Last year I did this and it was such a good focus for me, it really showed me what I need to make more of and what was just unworn whim sewing. This year I was better with the practical, but sort of veered away from blogging alot of my makes, considering them too pedestrian or just repeats of patterns I’d already used.
I need to break that habit- which is partially due to my not loving my picture being taken- you know the soul stealing and whatnot….
To maintain the appropriate level of suspense, we will go in countdown format!
Burda 7031- I love this pattern. I love how cozy this is and how it is just a lot of fun. Shouldn’t clothing be fun? 
Simplicity 2774. I don’t wear this as much as I should- I still get daunted by the length- then I wear it and I’m asking the pups ‘Why am I not wearing this constantly?’ they have no idea why not. 
New Look 6802 totally defined ‘goto’ for me this summer. Why have I avoided knits? They come in some really frisky prints!
It looks like I am inching toward more fitted looks until you throw Butterick 5815 into the mix. I LOVED this fabric so much. I have held back on wearing this too much, cuz it is so memorable, I don’t want this to start to bore me. You know how psychedelic zebra floral can do that, right?
Yup, little old Simplicity 1651 was the frock of summer. It was frisky, shapely and I could even wear it to work with a little snap in breastal dickie I made. Its hard enough to work under florescent without your office mates cleavage giving off blinding glare, right?
Summation?
In 2014, I’d like to advance my skills a bit- this year filled out my wardrobe with wearables and broke my ‘I will buy this even tho I don’t love it because it fits me and if I stay in this store any longer I will cry and scream’ pattern I had been in with retail. I’ve felt more confidence as I go out in things make that I really love instead of feeling like I am settling for what is available in my size. Now I need to build on this and enjoy!
I hope your sewing brought you creativity, stress relief and joy this year- mine sure has!
photo credits: meadhawg, google images. All images remain the property of their original owners.
The moment I saw your title my brain started eagerly chanting “gaudy! gaudy! gaudy!” I LOVE the things you make because they are so perfectly you. You’ve got an awesome signature style, and I bet it makes getting dressed in the morning so much more interesting and satisfying that if you wore jeans and a chambray shirt with a big scarf, as some pinterest boards would have us all do! (OK, I’ve been known to wear those things and like them, but not all the time!) Rock it out for 2014 – Moar prints! moar gaudy!
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Aw Gillian, I was waffling over posting today- I was shaming myself over a drop in productivity, but you have so cheered me! Thanks for doing this event!!!!
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Your sewing brought me, and many others, joy this year! Love your round-up–what a good thing to do to clarify what is really working for you. I was thinking of your fleecy dress just yesterday, as in, “I’ve really got to make myself a fleecy dress like Prtty’s”!
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Everyone needs a fleecy dress! Altho you do tend to gather cats with it! Thank you for your kind words this year!
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Wow, You made so many wonderful things this past year I bet it was hard to pick, but you did and such a nice flattering selection too. I’m right there with you on RTW.
In fact other than underwear,socks and shopping with others I haven’t even been in a clothing store. And yes, I have a ton more fun picking out my look for the day from items I’ve made by myself, for myself!
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This was a hard one- do I base it on how often worn, or how much love? I chose a blend and was really happy to see how many 2011, 2012 makes were still getting worn.
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I’m an irregular blog reader, and I missed that pucci dress when you first posted it. It’s awesome. You should wear it every day.
I, too, am guilty of not blogging stuff that is just not that interesting.
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Thats why you are so welcome here- I think my blog is a bit irregular! Shall we vow to be more interesting this year?
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Kind of like that Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.”
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Postal Pucci is one of my favorites. Make more!!
Just a quick thank you. You have given me so much joy with your Wearable Wednesday posts. Since I look at the posts early in the morning when only I and the dogs are up, I think they must wonder what it is about the little hand held box that makes me laugh so much. Thanks for the joy you add to my Wednesdays 🙂
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Oh, thank you so much! I’ve gotten some flack lately over my foolishness- I’m glad someone gets the fun of it!
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What a great year with fabulous prints! Here’s to more more more!
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To you too! Ready for the jungle next month?
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You make me want to sew…….you look mahvelous!!
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Come on and do it! Its a wonderful way to spend money!!
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I love, love that maxi dress and the swirly porthole dress. And the term ‘swirly porthole’ cracks me up. Hope you have a wonderful holiday!
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Back at you, Ms LJ- hope your holidays are good and swirly!
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What a great roundup. You’ve picked some great makes that really showcase your personality and skillzzzz.
btw “Snap-in Breastal Dickie” is going to be the name of my sewing memoir.
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Glad I could help!
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No animal print in there?????
I love dress number 3 on you! The colours are great on you – and the style is perfect!
Happy Holidays – and may you have a brilliant 2014!
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Shocking, right? I have been trying this year to branch out a wee bit!
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I feel exactly the same about shopping. I have a fantasy of a closet full of beautiful clothes that I made myself. The last two things I made are very wearable, so I’m getting there.
I am so happy I found your blog; you are such a crack-up! Thank you!
Patrice
P.S. Buy indie…support small businesses!
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Welcome to my gaudy kingdom! Sewing gets better by inches- I’m thrilled with how many things I can say I’m not embarrassed by- son 2 will be 4 and then a closetful!
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Fabulous! Especially the Pucci. Looking forward to seeing what you make next year.
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You too- whats the plan for 2014?
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I’m thinking a lined coat!
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Good choice!
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The Pucci gets my highest rating…maybe it is the color, the swirls or that you look so darn tall? Over the year I can see the softness and personality coming through and like someone said, you must have way more fun getting dressed in the morning than the rest of us. Knits are definitely a superb addition to the collection and like the others I can’t wait to see more on parade!
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I’m itching to get back into my lair next week- company is lovely, but I have bad movies to watch and fabric to torture!
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It would be impossible to choose a favourite. But please – don’t go all sensible on us. We like you just as you are 🙂
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fabricmart sent me a solid color in a bundle today-I have no idea what one does with such! Is it for lining?
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That rather depends on the colour! It will take some thinking about though….
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Baffling!
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I love the Pucci dress, very elegant. I know what you mean about the length though, I always feel maxi dresses are too dressy even though I love wearing them.
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I can’t imagine making it shorter tho- the print gods would surely punish me!
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I always love and look forward to your posts. When my days have been drab and I feel oh so world weary, your posts with their riot of colour & humour always make me smile. Your warmth hurtles off the screen & gives me a big hug.
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OOOH!!!! You are so sweet!
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Thank ye for a generating a year of snortworthy reading. Your blog is a chucklefest and I enjoy it so. The eye-searing prints, the Wearable Wednesdays… heck, I’m even going to have a bash at Jungle January next year even though the only animal print I’ve ever worn is brindle dog hair.
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Come to the gaudy side- we have fudge and snicker doodles!
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Always a delight, never a chore. Bring on JJ 2014! Px
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Are you holding cheetah pompoms? I love it!
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… whilst doing the splits …
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As God intended!
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Whooo Hooooo! So many prints. This is a great list and I see some of my favorites on there. (I might still be laughing about porthole jokes.) After reading this post I feel any SAD blues melt away by basking in your rainbow light. Keep on bring us your personal print palette.
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You are a sweetheart! You know, a frog would love a porthole…..
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Gaudy always wins, and yes clothing should definitely be fun! Love it 🙂
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A boring closet is a sad closet!
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I love all your top 5 picks, but my fave is still going to be the teal roses dress–everything about it is just….perfection. 🙂 And you got a lot of great wearable garments made up this year, you should be so proud!! 🙂
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Thank you! I love that one- oh maybe I need to revise……
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I love your work and how you write. Have a lovely Christmas break.
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Thank you so much! I am a cautionary tale as they say!
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I love your swirly porthole dress so much that despite my deciding I have more than enough patterns, I have now decided this MUST be added to my collection! Thanks, I think.
Thank you for always being an entertaining read and not taking yourself too seriously, your posts never fail to put a smile on my face.
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Hi, found your blog via your comment on my blog.
I love all these makes. You have a great eye for patterns too. Love them all, but especially the one you made into a maxi dress. That one is especially gorgeous!
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Welcome and thank you so much!
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How did I miss out on the zebra meets floral top? To me it looks like a psychedelic fish tank print and I love the sleeves.
Thank you for giving us gaudy fabulousness to the max. May there be much more!
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It is a hard blouse to miss in a crowd! It was a Sew Bossy- Shelley really captured my likes!!
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But you’re missing the Vogue grunge – I thought it was awesome. Choosing only 5 must have been difficult. Keep it up in the New Year – your inimitable prose makes every project fabulous darhling!
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It was harder this year- I was pleasantly surprised!
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What a great top five line up. You have made some lovely clothes this year and I hear what you are saying about just buying things that fit. Viva the sewing revolution!
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Wow! These are fantastic. Great round-up…and sooo many extra points for “breastal dickie.” Both the concept and the phrase have me chortling.
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Ooh, these are all so fun! I always love to see what you’re up to, and it’s extra fun to see what you liked the best! I think #2 is my favorite– you can just tell that you’re in your element wearing it! I loved it when you originally blogged it, and I’m so glad you’re still in love with it!
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What you make, and what you wear, are so full of colour and personality and humour and joy that it’s simply a delight to come here and experience it. Bring on 2014!
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Oh you are so sweet!!!!! Thank you for this!
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