Regardless of where we reside on this planet, we all come together to form a supportive global online sewing community right here on the Oliver + S blog. We share the same passion and communicate in the same language. You create wonderful things using our patterns, and we're thrilled to see your creations showcased here. It's a joy for all of us to witness.
Was 2016 your best sewing year yet? Let’s kick off the new year by sharing your 2016 sewing photo mosaics. You'll find more photo collages of your 2016 sewing projects in the Oliver + S Flickr group and under #2016oliverands on Instagram. If you haven't added yours yet, please do— we'd love to see them!
Let’s hear from four Oliver + S enthusiasts. I reached out to a few sewists who made and shared photo mosaics to tell us a bit about their sewing journeys in 2016. I asked them to reflect on their accomplishments, new skills learned, proudest moments, and personal favorites. Looking ahead to 2017, I also inquired about their sewing goals for the coming year. Here’s what they had to say:
First up is Sarah, known as sberseth on Flickr.
**2016 Accomplishments:** I sewed more for myself this year. I made a few tanks, several pairs of shorts, and this fall I crafted a Woodland Stroll cape, which I absolutely adore! I also sewed a bunch of dresses for my two girls, most of which were Oliver + S patterns.
**2016 New Skills Learned:** I tried sewing with knits for the first time using the Oliver + S Playtime dress pattern. I’d love to continue expanding my knit-sewing skills this year, and the Playtime dress is an excellent pattern to help me "stretch" my abilities.
**2016 What I’m Proud Of:** I work in a professional environment as an engineer. When I wear my Woodland Stroll cape to work, I always receive many compliments, and people are often surprised to learn that I made it myself.
**2016 Personal Favorite(s):** I made matching bumblebee costumes for my girls for Halloween, and they are two of my favorite things I created this year. Watching my little bumblebees run around filled me with such happiness!
**2017 Sewing Goals:** I plan to use the Building Block Dress book to design and sew a few dresses. Additionally, I aim to use some of my fabric stash before purchasing more fabric.
*Thank you, Sarah!*
Now let’s move on to Laura, known as @drlbennett on Instagram.
**2016 Accomplishments:** This was the first year I seriously engaged in garment sewing. (I began garment sewing in 2015 with the School Bus T-shirt and self-drafted baby leggings.)
**2016 New Skills Learned:** I completed my first garment lining, working on the Tea Party Dress and Romper, as well as the Lisette B6183. It wasn’t nearly as intimidating as I had anticipated!
**2016 What I’m Proud Of:** I’m incredibly proud that, with all of my daughter’s (aged 2.5) belongings, she now asks, “Who made this for me?†I’ve made enough of her wardrobe that she assumes everything comes from someone she knows!
**2016 Personal Favorite(s):** While I loved the Tea Party dress I made for my daughter’s Easter outfit, she only wore it once and never again. I appreciate that I’m learning how to sew practical items that will become staples for both her and me. If I sew her items in her favorite color, purple, they’re much more likely to be a hit! She adores the purple dress I hacked from the School Bus T-shirt pattern (and then appliquéd her favorite white kitty onto), and it makes me happy that something I made for her is immediately put back on after drying.
**2017 Sewing Goals:** I’d like to make a significant portion of my daughter’s and my wardrobes. (The key challenge here is resisting the temptation to buy ready-to-wear items.) I want to truly master fitting the Bistro Dress to my body and make several staple dresses from the pattern to wear to the office.
*Thank you, Laura!*
Next, we have Hilde, known as iandvi on Instagram and @iandvi on Flickr.
In 2016, I finally found more time for sewing, and I’m pleased with the amount of clothing I made for my kids, most of which were Oliver + S patterns, of course. For instant satisfaction, I use what I call the basic patterns like the Playtime, Roller Skate, and Ice Cream dress—they’re quick to sew and get worn a lot. My daughter has also reached an age where she has opinions on what she likes when I sew for her, and I started involving her in the process of selecting fabrics and patterns. Sometimes kids surprise you with their choices and combinations, and it’s always a pleasant experience!
I also sewed the fancier patterns like the Fairy Tale dress, the Jump Rope dress, and the Art Museum trousers + vest for the first time, and I thoroughly enjoyed those projects! Through these patterns, I learned to sew welt pockets with a different and more precise technique than I used in the past—they look much better now! I also learned to sew a placket and worked with knits for the first time—I can’t believe I was ever intimidated by sewing with knits; it’s so straightforward!
I’m particularly proud of the Jump Rope dress and the Art Museum trousers and vest—they’re my favorites!
For 2017, my sewing goals include continuing to sew clothes for my kids as much as possible, trying to sew trousers for my daughter that fit well (After School pants), and sewing more with knits (School Bus t-shirts). I received the Building Block Dress book as a Christmas gift, and my goal is not only to adapt the pattern that comes with the book but also any other pattern I own—let’s see if I can finally master it!
*Thank you, Hilde!*
Lastly, we have Maria, known as mariajsanroman on Flickr.
**2016 Accomplishment:** I’ve sewn things for myself that I actually wear!
**2016 New Skill Learned:** Sewing with knits for the first time.
**2016 What I’m Proud Of:** My family! Or was it all about sewing…?
**2016 Personal Favorite:** Gallery Tunic
**2017 Sewing Goal:** Finding more time to sew! The Three Kings (Santa doesn’t visit our home in Madrid) brought me a new sewing machine. I had also requested a couple of hours per week to sew, but I couldn’t find that in the box… Perhaps they understood it as a couple of hours per month.
*Thank you, Maria!*
I wish you all a Happy New Sewing Year. We’re excited to see what everyone creates in 2017!
[Advertisement block]
*Related Posts*
AISI 304L Stainless Steel Wire Mesh
Aisi 304L Stainless Steel Wire Mesh,304 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh,Stainless Steel Wire Mesh Black,Stainless Steel Wire Mesh Belt
YingKaiMo Metal Net Co.,Ltd. , https://www.ykmmetalnet.com