2018 was probably my more prolific sewing year yet! I actually have enough to do a year-end sewing recap, which I don’t think I’ve ever done before. (Before anyone gets too envious of all my sewing time, I’ve had some major crap go down in the last few years. Sewing has basically been my art therapy, and luckily is has been healing.)

One of my first projects of the year was resizing my dress form! I put on a lot of weight in the last couple years, and then last fall (2017) managed to lose a significant amount. I had not long before gotten an new Uniquely You foam dress form, and couldn’t afford to replace it with a smaller one. I could, however, afford an electric turkey carver! So I chopped her down a few sizes, refit the cover, and rechristened her Luna.

The first costume event of the year I attended was the annual Jane Austen Evening in Pasadena. Originally I was hoping to wear a dress that I had made several years ago, but I did want to make a new set of stays. And then those stays didn’t work with the dress. So then I needed a new dress. And accessories. Have you ever read the children’s book “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie”? That’s what this project felt like! For this outfit I made new stays, and new dress, sleeveless spencer (the vest thingy), and the turban. And bought new accessories to match my color scheme. ::facepalm::

I think my next costumed event wasn’t until Costume College. Friday night I rewore the same white regency dress with new accessories for my a la victim costume. The scandalous no-petticoat look was actually very appropriate for this version! I also used my hand-embroidered reticule for the FIRST TIME since I finished it in 2013.

This Robe a la Francaise was my big project for the year and took most of my spring/summer sewing time. Other than a pair of pocket hoops that I made at my very first Costume College, I had to make all the undergarments in addition to the gown itself. New stays, several petticoats, gown, stomacher, sleeve ruffles, wig styling…. it goes on and on. I liked wearing it more than I thought I would, though! This was my first time wearing a REALLY BIG gown, and I’m not a “take up all the space in the room” kind of person, so I was kind of nervous, but it worked out. Next year I want to tweak a few minor things and do a “real” photoshoot for it.

Next up is this sad little circle skirt that I made for Halloween/October but never wore. Oh well. At least Halloween comes every year. Around this time I also did a little modern wardrobe sewing (woven t-shirt, jogger sweatpants), but I don’t have pics of those.

My final costume is my c.1917 outfit for the Great War Gallop. Any regular reader of the blog should be sick of this one by now. I am!

All in all, I think I finished about 20 new garments and handmade accessories. Not including mockups and failed muslins that never got made properly! I doubt (and kind of hope) that I’ll never have as much sewing time again as I did in 2018, but I am proud of what I’ve created. And I’m crossing my fingers that I won’t have any more wild weight changes in the near future. I made 3 new corsets/stays this year, and it would be a shame if they no longer fit!