques.
• How to use the serger and work with knits.  The serger might not ever become my best friend, but I'm no longer afraid of it.
• Productive, not totally neglectful, time management.  This is everything.
• What's possible, from the other Sew Weekly contributors, an amazing, talented, and kind bunch who constantly inspire me.  I've put the regulars in the sidebar so I can keep up with their exploits. 

At the beginning of December I started transferring all my SW posts over here to the slow steady, a bit laborious since the SW uses WordPress and I use Blogger.  Hope to finish that process in early January, updating the brief posts I did here with the full posts from the SW.  I'm not sure what the future holds for SW, and I don't want to lose all that info for myself.  A list of all my SW posts from 2012 can be found here, for now anyways. 

What's next in 2013?  Making stuff and blogging it, same old same old.  I bought myself a calendar just for the blog in an attempt to impose some structure, which I found so helpful and productive this year.  I have some ambitions:

• More hats.  At least a hat for each season.
• A swimsuit.  And maybe beach pajamas, such a lovely concept.
• Underwear.  If I can make a swimsuit, surely I can make underwear.
• Anise.  If that goes well, another jacket out of wool or maybe even a coat.
• Vaila.  I've had the pattern and the yarn for years now.  In time to wear before winter is over?
• More for Fenna.  She's in an unexpected phase of loving what I make for her and wearing it proudly.

As the year winds down and I'm miles away from my sewing machine hatching plans, heartfelt warm wishes to all of you, however you celebrate.