The next to the last day of the end of the month

This year I have taken to tallying things up at the end of the month. I started doing it because I liked reviewing the month and seeing how my sewing progressed. It is a truer picture to look at the last 30 days and examine my goals than to do it at longer intervals. This keeps me on track and helps me progress. So with that in mind, here is what April was all about:

~April was about SWAP! *smile* My SWAP collection dominated this month - from the rush at the beginning of the month to meet the deadline, to the week afterwards sharing my garments with you and explaining why I did, what I did. That "Corporate Chic" collection took all of my available sewing time and most of my sewing thought processes. I think the most encouraging part of SWAP, besides finishing it, was the praise that everyone bestowed upon my pieces. It made the unveiling of them special...the time and labor spent designing and sewing them even more pleasurable...and the end result simply thrilling. So right now I need to say thank you to everyone who visited this blog last week and read about the pieces whether you left a comment or not...and finally to anyone who cast a vote for me in the SWAP competition thank you. Thank you for thinking my collection of garments worthy of your vote. Even though I won't ever know who you are and at this moment have no idea who will win, your vote for me means so much and even more to me if I don't win! *LOL*

~Fabric - I held to my fabric vow and purchased no additional yardage for at least two fortnights! But I did manage to use 20 yards of fabric from my collection! Yes!

~I have worked on two unrelated SWAP pieces - first a dress made from a brown stretchy lace from Lucy's Fabrics with a green swirly print silk from Fabric Mart that I used as a lining. The dress was made from my TNT dress pattern. I am also working on those American Girl doll clothes that I wrote about earlier. Pictures of both will be forthcoming since one of my daughters managed to drop my digital camera and now I need another one. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

~As for my garment totals - I have only managed to make 15 garments for myself year-to-date. At this point in the year, I can realistically say that I am not going to meet the goal of 100 pieces by year end. So I am rethinking this quantity goal when I'm really all about the quality of a garment. I truly believe that the processes you put into your garment, even if unseen by the world, definitely determines how your garment ultimately looks. It is all of those little extra steps that help with the way the fabric hangs or the garment fits and this is achieved by using the best sewing techniques you know. So this goal is evolving especially since I care more about producing quality garments than quantity.

~NEXT! Spring sewing and I can't wait! I have decided that I am concentrating on dresses this season...didn't I say that last year too! *smile* Seriously though, my wardrobe needs have changed and the right dress will give me the polished professional look I am striving for with the smallest amount of effort in the mornings. So I have a list of patterns (that I have been collecting for years) , quite a bit of fabric (the understatement of the year!) and motivation. I also want to make the eyelet trench, use my Hot Patterns Sugar Babe pattern and I don't want to be a Marfy virgin anymore!

Finally the winners of the SWAP contest will be announced on Monday. If you haven't voted yet there is still time to get your vote into Julie at Timmel Fabrics!

Enjoy your sewing journeys...