One rather unusual thing about writing a sewing blog is that it’s an online visual diary of your wardrobe, which makes it fun and easy to look back over your makes. 2014 was the year that my sewing got a lot better – no doubt I have a long, long way to go, but at the same time, I know that my techniques and accuracy improved over the past year, and there were a lot of firsts. Coats! Swimsuits! Final getting the wrap dress down pat!
So first up, my top patterns of 2014, as measured by how often I wore them during the year. I’m a TNT girl as will become rapidly evident, but it’s also clear to me that they’re TNT for a reason: because I wear them all the time.
First up, the Colette Moneta. I still wear my first one, made of doubleknit from EmmaOneSock, all the time – it’s such a fantastic comfortable everyday dress, which looks great with gold accessories and a bright yellow cardi. I recently made another stripy version but this time with contrast sleeves and raised stripes – and this one doesn’t even need ironing! Double bonus. A quick hack later and I had a Moneta maxi pattern, and I lived in my black and white one all summer. Sadly the fabric from Girl Charlee was poor quality and was bobbling and tearing within a few washes… I”ll just have to make a new version for next year. And then I also made another maxi with short sleeves which I took on my Cambodian trip, and was the perfect post-bike-ride coverup.
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| Clockwise from top left: the original stripy; the arty stripy; maxi in Cambodia; maxi on the roof |
Then, what else but my Christine Jonson adjusted wrap dress pattern? I put together a wrap dress assembly line which was very productive: 4 dresses in a week! And I made another 2 which I didn’t even get to putting on the blog. Wrap dresses are my ultimate go-to for work – smart, a bit fun with the right fabric, and they always fit you regardless of weight fluctuations. I wear them with camisoles because I like the deeper v-neck silhouette it gives, and it makes me feel a little more covered up for work.
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| Clockwise from top left: Oonapalooza; day at the museum; black and white; St John knit |
Next up, the M6931 skirt. I never would have guessed how much I  would like this pattern when I saw it on Instagram and made an impulse buy – but the combination of pleats and a wide elasticated waist (that isn’t too obviously elasticated) makes it smart and fun which being incredibly comfortable (spot a theme?!). It’s awesome for all types of floaty fabric – so far I’ve made it in cotton voile, poly crepe de chine and silk twill.
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| Clockwise from top left: Flamingos!; last skirt of summer; cloudy skirt |
On the smarter side, my black ponte and pique Burda dress has been a total hit. I don’t think I’ve ever had an item of clothing so simultaneously elegant and comfortable (yeah, that again…). It suits me really well, and has kept looking good through washings. I wore this to present at a bunch of different conferences this year as it’s the perfect neutral option, but I also glammed it up with some polka dot tights and loud jewelry for my office Christmas party.
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| Burda Jersey dress |
And finally the piece de resistance of 2014: my Simplicity coat! I was so proud of this when I made it at the beginning of the year, and to my delight it still looks great and got tons of use. I’m still slightly amazed that I made it, and a lot is due to the lovely Marc Jacobs boucle and me taking it very slowly. I’m hoping it lasts me a few more years.
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| Simplicity 1759 coat |
So those are the garments that got the most wear from me in 2014, which is my standard of success! What were your 2014 highlights, readers? Do you gravitate to TNTs or are your faves the one-offs?
A great wrap up with some lovely dresses. Still in awe of that Burda.
Thanks BeaJay! I’m pretty much all dresses, all the time 🙂
I love these posts! I’m still Lind of new to dress making so was very much in a “must make all the patterns now” mindset however did make a couple up a few times! I really love your simplicity coat – it looks super warm 🙂
Ah yes I think we all go through cycles – I’ll spend months only making new patterns, and then I’ll bed down and just make 5 wrap dresses in a row!
Nice wrap up (pardon the pun!). You look smashing in all outfits. I haven’t thought much about my sewing year but like you I feel this is the year of my skills I proving. Likely my wins will mostly be my oft made patterns (I for some reason don’t really like the tnt acronym. Churlish of me and utterly irrational….. But a fact nonetheless!).
Ha ha well for a long time I thought TNT was “tried and trusted” but apparently it’s “tried and true” so I’ll be using it incorrectly (sort of) all this time..
That coat is beautiful! I’m in the process of making a coat (first-timer); taking it slow is the way to go. Hopefully mine will turn out as nice as yours!
I do have favourite patterns that I want to make more off; but then a gorgeous new pattern comes knocking and I just have to make that one 😉 Time…
Good luck with the coat! If you do lots of research and take it slow then I think it’s not too hard to get a good result – as long as you don’t use pure cashmere 😉
Great roundup! Knit dresses totally dominate my most-worn items too. 🙂
Did you know that I run an annual Top 5 list series this time of year? You might have seen it on blogs last year or the year before… Here’s my post about this year. https://craftingarainbow.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/announcing-the-top-5-of-2014-series/
The first list is all about Top 5 most loved or worn items – great minds think alike! 😉 The next list is “misses” (aka. things that may have looked great in a blog post, but don’t actually get worn for some reason.) Wanna join in?
Hey Gillian – yeah, that’s great! I’m taking a slightly different approach to my round ups this year, but can’t wait to see what everyone shares.
It’s so wonderful seeing all your favs in one place. I really loved that burda dress on you. Very classic silhouette. It’s the perfect LBD. Your coat is what made me follow you all those months ago. 🙂 Big fan of it. You made me try wrap dresses again and fall in love with them. 🙂 I’m making my first non-faux wrap dress right now. 🙂 Thanks for sharing with the community and taking gorgeous pictures of your garments.
Delighted to hear that I converted you to wrap dresses! Come, join my cult…
Hmmm. It has been a year of tunics for me with a few dresses peppered in for good measure. Your makes have been pretty awesome this year! The coat, the dresses, and one of my favorite makes of yours this past year, the Holly Jumpsuit. One of my goals for 2015…jeans and pants…oh the humanity!
I haven’t tried tunics yet, but I should because I love wearing things with leggings in the winter. Oh yes, the jumpsuit… I can’t say that it got *much* wear, but it is pretty awesome!
I too am a devotee to knit dresses: the Lady Skater is my go-to TNT of the moment. No surprise your first Moneta is right up my alley: stripes are my favorite! I am adding a striped knit dress to my to-sew list this instant. You should be extremely proud of yourself: so many wonderful garments and so many new skills acquired. And that coat… it’s so awesome! These are my favorite posts ever because I find them so inspiring and because I get an insiders perspectives on popular patterns. Thanks for sharing.
Ah, I haven’t made the Lady Skater yet but I’ve heard great things about it! Glad you enjoyed the post
Woo-hoo, we made the list!!! That skirt pattern does look great on you.
You did indeed! And all thanks to McCall’s social media no less 🙂
I know that my Moneta(s) will be in my top 5 when I do my “Top 5” of the year post. And I love that coat–you’ve been my “coat inspiration” this fall as I work on the Leanne Marshall coat.
Looking forward to seeing your round up!
Your makes are all so beautiful and stylish! I would wear everyone of them!
Ah, thanks Margo!
I can see why these are your most worn! And I love that you showed all the different versions of each. Beautiful garments, all 🙂
Thanks Danielle!
I am so late catching onto the Moneta trend! I made my first one last week and I love it. I have just cut another one out to wear as my Christmas Day dress. A maxi version sounds great too 🙂
Ah, just wait till you get the Moneta bug 🙂
Beautiful makes, Jenny!
Thanks to you, I bought M6931. I’ll trace and cut tonight:)
Awesome! I hope you like it as much as I do 🙂
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Two of my favorite patterns were NewLook 6230 and McCalls 6441 I made 2 of the McCall pattern and two of the NewLook and wore them over and over. I really would like to build up my TNT patterns in 2015. The Burda black ponte dress looks stunning on you!!
They both look great! TNTs are the best.
These are all so wonderful! I really, really, REALLY love your black Burda dress… it’s absolutely perfect on you! I’d love to see another version in a fun color. You kill it in that silhouette! I love your style and everything else you made, too… I can see why these are your most-worn garments/patterns!
I’ve never really been much of a TNT person, but looking back over what I made this year, I definitely remade patterns more this year than ever before! I made three Victoria blazers, three Alder shirtdresses, and three Papercut Patterns raglans, just to name a few off the top of my head. I guess those must be my favorites! 🙂
Thanks Sonja! I will have to find some fabric to make a second Burda dress…
And it sounds like you have some stealthy TNTs there even if you don’t think of it as such!