2012 In Review & Sewing Goals for the Year Ahead!

Posted by Edelweiss Patterns on January 13, 2013

Hello, Ladies!

I’ve been having a most wonderful start to my 2013, and it made me very happy to accomplish all my Christmas sewing goals!  I have not been without projects the last couple of weeks, but first I wanted to share what you can be anticipating for Edelweiss Patterns and the blog for the year to come. : )

2012  was an exciting year in a lot of respects, but I will just share the highlights:

• In January of 2012 I began blogging my way through the process of recreating Diana Barry’s Honeymoon Gown from the timeless film Anne of Avonlea.  This costume was one of my favorite projects I’d ever worked on, and I thought it turned out so well!  Apparently Sullivan Entertainment thought so, too, because they soon afterwards featured my gown on their website!  Sullivan Entertainment is the company that actually produced the movie, so this was awfully exciting for me!

This was the pattern I used for my bridesmaid dress last February.

 The Overnight Wedding Dress

• Right around the time I finished this gown, my project was interrupted by some last minute wedding news – those of you who have been reading this blog for a while may remember how I had to fit and sew my sister-in-law’s lace wedding gown overnight, as well as sew my own bridesmaid dress, too!  You can read the full story on it here.  I was really overwhelmed by the huge response I received on this project, and all the warm wishes for the newlyweds!  I think this was my biggest sewing achievement so far. : )

• 2012 also saw two new Sound of Music dress patterns be added to my Edelweiss Patterns line!  After lots of requests, I released the pattern for “Liesl’s Dress in Little Girls’ Sizes“, which was followed by “Liesl’s Party Dress” in ladies’ sizes.  I think Liesl’s Party Dress might be my favorite of all the patterns I’ve made, but I definitely have more to design this year!

• Last year I challenged myself to be the first person to sew and blog about new vintage patterns when they are released, and I managed to do just that with two fabulous patterns!  Within one week of Simplicity releasing their gorgeous 1940s dress pattern (#1777), I had sewn, photographed/modeled, and written a pattern review of the new design!  (Pictures here.) 

•  And when Butterick launched the new retro “Patterns by Gertie” line, I managed to whip up this lovely 1950s coat in three hours since I had to leave the country that evening!  I took the coat with me which was subsequently hemmed in my hotel room, and I had the garment photographed at around 10:00 pm in front of the Victoria Parliament Building!  All the hard work paid off when Gertie herself (who has arguably the world’s largest sewing blog) mentioned my coat her site!  I was so happy!!

• And speaking of new patterns, I had the great privilege of test-sewing and modeling four dresses from the 1958 Party Dress Pattern by Sense & Sensibility Patterns!  After sewing two day dresses and two evening gowns, I also had the most enjoyable task of sewing a matching version in little girl’s sizes for even more fun photos!  I haven’t been able to blog about this dress yet, but you can see pictures of my little friend Suzie & I here.  This soda fountain where the pictures were taken has been in service since the 1940s, and looks like you just stepped back in time!

• Finally, I was most pleasantly surprised when Threads Magazine included Edelweiss Patterns in their online article about independent pattern companies!  And I was again quite elated when Vogue Patterns Magazine featured my blue silk 1950s dress in their December 2012 issue!

Well, there are dozens of more projects I could tell you about from last year, but instead I’d like to outline a few goals for my business and blog this year!

1. Design at least two more Sound of Music dress patterns in 2013.  Right now the designs on my “to-do” list include Baroness Schraeder’s red suit, Liesl’s Edelweiss dress, Maria’s wedding dress, and more, but I will be holding a “poll” of sorts on the blog soon to get everyone’s feedback!
2. Recreate Anne Shirley’s ballgown from Anne of Avonlea. You know that gorgeous eggshell colored duchess satin gown that Anne wore to the hospital benefit in Kingsport?  The one with all those lovely silk organza rosettes around the neck?  Well, I’ve had the fabric set aside for that project for quite some time, and hopefully within the next couple of months I can start live-blogging about my progress.
3. This is not exactly a goal per se, but I will be traveling to my old stomping grounds of Washington, D.C. this spring to see all the dear old costumes there!  D.C. has been one of my favorite places since I was five years old, and I have been there so many dozens of times that it isn’t even funny!  But don’t think for a minute that I will be wearing jeans and a t-shirt for the White House tour!  I have a feeling my suitcase will be quite full of newly-sewn dresses for the locations I’ll be visiting.  In addition to the fabulous collection at the National History Museum’s First Ladies exhibit, I will also be touring the DAR museum which is home to some of the finest historical costumes in America.
4. Another goal is to be more intentional in posting film costume reviews!  Last year I had intended on doing a different movie costume review each month, but with all my sewing projects I only reviewed one or two films.  This year, though, I will try to showcase some of my favorite films and their marvelous costumes.
5. And lastly, I have reason to believe that I will need a Regency ballgown or two this year… : )  You probably know that 2013 marks the 200th anniversary of Pride & Prejudice’s publication, so Jane Austen fans everywhere are celebrating with Regency festivities, parties, and dances.  All the details for the events I will be attending aren’t definite when it comes to dates and such, but I have already been sketching and sewing some empire dresses which should be really wonderful when they are finished!  There’s nothing quite as fun as recreating a Jane Austen film costume…

Well, thus end my sewing goals for the year!  What goals do you have marked out for this 2013?  Is anyone else attending Pride & Prejudice events in their areas?

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

 Happy sewing,

Katrina