A post with no photos...

Sorry! I've decided I really hate the lighting in my apartment. I think my photos come out grainy and dim. I'm currently on the hunt for a tripod and an external flash...

A lot of people are talking about sewing resolutions. I don't have very many specific sewing resolutions, but I do have three general principles that I'd like to follow this year -

1. Use it or lose it: I have wool/craft stuff/lots of fabric that is just sitting there. I'd like to pare this down. No indiscriminate tossing out of the stash, but I'd really like to end 2009 with a lot less stuff than I have in 2008.

2. Finish the UFOs: This is really a subset of the first one, but I have a ton of projects where all I have to do is hem, or put in a zipper, or whatever. There's no excuse to not finish that stuff at all.

3. Do things other than sewing: I read a great blog post on Crossroad Knits called Resolved (via Carolyn, thanks!) and it really struck a chord with me. There's a lot of other stuff I'd like to do in my life, some fun, some less fun, and sewing can suck up incredible amounts of time. I want to sew less, plan my wardrobe more, and make each piece count.

Sewing since the last post:

1. Made a red suede skirt with Simplicity 4036. This is my go-to pattern for a simple A line skirt - why is it out of print? It is fully lined, and with boots is warm enough to wear in fall & winter. (I live VERY close to work, so that helps.)

2. Cut out 2 other versions of Simplicity 4036, while I had the pattern out. One in a peach swirl print, the other in a chocolate brown cotton. (In prep for summer.) Both were remnants, so I'm pleased that I used them. But does my wardrobe need another two skirts? Probably not.

3. Decided to enter the Refashion contest on PatternReview. Again with the using stuff, I bought some pillowcases over 5 years ago in India, but they were the wrong size - they didn't fit any North American pillow. (Indian pillows are smaller, who knew?) Because the fabric was absolutely beatiful, I've been carrying those pillowcases, through atleast 3 moves. I finally ripped them out last night to make a skirt - they'll be yet another version of Simplicity 4036.

4. Finished 2 UFOs. This blue knit top, that just needed to be hemmed, and khakis, made using Simplicity 4135, that also just needed to be hemmed. Both have been in the UFO list for atleast a year, so I'm proud of myself.

Pics to follow - I'm hanging out at my parents tonight and tomorrow, so I'll get one of them to take a few pictures.