I thought I would do a few fun posts the end of this year.  The Sewcialists came up with a fun #SewingTop5 and I will play along.  First up will be my top 5 hits of 2020, then top 5 misses, non sewing highlights, reflections, and goals.

These are things I made in 2020 that got the most wear this year.  (Also, to put things into context, I rarely leave the house so my wardrobe reflects that).

1. Pattern: Burda 01/2009 #125 “polo shirt”

Made: 08/28/20  When I made this I really wasn’t sure about it.  I love the design, but my fabric was a bear to work with so I was just done with this top. However, I found myself reaching for it often.  It is dressier than a plain tee, but still casual.  I like how it fits and the fabric actually feels nice to wear.

2. Pattern: McCall’s M7061 Pajama set

Made: 08/16/20 I loved these from the moment I made them.  I wear them together, I wear them separately.  I wear them as often as I can.  I love how they fit, I love how they feel, I love being cozy and comfortable in them. I don’t wear the pants outside the house but I do wear the top when we randomly leave to pick up groceries! It is a definite winner of a pattern and I need to make more.

3. Pattern: Burda 11/2007 #122

Made: July-Aug 2020 I knew I would love these pants when I made them because I love my other 2 pants sewn from this pattern.  My weight fluctuates a lot with my health so my other 2 didn’t fit anymore. I made these and have worn them about 50% of the time outside the house and sometimes at home too.  I have gained weight again the last 2 months here and the waistband is now too tight to be comfortable.  I realized last night that the elastic in these are in a casing! So I can just seam rip open a small spot and exchange out the elastic for a bigger size. Yay!  I look forward to having these favorites back again! They are easy to throw on, feel great on the body, and go with almost everything.

4. Pattern: Greenstyle Brassies

Made: Feb-Aug 2020.  You may be surprised to see these on the top hits list since I talked terrible about them after I made them.  I started sewing them around Feb 2020 but had so many issues I stopped and left them until Aug 2020 when I finished them. I made umpteen adjustments to these pants to get a fit that was acceptable. I hated this pattern by the time I finished. I made more adjustments in these pants than any other I’ve made to date. However, after they were finished I actually started to reach for them quite a bit.  Then as more time went on, I reached for these more than any of my other pants.  They are fast to throw on, super comfortable, and black matches a  lot in my closet.  So now they are one of my favorite pair of pants and besides the above Burda’s, I would say I wear these the other half the time.  I do find myself flipping the 1.5” waistband over as the rise is too high for my liking, so if I make these again I would reduce the entire front and back rise by 1”.  The front crotch is still weird feeling – not sure if its meant to have a dropped crotch or its just weird for me.

5. It was hard to pick a fifth.  I have a few things I wear a ton but they were tested patterns I can’t share yet.  So I settled on this:

Pattern: Jalie 3462 Cora Leggings

Made: May 2020  I made these leggings to help with swimming in our pool.  The water is usually very cold (we live in Wisconsin), and I am terrified of bugs, and bacteria, and germs touching me.  I also started having a reaction to all sunscreens so I wanted a way to cover myself. I wore these leggings quite a bit this year, almost every time we went in the pool (which was almost daily).  They worked well and were very comfortable.  I like them a lot.

** health note ** I have been sewing a little, but haven’t taken pictures yet to post on the blog.  I have struggled quite a bit this year with my health.  My last post I let you know I somehow got a C. diff infection.  I finished my first round of meds, waited 6 weeks and retested to find that I didn’t get rid of it.  The second round of meds was super harsh on me.  In addition to this, my mental health has taken a huge toll and I have been working on that.  Top top it off, I have lost about 2/3 of my hair thorough all this.  I’m not sure if it is the meds, the infection, or the stress. My hair keeps falling out in gobs and it really affects me.  I had to cut off 10 inches because it was so scraggly.  I miss my hair.  I know its just hair to some people, but to me it is another piece of me I have had to give up due to my crappy health.  I am tired of giving up pieces of me.  I really hope 2021 is a much better year for everyone.