As always, I like to do a little roundup and recap of my sewing adventures at the end of the year before I start documenting the next year's projects. I like seeing them in one place so I can see repetitions and spot gaps, tracking my progress and maybe see what I need or want to fill in during the next year's sewing.
This year I had a few prolific spurts of sewing when I got a lot done in a short amount of time, and other sections of time when I did little to none. As usual, cotton prints figured largely – as well as a number of new patterns from various eras – some of which I made more than once because I liked them so much.
Also as usual, blue is a favorite choice. Though I also see a lot of green and gray, and a few other more unusual colors for me mixed in there, like brown and pink.
Most of these are one piece dresses, but I also did a few 2 piece dresses or suits (which are so handy for mixing and matching), and a multi-piece 1930s set.
I tried a lot of new patterns, experimenting with more styles that open down the front other than the traditional shirtwaist, but also brushed off a few I had made early in my sewing journey. It was fun to redo them with a fresh look, better fit, and higher quality of construction.
One redo didn't work out so well for me and I ended up passing it along. But still it's a success in a way, since I now know a lot more about this particular pattern and what will work for it.
I also had fun using some vintage fabric out of my stash. Vintage cotton I can use without too much mental stress since it handles much like modern cotton. But this viscose crepe fabric was a 99 cent find for 3 yards at a thrift store, and was so lovely and unusual it made me nervous to cut into it. Thankfully it turned out quite nicely!
1930s green rose viscose dress
Some of these dresses are constantly in rotation in my closet. Others are little worn. Some were passed along after the first trial, while some are top favorites, like this umbrella dress – made from an out of print modern fabric line that I tracked down online until I could find enough to make a dress, because I loved it so much. Happily the pattern I chose worked well and turned out with a perfect fit.
I also had a little more creative fun last year with my photography, since I took along a number of new garments to photo at the seashore during our vacation at the Oregon coast. I will definitely do that again and plan out outfits to wear when I will be going to any interesting places that I can use for backdrops. Overall, I am much more pleased with the quality and variety of my photos, and see improvements in my modeling, hairstyles, and editing.
My 2020 sewing was shy on fall-winter garments, since I did no sewing at all after the beginning of October due to suddenly getting slammed with house renovations, moving, a family loss + traveling, and then the holidays – but that also has it's benefits since I can enjoy wearing some of my previously made dresses more often.
I also made my first fancy slip!
The year also included some baby dresses for my little girl.
I do have a few more garments that I got to hand work stage, and another few that are cut out and didn't get sewn. Hopefully those can be crossed off in 2021 – I dislike having so many in progress items lying around. Usually I work through one or two things at a time, but this year several plans had to change due to more pressing things, so now I have a larger WIP pile than I would like.
Of course, this roundup only includes my garment sewing. I was also quite prolific with quilts and quilty projects all year long. Last year one of my goals was to learn patchwork and free-motion quilting, and make a few quilts from start to finish. I certainly have met some of those goals, piecing and making more than a few quilts from start to finish, though I have not yet become accomplished at free-motion quilting.
Yankee Charm Quilt, published in McCall's Quilting
With having quilting fabric on hand in small cuts, I also enjoy turning some of those adorable prints into wearable things as well, like this apron, using a 1930s inspired quilting line called Figs & Shirtings.
My other sewing goal from last year was to work through my long-time queue of patiently waiting patterns and fabric, working for the fun of it and shopping my own shelves.
I'd say I partially met that goal. Some of these projects certainly were made from old patterns and long-time pairings; some used fabric that has been in my stash so long I don't remember where I got it. I did buy less fabric this year, though went through a couple of seasons of purchasing new fabric – mostly vintage fabric and feedsacks (which I had little of) off of eBay. I even made this one to list in my Etsy shop, out of a vintage feedsack, for 100% wearable authenticity.
This coming year I can already tell will be busy. I am almost always juggling more than one quilt design deadline in addition to my steady employment as a crochet designer, stretching my boundaries and learning all sorts of new techniques in the process, have also started designing counted cross stitch patterns as well, AND have an exciting new collaboration coming up (more on that later!) which will bring me back to garment sewing on steroids…so as a result I don't know how much I'll be able to sew from my stash. Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in a few, because I have lots of lovely fabric, some of it vintage one-of-a-kind, that I would like to bring to life.
Sugar 'n' Spice Pincushion, published in McCall's Quilting
Plaid Cot Quilt, published in British Patchwork & Quilting
Vintage Baking Day cross stitch pattern, available on Etsy.
(If you are interested in finding out more about all these subjects, following along with all my many projects plus a glimpse of daily life & homemaking, give me a follow on Instagram @verityvintagestudio.)
New kitchen renovations: Before and After
One just-for-fun project I'd love to make in 2021 is a copy of this dress from The Donna Reed Show and I even have vintage wide-striped cotton saved to do it in!
But with so many other deadlines and the busyness of life with two toddlers and a new home to work on, self-imposed deadlines will likely be few. So I will just enjoy the ride, and see what gets done! (I do know there will certainly be more quilty projects featured on the blog this coming year.)
I do have a lovely new sewing room to work in, which is such a blessing.
Meanwhile, my final garment count for 2020 was 7 1930s outfits, 7 1940s, and 6 1950s. I always enjoy the variety of textures, prints, colors, and silhouettes, even within eras or decades. Rayon, cottons, crepe, satin, seersucker…no wool, flannel, or linen this year, however. I did keep on experimenting with trims and decorative techniques, which I hope to continue.
I usually try to do this earlier in January, but at least I can move on now to 2021's projects with a clean slate. Hope you enjoyed this roundup of my creative endeavors for the year!
Verity Vintage Studio 
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