My Favorite Things of 2014

It's New Year's Eve. It's time to reflect on the past year and make your plans for the year ahead.  I was digging through photos on my laptop this morning and thought that I should blog about some of my favorite sewing related things from this past year. 

I'll start with one of the biggest-- In the first few months of 2014 I begin a great friendship and work partnership with a sweet lady named Beth, who is the creative lady behind LilyGiggle pattern company. Beth hired me to be her assistant/social media coordinator. I have enjoyed this job so much! Beth's patterns are so fun and creative. 

This may be one of my very favorite patterns she has done this year-- the Fiddlehead Flutter top. The sleeves on this top just make me smile every time I look at them.  

Here are a few more she has done this year that I have had fun with. 

The Jujube , The Secret Garden Dress, and The Zinnia

I've changed up a few of these for some different looks. The Jujube is an eye catcher with those beautiful ruffles down the front, but this dress is also just darling without them. When you leave the ruffles off you can make this dress is under an hour. Seriously. Super fast and super cute! 

 

I make the Zinnia a LOT. I mean a whole lot. I can't even tell you how many I've made.  I LOVE the petal sleeves on the original pattern, but I switched this one up and little and added some cuffs and a ruffle for something different-- and so all of my daughter's dresses didn't look exactly alike. ;)

   

This dress brings me to another favorite thing from 2014-- Art Gallery Fabrics. I've used their fabrics on and off for a while now, but this year they have really come out with some KILLER fabrics. My addiction has almost gotten out of control. The photo above is from their line "Utopia". Below is "Indelible".  I have to say that there has been very little that has come out of my sewing room this year that hasn't been Art Gallery.

Their cottons are so soft. The Art Gallery motto "feel the difference" is totally true. You can feel it and tell that their quality is exceptional. And then the knits-- wow. Should I tell you
 that I have a shelving until full of BOLTS of their fabric?
Yeah, I told you it was an addiction. I really can't help it. 

Two more great patterns came out this year that I really fell in love with. The Bay Dress-- 

 

And the Lennon-- Both from Brownie-Goose

Both are unique and really cute! If you are a fan of Brownie-Goose you know that's the norm for her! 

Some of my customer's favorite items this year have been the Princess Dresses from Made for Mermaids. There were several times this year that I never wanted to see anything princess again after making so many dresses. But they sure are cute!

Another big seller for my shop was the Tilly Top

 

And lastly, a new favorite for me and my customers-- the Elise.

Now to talk about a few sewing items that I have found helpful lately. The first one is knit interfacing. I've sewn more with knit this year than with woven so this product has really proved itself to be invaluable. I use it all the time. It's great for stabilizing the bodice of a dress to add a woven skirt. It also works great for hemlines if you don't have a cover stitch machine. 

The next product I have just started using is wonder tape. This was a lifesaver with all those ruffles on the Jujube dress! Also great for holding hems in place without 9 million pins. 

So there is a mini review of 2014 from my sewing room. What about 2015? I'm really hoping to sew more things for myself. I made a few things I really loved this year, but I need to try more.  If you are looking for some great women's patterns, so far I can recommend The Pumpkin Spice Dolman, the Julia Cardigan, and The Ladies Caroline Dress. 

Here is a recent picture of me in the Julia Cardigan.

Hopefully my favorite thing of 2015 will be my new Bernina Coverstitch that my husband just got me for Christmas. I'm having fun learning, although I kinda feel like a space ship landed in my sewing room. :)

 Happy New Year!! I hope 2015 is better than you can even imagine! 

Elizabeth