Top 5 of 2013 - Hits and Misses

This year I'm joining in with Gillian from Crafting a Rainbow's 'Top 5' series. I loved having a good nose at everyone else's posts last year and I thought it would be a great way to reflect on my sewing over the last year. In case you haven't come across this yet Gillian is inviting bloggers to list their 'Top 5's' from the last year in a number of categories. The official breakdown is Top 5 Hits, Misses, Reflections, Inspirations and Goals and I'm starting by looking back at my Hits and Misses of 2013. In case you fancy joining in too check out Gillian's blog post here.

I'm incredibly pleased with my sewing productivity and progress this year. I feel like I've mastered some new techniques and pushed myself to try new and more challenging products and fabrics. I just wish I had more free time so I could sew more! It's been pretty hard to make my choices but first up we have:

Top 5 Hits: Favourite Creations, most worn or most loved

1. Of course my first hit pick has to be my Robson Coat. Definitely my most challenging make to date, I learnt so much and also really tried to take my time and get everything just right. This in itself was a challenge for me as I can be a bit of a rusher! It's been worn and worn til I couldn't face the cold without being wrapped in wool anymore.

2. Next I'm going to pick my first version of the Anna Dress. This was a happy accident as I picked up the fabric super cheap to make a muslin and ended up falling completely in love with the end result! It's seen a lot of wear through all seasons and occasions despite being a maxi and I feel really great in it.

3. Of course I had to pick my most glamorous creation of 2013, my circle skirted Elisalex which I wore to my boyfriend's brother's wedding. It has only been worn that once as it's such a special dress but I loved wearing it and making it. Plus I drafted my own circle skirt, used horsehair braid in the hem and fully lined a dress for the first time.

4. My most worn make of the year is probably my hammered silk Scout Tee which I adapted to have a dipped hem. This may have been one of my most simple and boring makes of the year but I need to make more like this as it suits my style so well and can be dressed up or down and worn with just about anything!

5. My final choice has proved a bit of a challenge, it was a toss up between my silk Anna Dress or my pleated Scout Tee but in the end one of my most recent makes, the Tania Culottes won out. I've got a new fabric crush on wool crepe because of these and already know from experience that they are amazing to wear!

Top 5 Misses: Sewing Fails, UFOs, worn once or complete disasters

1. I'm going to start with a UFO (unfinished object) which I actually do still have every intention of finishing. It's the Salme Patterns Silvia Sundress which is only unfinished because I ran out of time before the sunny weather left us for the year! I decided there was no point spending time finishing that when I could be working on a winter wardrobe to wear right away. It's all cut out from some bargain Christian Dior silk blend I scored in New York and I'm going to get started on it again much earlier next year!

2. Next up is another summer Salme make, my viscose playsuit. This was in my eyes a complete disaster because it's super unflattering and I feel a bit ridiculous in it. You guys have given me some brilliant ideas for ways to alter it and make it more wearable but again I'm going to wait until summer sewing time to crack on with it.

3. I've never been very happy with my first Elisalex dress which I made up as a wearable muslin. I don't like how the fabric feels to wear and I'm still unsure on the tulip shape of the skirt so this unfortunately falls into the 'never worn' category. I love this skirt on loads of other people though so am tempted to try in another fabric in the new year.

4. Penultimately is another UFO which is actually only at the final stages of a wearable muslin make. It's the By Hand London Georgia Dress and I'm not sure if the fabric I chose it just too thick and heavy or what but I can't get the fit across the bust right. It is a tricky one as it's so close fitting but I'm waiting with baited breath for the sewalong to solve my woes - I'm thinking maybe a size smaller and an FBA?

5. The final choice was going to be my Sewaholic Pendrell but as you may have seen in my recent post I managed to turn that around and make it a very wearable hit! Instead of this I'm going to pick the final UFO I have stashed away; the Papercut Coppelia Cardi which I have cut out in a lovely grey marl jersey. I'm really excited about making this as I love the look of the pattern but I still don't have much confidence sewing knits on my machine and haven't been able to bear the thought of messing this up or doing a poor job...

I'll be back soon to start looking forward with my inspirations and goals for 2014!