Oh my gosh! 2020 is coming to an end. Phew! We are by no means out of the woods yet but I’m hopeful for 2021. Today, I’m sharing a roundup of some of the things that I made in 2020 and a few ponderings on what I’m planning for next year. I feel really proud of all that I accomplished in 2020 and I feel really grateful for this sewing practice and sewing community. Thank you to everyone who has supported me this year and all the years prior! I started Sew DIY in 2014 which means the seventh !!!! anniversary is coming up soon. So incredible! Anyway, read on to see what happened in 2020 at Sew DIY and watch my final vlog of the year. My kitty Fox makes some great cameos so it’s definitely worth a watch.
Patterns released in 2020
The Tasi Robe/Jacket is a Draft-It-Yourself pattern for any size human and perfect for dipping your toes into basic pattern making and design. You decide your finished measurements and the detailed instructions will take you step-by-step through creating your own pattern pieces.
This pattern is a fantastically flexible basic that can be used to make a robe, simple jacket or even a cardigan. It’s suitable for almost any fabric from rayon, silk or linen for warmer months to a fleece or sweater knit for cooler months. You can even use up leftover fabrics for a scrappy, color blocked garment.
View A is a classic robe style with patch pockets, a tie belt and carriers. View B is a casual jacket with turned back cuffs, oversized pockets and a hem band. It’s easy to adjust the design of this pattern to suit your personal preferences.
This is a digital pdf pattern that includes illustrated step-by-step instructions and a spreadsheet calculator to create your own custom pattern pieces. PATTERN PIECES ARE NOT INCLUDED.
THIS IS NOT A PHYSICAL PRODUCT. After checkout, you will receive a link to the pattern that will be active for 24 hours after you click it. Prices are in USD.
The Sew DIY Quilted Slippers are the perfect way to keep toes warm and use up small cuts of fabric. Plus, it’s a great way to introduce yourself to quilting. The quilted exterior is constructed by quilting a layer of fabric and batting together. You can also use pre-quilted fabric for a quicker project.
The slippers are sized for foot lengths 8.25-12 inches (21-30.5 cm) which approximately fits US women’s shoe sizes 4-14 and US men’s shoe sizes 6-14.5. The pattern is gender neutral making it a great gift for all your friends and family.
View A is a bootie style slipper that can be worn with the top turned down to reveal the lining or with the top up to keep the ankles warm. View B is an open top skimmer style, perfect for the summer months.
This is a digital pdf pattern that includes a print-at-home pattern, copy shop pattern, A0 pattern and illustrated instructions.
THIS IS NOT A PHYSICAL PRODUCT. After checkout, you will receive a link to the pattern that will be active for 24 hours after you click it. Prices are in USD.
The vintage-inspired Summer Sweatsuit is equally suited to warm weather play or lounge activities. The sweatsuit consists of a racerback tank with a curved hem and mid-rise short shorts. The Summer tank top has a full coverage racerback style with a medium-scoop neck and curved hem. It's designed to be fitted at the bust and skim over the waist and hips in a swing style.
The Summer shorts feature an elastic waistband and a high cut curved leg opening. There are no side seams in the shorts, making them extra comfortable on sensitive skin. If short-shorts aren’t your thing, the pattern shows you how to lengthen the legs of the shorts.
These garments are quick-to-sew so that you can get back to summer activities in no time. This pattern has a close fit and requires knit fabric with stretch.
This digital pattern includes an illustrated, step-by-step instruction booklet, a print-at-home layered pattern for letter or A4 size paper, a US copy shop pattern and an A0 size pattern.
Model is 5’11” and is wearing a size D tank top and size E shorts.
THIS IS NOT A PHYSICAL PRODUCT. After checkout, you will receive a link to the pattern that will be active for 24 hours after you click it. Prices are in USD.
This year spent at home was very productive for me. I finished updating the size range of my back catalog with updates to the Ali Sweatshirt and the Nita Wrap Skirt. I released three new patterns (see above). All of them are loungewear, which was really perfect for 2020. I’m also really happy that the Ali Sweatshirt, Tasi Robe and the Quilted Slippers patterns are all gender neutral.
In addition to the patterns, I launched a new e-course that I’m really passionate about– Improvisational Quilting for Garment Sewists. The class teaches you how to use your fabric scraps to make your own improvisational style quilts. It’s sustainably minded, economical and just super fun and relaxing. You can learn more about the class here. I’ve been working on developing this course for about two years now so it’s really exciting to finally be able to share it with the world.
I also published a ton of new sewing tips and tutorials in 2020 and they are all rounded up in this blog post. Make sure to check it out.
You can watch my final sewing vlog of the year above or on YouTube.
While I have not blogged as many things this year I do think that I was fairly busy sewing. As I looked back at my list of things that I sewed (about 40!), I even found a few that I had forgotten about. I mostly sewed samples and hacks for my patterns which doesn’t always feel as creatively fulfilling to me. I think mostly because it just gets really repetitive and I always like to be moving on to the next thing. Besides my own patterns, the pattern company that I sewed the most this year was Seamwork. They have such a great catalog of patterns and I have lots of credits built up over the years so it’s always one of my go-tos.
Below are all the things that I made and blogged about this year. To check out the posts, click an image below. (By the way, you can check out makes from years past here.)
What’s coming in 2020
This year has been so unexpected that I am a bit hesitant to make a ton of plans. One thing that has really helped me get through this year is to focus on the present and not try to plan too much of the future. Trying to plan things inevitably turned into worrying for me. So, instead I just take things one day at a time and work on enjoying what I have right now.
In the new year, I’d like to release more patterns but I don’t yet know what they’ll be. I’d also really like to work on a new e-course that will teach the basics of beginning garment sewing.
I hope that you are all doing well, that you’re safe and healthy. Thank you so much for following along on my sewing journey and supporting my small business. It’s just me doing everything here at Sew DIY and it means so much to hear that one of my blog posts or videos or patterns has made your sewing journey easier and more joyful. I wish you all the best for the new year! Happy sewing!
