I started 2020 intending to sew a new suit for work out of from Armani deadstock, and wound up with four pairs of elastic-waist pants. 2020 – gotta love ya!
Seriously, I am happy with the pants I made from Jalie’s Eleonore pattern. Definitely a Top 5 project for the year. They’re pull-on mock jeans made with fabric that has at least 20% stretch. They look like nice yoga pants and skinny jeans had a love child.
I made these shorts and a full-length pair, which I slashed and spread from knee to hem to create flares.
Most creative project goes to another pair of elastic-waist pants – the “Discover Something Novel” pants from The Cutting Line – a 1980s fever dream of a garment.
These put a smile on my face – every time!
My other “bottom” triumph is… another elastic-waist project… Style Arc’s Gorgeous Gore Skirt.
I was really proud of myself for figuring out how to get good pockets in a knit skirt without the pockets distorting or pulling. The secret was to sew the pocket bags in a stable woven fabric and secure them within the gores of the skirt.
The runner-up for best project of the year is… wait for it… face masks!
<<<Sad trombone music>>>
Well, they are not the most sophisticated things I’ve sewn in my life, or even this year, but they were pretty important. I made about 200 (lost exact count). Most went to friends who are nurses – one at a nursing home and one at a veteran’s hospital. I hope these masks saved some lives and also made people smile, with the cute fabrics I chose.
The #1 project for 2020 – PERSIST!
This is one of those projects that kept me sane during the spring and early summer, when the world was going to hell. They were a joy to make and a joy to give to friends who are all helping one another persist through various challenges – health, career, marriage and financial.
Most of the things I made this year were quick projects to fill needs. These I made to last a lifetime.
