Top 5 Favourite Makes of 2019

This year I think I've managed to sew some things that I really want to wear. I'm so pleased with so many of this year's makes and it's always so difficult to choose definite favourites, but these are my final five.

These aren't in any particular order but I had to place my prom dress first! I mentioned in this post just how proud I am of it and seeing the photos always make me smile. I really enjoy more in depth makes and like to have at least one bigger project every year.

This linden is such a simple make but it's rapidly become one that is worn again and again. The rib fabric is so soft and such a lovely shade of grey. All round it's a great staple to have.

These trousers might be my absolute favourite make of 2019! I just love them so much. The fabric is exactly what I was looking for, the pattern is comfy and smart and they remind me of my trip to Tomato in Tokyo where I bought the fabric.

I classed this pink fluffy jacket as my most unexpected make this year and I love it because I would never have imagined that I would make something like this! My only regret is that I haven't been brave enough to wear it more often and I'd really like to make another in a less bold colour. Having said that, I do love this jacket!

This is kind of cheating as there are two makes in one here! My flint culottes were a really successful make earlier in the year but my favourite here is the jersey shirt. I have worn this top so much and made another in white that I also love.

I'm really pleased with my 2019 makes and can't wait for more sewing in 2020! The only thing I haven't made this year is jeans and I'm really hoping to make a few pairs next year as I've grown out of my previous handmade pairs. I'm in the process of making a pair of Lander Pants and have the Dawn Jeans in mind too.

2019 Sew Down

Rounding up my makes for the year is one of my favourite things to do. It's really nice to have an excuse to be able to go back through the things I've made that year and see how my sewing has improved, especially being able to compare this round up with 2018 and 2017.

Proudest make: No surprise here! My proudest make of the year is, of course, my prom dress. I spent hours designing and sewing this dress to make it perfect and it all paid off, I absolutely love it and loved wearing it to prom.

Most worn make: This top feels like such a boring choice but I have worn it so much this year. It's always hard doing this round up in the winter as I can't imagine wearing it now but my white twist top was one of my most worn tops throughout the summer.

Least worn make: The fabric completely put me off ever wearing this jumper and I have since given it to a charity shop. The colour never grew on me and it's also too synthetic for my liking. One of the dangers of ordering fabric online!

Most unexpected make: This has to be my pink fluffy jacket! I find it amazing that as fashion changes things begin to feel much less out there than before. I am still building up the courage to wear this more often but I do love it so much!

Last year's favourite: There were a few things that I could have chosen for this as I try to keep wearing old makes but my grey Anima Pants have been worn continuously this year. They're so comfy to put on at the end of the day and I just love the pattern.

Favourite make for others: The majority of clothes that I make for others are for my mum but from time to time I make something for a friend my own age and these are often some of my favourite presents to give. I made this top for my friend's birthday back in February and she wore it throughout summer. I've also loved making things for my mum this year, particularly this skirt and this top.

Most used pattern: I sew with fewer and fewer patterns now as I try and draft or hack them to get exactly what I want. Sometimes I'm fortunate to find the perfect pattern without needing to design my own and the Papercut Patterns Anima pants are exactly that. These checked ones are my absolute favourites but I've also made two other pairs this year, a blue pair and some pyjamas.

Favourite fabric shop: This year I had an incredible trip to Japan and to Tokyo's fabric shops! Tomato was the best fabric shop I've ever visited and it will probably remain that way for a long time.

Favourite fabric: The checked fabric that I used for my Anima pants was a design that I spent so long looking for and I love it. It has a slight bit of stretch to it and the wrong side is so soft making it even more perfect! It is, of course, from Tomato.

Most exciting event: This was way back in March so feels like a lifetime ago, but the Knitting & Stitching Dressmaking Competion which I entered and won was a real highlight for me. It even included a catwalk at Olympia!

Long Sleeved Black Sparkly Top

I don't tend to keep fabric lying around for ages without making anything from it but this was one that I got for Christmas last year: too cold for January and February and then too dark for the summer months. It's quite nice to be able to whip out a piece of fabric at the start of a season though which was exactly what I did this autumn.

This fabric is truly gorgeous. It's a black knit fabric (but with very little stretch) with a really subtle silver sparkle in it. I spent an unnecessarily long time umming and ahhing over what to make with it but settled on a simple long sleeved t-shirt which was the perfect design. I added black ribbing for the cuffs and neckband left over from this top which is the perfect extra touch. I would love to add ribbing to the cuffs of all my jumpers but finding matching ribbing is so difficult! I was really pleased to find a few scraps of black rib left over.

This is such a simple top but I love how the sparkle elevates it. Because the colours are quite dark I've been enjoying wearing it with my grey Anima Pants, an outfit which is super comfy. I'm pleased that I waited and planned the right thing to make with the fabric rather than jumping in and making the first thing that sprung to mind.

Sewing for others: Grey Checks and Orange Zips

This top has been so long in the making, I can't belive it's taken me over two years to make another version of this blouse for my mum! Since making that top she has worn it constantly, and while it's still in heavy rotation in her wardrobe it was about time that I made her another. As is often the case we were delayed by the lack of being able to find the right fabric so when we found this gorgeous grey check fabric shopping in Tokyo we jumped upon it.

I love this fabric (bought in Tokyo!) so much that I was very tempted to keep it for myself but... seeing as this top was promised a long time ago and it was my mum who actually spotted the fabric in the first place and bought it for herself I reluctantly made something for her. This blouse is exactly the same as the last one although I think my pattern drafting has definitely improved since then so if I make another one I might re-trace the original top that my pattern was copied from. It's a very simple shape but the darts and facing make it really nice.

The best part of this top has to be the zip - it's amazing! Again, this was picked out by my mum with this top in mind and it is just perfect. I love the contrast of the grey and the orange and it's a lovely surprise to see the bright zip when she turns around. I really love circular zip pulls too but they're oddly hard to come across.

I'm so pleased with this top, although not as much as my mum who has already worn it lots since I've made it. The fabric is really soft (I think it might be a flannel) so it's good for this time of year too. I loved the fabric so much that I even managed to squeeze a top for myself out of the very few leftovers!