Year, that is. Although I have the firm philosophy that there is something good to be found in every day, I have to admit there were times last year when the search was hard. So in many ways I am not sorry to see the back of 2015 [although I don’t like to wish life away there is so little of it].But there were good times too, we had a beautiful addition to the family aptly named Beau,

   [Isn’t he gorgeous?]

and got to see everyone in the family at some time during the year [and as that is nearing 50 with marriage partners etc., that was no mean feat, but a wedding took care of most of it].

But as this is primarily a sewing and ‘doing’ blog I suppose a review of the highs and lows of me-mades during 2015 is in order. First the highs;

I am most pleased with the achievement of being able to put in 7 zips into a jacket, zipped pockets and sleeve vents no less, when I made the Motor City Express Jacket from Islander sewing patterns. The lows on this were that I wasn’t impressed with my fabric choice [dull grey corduroy] and that it was a size too big to begin with – the sizes are more than generous, and now it is quite loose. I am still pleased with the make however;

As I’ve said before, Janet Pray’s Craftsy videos are excellent, and this lining was sewn all one go and was turned rights sides through tiniest little gap – I wouldn’t have thought it possible until I did it.

Then there was the discovery of this little skirt pattern, which I have made several times since. It has turned out to be my turn-to pattern for a straight skirt with some detailing that I can highlight or not as I choose. I’ve made it up with contrast silk binding or just plain, I have made version with patterned pocket linings and edging. Unfortunately I only have one picture of a detail on a skirt made, but I am sure there will be plenty more to come.

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I suppose my Badgely Mishka dress should be one on my highs, although it isn’t a favourite to wear;

I have a lot of other things I would choose over this dress, but it went together well and was an easy make.  I have drafted my own patterns for jackets, skirts and tops, many of which I am very happy with and have yet to take photos of. One of my favourites is my cowl top pattern and a straight skirt pattern which I vary with different pocket placements.The only photo I have is this failure of a selfie in which you can see neither clearly! The lows aren’t too many thank goodness, the main one is this, not because it turned out badly, it was retrieved quite successfully, but because of the many hours spent on something I wasn’t happy with anyway.

Another one is this pattern. I didn’t even bother to take a picture of my version. It came out alright, but I am not a caped crusader by any stretch of the imagination it was too cumbersome for me to wear and has since spent life folded up in the bottom of my wardrobe. There is a lot of fabric in it which might be turned to something more wearable in the future.

I ventured into other realms of making with my leather handbag and purse. Strictly speaking not too adventurous as they were in kit form, all cut out and with the holes ready-punched. They gave me a taster though and reminded me that I always intended to do more leatherwork. I made a couple of Messenger handbags in black and red and a yellow purse.

I have dyed, and knitted, painted on jugs and drawn on shoes; all fun and there will probably me more of the same to come.

To end on an entirely other note, I think I will adopt the motto below for 2016;

H old  O n  P ain E nds

See you soon.  P.S. Sooner than I thought, one of the French sites I read had this on one of their T-shirts and I might just have this one  too,” je le ferai demain”, in English? “I’ll do it tomorrow”. The French site is Adeline et Cecile Creations Fascinates. Go see. The T-shirts can be found on a website called Shaman I believe.