Hello 2016...

Hello & welcome to 2016!

2015 was a good year for many things. It was the first time that I truly started enjoying making things for myself again after several years, and I also started blogging again (albeit slowly!). Skills-wise, I pushed myself to learn something new: focusing on using stretch fabrics. I didn't make tonnes of things, but was happy experimenting with leggings, T-shirts, bras and knickers. I finally made my first quilt. I learnt lots!

 

The focus of the year overall was to live better. I was raised to be thrifty and hate waste, but being time-poor in the past had allowed my moral values surrounding consumption choices flag a little. I decided to change that. My partner and I have been watching a slew of documentaries online, including The True Cost and Capitalism: A Love Story and decided that we needed to start making more active choices about which companies we support financially. Aside from making clothing that I would previously have bought (such as underwear), we have continued to use things thoroughly before discarding; buying second-hand; and now actively boycott unethical supermarket chains.

 

2016 is going to have a lot of changes. The most significant one is that I'm moving to Stockholm for 6 months, leaving rather soon (and frantically trying to tie up loose ends!). Unfortunately this means no sewing until June, which I am genuinely rather sad about. It's not all bad though - I'll be packing my knitting needles and plan on becoming a prolific sock knitter. Inspired by Niina, whatever I don't wear myself, I can stockpile as wonderful Christmas gifts.

Speaking of which - I'm forcing myself to blog about the last few bits of Christmas making that I did in December very slowly, so that this blog doesn't entirely die away. I wrote 22 posts in 2015 - not really very many, but I was happy that I got back into making and blogging full stop, so I'm fine with that. Some of my favourite projects of 2015 are pictured in this post. I'm not 100% sure how I'll be able to keep up this blog in Stockholm, as it doesn't look like I'll be able to make too many things. I do plan to continue writing my 'thinking' blog, Dress Me Up, Drag Me Out. I also have to blog about the Erasmus exchange experience over on my Masters course blog, which I edit. And of course, I'll be around on Instagram.

2015 - pyjamas, underwear and blankets. 2016 - socks galore!

What does 2016 have in store for you?

Anushka