Gratitude, a look back at 2008 and a look forward to 2009

First off I want to say thanks to all my blog friends who have sent encouraging words. You'll never know how much it means to me when I am throwing myself a little pity party. Not much improvement in the vision today, but I am reminded of the Rx I used to give a lot of my inmate patients when I worked for the DOC..."tincture of time is what you need to heal". Patience is a virtue that seems in short supply these days and I am digging deep to find some. So with that in mind, I am turning my focus toward being grateful for the good things in 2008 and the things to come in 2009. Many people are doing a review of their sewing year, so I thought I would follow suit. 2008 was the year of the dress for me. I made more dresses than any other garment type. Here is how 2008 played out (to the best of my memory)

11 dresses
4 skirts
8 tops
2 jackets
1 coat
1 sweater
1 pair of pants

These totals are only garments made for me. There are countless other items and embroidery jobs I did for my business, but that's just business. Those tallies will go to the accountant. It's hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to choose, it would probably be the Chetta B wrap dress. It is so comfortable and seems to be the go-to dress when I want something quick and easy. It also always gets compliments, which is a good gauge of success. Of course, there was the Toby Keith concert dress and the retro sundress, oh and then the coat...it's hard to pick. I think I effectively worked to make more of my wardrobe made by me and less RTW, which I will continue to do next year.
So what's up for 2009? I need more tops...specifically a nice black blouse and casual tops for work. I have several sweater knits in the stash that could easily be made up. My goal this year is to use from the stash more efficiently. I want to improve my fit and make more pants. It's not that I am afraid of pants...in high school I almost made all my pants because back in the 70's there weren't a lot of clothes for really tall girls. I guess I was just blinded by the dress this year! I want to improve my skills and look forward to another year of inspiration from my sewing friends. I wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year. Mary