The 2013 Goal Tracker

I want a post where I can keep links to all the 2013 goals in one place, so here goes.

Sew something from every Burda magazine I buy. 

Jan 2013 Burda - Black wool pants, Red dress (that went to Jeeva)
Feb 2013 Burda - Brown t-shirt
March 2013 Burda - 
April 2013 Burda - 
May 2013 Burda - 
June 2013 Burda - 
July 2013 Burda - 

Finish a quilting UFO once every 2 months. 

Jan/Feb quilting project - 9 patch quilt.
Mar/Apr quilting project - 
May/June quilting project - 

July/Aug quilting project - 

Stashbusting Sewalong - using 25 pieces of stash fabric

1. Backing for 9-patch quilt
2. Crazy jungle print leggings and sleep set.
3. Simplicity 2938 green print top.
4. BWOF 01-2013-??? Red dress
5. BWOF 02-2013-126 chocolate brown t-shirt
6. McCalls 6112 purple dress
7. McCalls 6551 orange dress
8. Backing for Dave and Erin's quilt.
9. Black McCalls 6510
10.Blue McCalls 6566

11.Simplicity 2246 - Green shirtdress

- Make a raincoat. 
- One project from each of the 6 Japanese pattern books I own 
- Participate in the 2013 SWAP, and in 3 Pattern Review contests

Cake? This is so utilitarian, it's almost bread

Dear readers, is there anything more practical than a pair of black wool pants? I don't think so. Forget cake and frosting - this is bread.

And I couldn't be more pleased. I love bread. These pants will get a ton of use, and I love sewing things that get a ton of use.

(Apologies the more-or-less crappy nature of these photos. It's Feb, you get indoor photos of a black pair of pants on my more-or-less crappy camera.)

Also - this is from the Jan 2013 Burda magazine (pattern 123, I think?) so yay me! Sewing resolution? Check. Possible SWAP garment? Check again.

In less fun news, I think I need to go up a size in my BWOF sewing. There has to be a consequence to all the food and drink I've been indulging in with abandon, but damn! I hate proof.

Stuff about the pattern:

- I traced a size 40, which was a bit tight, so I narrowed all my seam allowances through the waist and hip to add another inch or so.
- I took an inch off in length between the hip and the crotch, shortening the crotch - which I'm pretty pleased about, because these pants now fit really well.
- There's an error with the waistband length measurement, I think - I cut it to the right size, but it didn't work (before my alterations to the side seams, of course!)

- Apart from that - these are the easiest pants in the world to sew - no pockets, no fly front - just one little invisible zipper - a perfect beginner pattern (also a perfect pattern for a lazy intermediate seamstress.)

Stuff about the fabric:

- Black wool, bought at LA Fabrics in Toronto - about $10 a yard? I have many yards left, unfortunately, but perhaps that will mean that I can make a jacket as well.

Un-UFO-ing: A completed 9 patch quilt

The UFO story - I started this quilt way back - maybe 2 years ago? I made 25 blocks from scrap fabric, then got tired of the project, stuffed the blocks into a bag, and promptly relegated it to UFO-land.

Due to a silly most excellent 2013 resolution - I pulled the blocks out, made 75 additional blocks, pieced them together, basted, quilted, and bound. Phew!

Which means - the quilt - she is done!

I laid it out on my bed to take a quick photo. Quick being the operative word - I evidently didn't bother with smoothing it down.

As always, I had 'help' quilting.

Little Biscuit is seriously the world's most indulged cat. She wedged herself on the quilt in such a way I couldn't move it at all. And then, she looked annoyed when I continued sewing. (In fact, she's now head-butting me so I can't type.)

 As always with quilting, my philosophy is to use up scraps. These two blocks contain left-over fabric from 4 items of clothing I've sewn - this green BWOF dress, this floral vintage, this top and a pink skirt that I evidently never blogged about, but which was the second skirt I've ever made! (No new fabric purchased - I stole the sashing fabric from my mother's stash.)

And this one uses left-overs from my PJs. What can I say? I'm really bad at throwing away scraps.

For backing, I used a stash fabric, bought at Bouclair, when they were closing out their garment fabric section. This was over 5 years ago, I think. I have a ton of fabric from that shopping trip, and I'm glad to use this piece up. (And I used almost all of it up, score! I just have a 6 inch strip left - easily used for something else!)

In the era of high speed internet access, do people still apologize for picture-heavy posts? If so, my apologies.

This hits one 2013 goal (quilting UFO finishing), and one stash fabric used. (Only 24 to go!) Not only that, but since I used some itty-bits in its construction, I think I'll link it up to the Stashbusting Sewalong, as well.

Ah, the smugness.

And now, sewing for me. (This quilt is a very belated Christmas gift.) The Jan Burda awaits, and hopefully, a house-project-free weekend.