2008 In Review, Part 1

I’m labeling this post “Part 1″ in hopes that I can persuade Josh to do a similar post. Right, Josh?

I thought I’d do a bit of an informal, unstructured, year in review, highlighting some of my favorite project Josh and I have finished up, some stuff that wasn’t so successful, etc… Here we go.

Favorite Project by Me, for Me: Amy Butler Sophia Carryall

The AB Sophia Bag--sans bottom piping.

Hands-down, the sewing project that I’ve gotten the most use out of was my Amy Butler Sophia Bag. I love, love, love this bag and carry it more days than I don’t. It was a colossal pain in the ass (err… finger) to sew, but was so worth it. In tattoo-loving Portland, Oregon, a lot of folks comment on the fabric. It’s funny because this bag is likely the closest I’d ever get to ink myself.

Favorite Project by Me, for Josh: Pintucked Floral Shirt

Ahhh, yes, a great shirt for my great husband.

As Peacock Chic said, “Perfection…thy name is Burda 7767.” And it’s true. This pattern was absolutely perfect for Josh–he looks great in it. Which reminds me, I have to make him a couple more of those…

Favorite Project by Josh, for Josh: Skateboard Redux & Dayton Triangles Hoodie (tie)

I love that both of these are 100% original--Josh just got a creative flash and came up with these two.

I love both of these so much because they really exemplify the way Josh’s creative brain works. The skateboard revamp was a wild, ten-day process that involved way more wood stain than you would think; the Dayton Triangles hoodie was another long, drawn out process because of the effort involved in screenprinting the arms.

Favorite Project by Josh, for Me: Black Denim Idea Hat

Josh made this hat from a Japanese hat-making book.

I love my black “Idea Hat” with gold and red metallic stitching. Josh worked his butt off on this hat for me, and it’s one of my favorite hats–and I own a lot of hats, both home-sewn and mass-produced. Whenever I wear this hat, I get loads of compliments on it, and people are so surprised to learn that my husband made it for me.

Favorite Sewing Revelation: Dresses Rock

This vintage-style dress is one of my faves, thanks to the awesome Pendleton wool.

I really like sewing dresses, which is weird, since was never a dress person. Skirts, totally, dresses, not at all. But this year I discovered that I’m a big fan of dress, since not only does it mean that I don’t have to match anything else with a dress, but I also get to challenge myself sewing-wise because there are a lot more complexities to fitting a dress properly than there are for skirts and blouses individually. The blue dress above was a big winner (made even better by the fact that it cost around $5 to sew), but both of my versions of the Amy Butler Lotus Dress got a lot of wear in late summer.

Best New Hobby: Screenprinting!

Two color screenprint? Yes we can!

This was sort of the logical next step, wasn’t it? Josh was the one who was initially interested in screenprinting, but I have to say, I’ve gotten just as addicted. So much so that I’m most likely taking a class at the local art college this coming semester. It’s completely and utterly addictive. I’m constantly thinking of new designs and ideas, and am fascinated by the way that the prints look so different on different mediums. It’s a really challenging and rewarding and a hell of a lot of fun.

Most Disturbing Trend Here on Sewer-Sewist: Trail Blazers-Inspired Crafts

Obviously, the Trail Blazers sewing & crafting has escalated, since I now feel compelled to report on other people's Blazers crafts.

I don’t think I need to elaborate on this one, but I don’t see that trend changing much for 2009. Sorry, folks.

Most Rewarding Crafting Endeavor: The Obama Craft Project

My Obama party banners, which still hang in the window of my home office.

Developing and managing the Obama Craft Project site this summer/fall was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. Not only was I inspired on a daily basis by all of the amazing work I featured, but I also got to know some totally awesome people as a result–particularly Caitlin and Susan. I also have to say, several of the projects that I featured ended up in Time’s Man of the Year issue, which was totally awesome! I had no idea when I got the idea to start chronicling people’s Obama-related craft projects that it would end up being so personally meaningful for me. Thanks so much to everyone who participated!

Other Random 2008 Reflections

• We totally had fun with our first Video Threads post, so look for more in 2009.
• One of the most awesome things to come out of 2008 via this blog was getting to meet Rachel in person. We had a great time hanging out with Rachel, Diane and their guys at Thatch this past summer–Rach, you better get your butt up to PDX this year!
• Lots of good sewing/crafting books came out this year, we’re hoping this is a trend, and that we’ll see more growth in that genre toward crafters and sewers who have established their skills, rather than just beginner-focused books. I can dream, right?
• 2008 taught me never to make sewing-related resolutions, because that’s just a recipe for none of them happening…

And there you have it–2008 in review. Bring on 2009! Look for a similar post from J-Boy soon.

I hope you have a wonderful 2009! Thanks so much for your readership, your comments and your thoughtful emails throughout the past year.

~Sarah

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.