The best of my 2014!

In two days a new year will start and I feel like this last year has flown by. Probably because the 2014 has been full of news, discoveries and new adventures.

Here are the 10 most amazing things that have happened to me or that I have made over the last year:

1. I learned to sew by myself. It seems yesterday when I first decided to sew up a dress by myself as a joke, even though seven months has gone by. Here is my first sewing experience: the Peony dress. These last seven months had been very hard but full of satisfactions. Yes, because I’ve realized that I adore to make my own garments. I find it one of the most enjoyable thing I’ve ever done so far!
2. I started blogging for the first time. I’ve always thought not to be talented for writing but I have to admit once you get a hobby that really inspires you, you would non-stop write and talk about it.
3. I attended my first dressmaking classes. Nice experience! Over the basic dressmaking evening classes at AFOL Moda in Milan I learned to design the basic patterns of skirts and trousers and sew them up. Here is the skirt I made over the classes. I haven’t had time to post the trousers yet.
4. I made handmade presents for the first time. Giving a thing entirely made by yourself is something amazing. Here is the first one, a dungarees for kids, and here are the presents I made for Christmas.
5. I took part in two contests. The first one organised by By Hand London, here’s my Anna Dress, the second one by Tilly and the Buttons, here’s my Francoise dress.
6. I gave myself the overlocking machine. I decided to give me a present for Christmas…a Juki overlocking machine (mo-654DE). Even this one is a satisfaction! 😉
7. I made my first interview. Here it is (available on in Italian).
8. I bought fabrics on holiday instead of souvenirs. Over this summer for the first time, I decided to bring fabrics at home from my awesome British tour, that I then used to “create”…here’s my blouse sew up with a fabric bought in London at a little shop in Portobello Road.
9. I started to run. You may think…what it has to do with sewing? Both started at the same time. Constancy and patience are common attitude for both tasks and I found them out as part of me during this last year.
10. But above all…I met lots of passionate and amazing people! Thanks to everyone who has been visiting my blog, has given me suggestions and commented on. It’s been a pleasure to have met you and I can’t wait to share new experience with you!

Happy new year full of handmade and fun to you all!
Martina