New Year, New Beginnings: 2025 Sewing Projects

2025.   A new year. A new start. A way to get back on track.  Ever since my brain surgery in 2021 I have sort of stepped back from sewing.   To be brutally honest (which I always am), I sort of stepped back from life.  I have been in a severe depression and PTSD on top of that.  My health has taken nosedive after nosedive. Am I any better? In some ways yes, in other ways no.  But its time to move forward and stop being stagnant. After singing my version/lyrics of Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) on New Years Eve from 11:57pm to 12:05am, very loudly and with colorful lyrics on how much 2024 SUCKED and it could Kiss my Rear and etc. and etc.  I threw up the double birds and sang real loud (at home) as the clock ticked over, on how 2024 is never allowed to come back and 2025 is going to be so much better.  Later that night/morning, thanks to my insomnia, I sat and thought about what I wanted for myself for 2025. Here are a few of the notes I jotted down for my 2025:

• Sleep and wake earlier. Drink 64oz of water EVERYDAY.
• More bible time and mediate more.
• Be outside at least 15 min each day (when warm enough – I live in Siberia here lol WI)
• Enjoy Nature, disconnect from tech, wind down.
• Be more active (this means different things to dif. people. I am bed bound 90% of the day, so I just want to be out of bed some more maybe some gentle yoga, tai chi).
• Declutter, think Minimalist – in physical, digital, and mental sense
• Stop Spending Needlessly! Use what we have.
• Play less video games, less screen/tech time
• keep track of my fabric in/out, usage, makes by category and time again, because I love those monthly and end of year spreadsheet stats.
• Find my Joy – and this is where my sewing comes back into play.

Sewing, embroidery, vinyl, digitizing, creating, painting - all these things bring me joy; they make me feel good, happy even. So I want to get back into my room and start creating again – on the days I’m not too dizzy or sick or completely depleted. I thought, what a better way to do this than to go back to all my sewing plans starting in 2014, and actually MAKE the ones I didn’t complete. I am starting with the FALL/Winter plans.  Funny enough I do still want to make these things and I do have the massive fabric stash waiting for me. (Of course there are many other things that I will probably sidetrack off into and want to make too, but here we go.  This is my “I didn’t get around to making these so I am going to this time around” plans. 2025 Winter Sewing Plans

Some of these have been on my sewing list for a long, LONG, LONG time.  All of my sewing plans of the past can be seen here. Ottobre Cardigan (05/2011 #13) This pattern and fabric have been sitting in a tote under my ironing board for over 10 years….. lol. 2014 Fall Sewing Plans 2016 Winter Sewing Plans 2020 Spring/Summer Plans 2020 Fall/Winter Plans Vogue Top (9109 View B) 2017 Winter Sewing Plans Burda Cape Coat (12/2016 #104) 2017 Winter Sewing Plans Paprika Jasper Hoodie 2020 Fall/Winter Plans Burda Zip Coat (01/2010 #105) 2020 Spring/Summer Plans 2020 Fall/Winter Plans Burda Wrap Top (07/2009 #122) 2019 Fall/Winter Plans 2020 Fall/Winter Plans Jalie Jeans (2908) made these 3 times for me and once for Miss K, but I need new ones that fit 2015 Fall Sewing Plans 2019 Fall/Winter Plans 2020 Spring/Summer Plans Burda Corduroy Flares (02/2014 #143) 2019 Fall/Winter Plans 2020 Spring/Summer Plans 2020 Fall/Winter Plans Ottobre Jeans (02/2013 #20) 2019 Fall/Winter Plans Ottobre Jeans (05/2007 #10) 2018 Spring Sewing Plans 2019 Fall/Winter Plans That is my plan.  I’m excited for it. 

I also have been having a dilemma with sergers.  I had my Brother 1034D for over 10 years and I LOVED her.  I was not nice to her and put her through so many projects. I rarely oiled her, I didn’t clean her often; she just always ran perfect and was ready for me.  She was a true WORKHORSE!!! Then one sad day she just wasn’t.  She didn’t stitch right anymore and her age was showing.  So I upgraded to the Babylock Celebrate – which was an OK machine, Just OK.  I didn’t love nor hate the celebrate, but she wasn’t my 1034D.  So I upgraded to a Babylock Victory with auto tension….. I DO NOT like auto tension. I cannot get the left needle tight enough in my knits.  It drives me batty! Over the years I stumbled into other sergers here and there – a Bernina 800DL, that one was ok, just ok.  I had an older New Home that was just passing through my room, not to keep, just to try out.  I tried what seems like a million other sergers recently this year - the new brother 3000 airflow. the horrid new Juki MO-3000 (don’t get it! the tension was the worst of any I’ve ever dealt with).  I just wasn’t happy with any of them!  Plus the lights now affect my epilepsy so its hard to find a serger that doesn’t.  When the light is behind the foot, the foot going up and down so fast – makes a flashing type light and I can’t deal with it.  Anyway, I have found an older but not vintage Bernina 1300DC serger from a wonderful person local here.  I got the machine today and I’m over the moon to serge with her.  I’ve watched a ton of videos and she looks perfect for me.  No air threading, but I am ok with that. It just means less things to break.  The Bernina 1300DC has EXCELLENT reviews – most sewists that get her love her.  So I’m hopeful she is the ONE!  She does serge and coverstitch but I don’t do combo machines and I just need her for the serging.  I have my Babylock Coverstitch2 that I adore for coverstitching.  I’ll keep her forever. I had 3 embroidery machines in my room this last month.  (2 machines for 2 years now).  I had and then sold the Ellegante, I sold my beloved Flourish2 because after she was serviced she just wasn’t the same for me.  So I only have my Stellaire right now but she is more than enough.  I have found that with having 2 embroidery machines I was trying to do 2 hoops at a time to save time and found that was exhausting and time consuming to keep switching threads between 2 machines going at once.  It became where I was only able to embroider and it pulled me away from my sewing. In the past with just 1 machine I set up my embroidery and then sew while that machine is working. 

Lots of changes.  New beginnings, some goodbyes to machines.  Hopefully this year will be a year of peace, joy, no surgeries.  Much happiness and creativity.  I will have a little one to sew for also!!! I’ve never had a little to sew for! I started sewing when Miss K was 4. Well, Mr. T and his lovely girlfriend G are making me a grandma!!! I’m too young to be a gma! But I’m happy for them. 

How was your New Years?  Did you make any plans for 2025?

I wish you all much peace, serenity, and happiness as well in this coming year.

  Happy Sewing! Kristin