Happy New Year! so, what will 2012 hold?

What a great year 2011 has been - a journey of discovery in my attempt at making some items for my (and my two girls) wardrobes!  I must confess, I still shop for clothes (definitely not good enough yet to home - make everything!) but truly admire the many wonderful bloggers who seem to effortlessly create beautiful, original items for their wardrobes.

The Christmas period has been hectic, the usual last minute shopping (note to self: try and handmake some gifts throughout 2012 to ease the burden of poor choice in the shops and expensive!), cooking, wrapping, visiting family, etc etc... just great though to have time to to spend doing these things.  I've not managed to fit any actual sewing in, although I've managed a few more lines of daughter 2's  aran cardigan (no need to panic yet, it has to be ready by 2nd February!).

What I have done though is blitz my sewing space so that I can start in 2012 with a tidy, organised little sanctuary - it now looks something like this:

I know it's not spring, but I feel so much better now that its clean and tidy!! Does anyone elses' get in as much a mess as mine?

UFO's to tackle in the New Year: (1) Colette's Peony dress - the bodice is done (see pic above) and the skirt is nearly ready to attach.  It's taken a bit longer than I'd hoped as there seemed to be loads of fit issues with this pattern and this is the second attempt at the bodice - but much better now!

(2) a second version of the Market Skirt - I love the green velvet one I did earlier, which I have worn lots with brown flat boots, so wanted one I could wear with my black boots - more to come once I have ordered some curved petersham to finish the waist...

(3) the dreaded Jacket (Built by Wendy) - this is going to take some serious patience so will have to wait till I have a couple of days to dedicate to it...I've also purchased the following pattern from Ebay as it includes extended instructions on how to construct a jacket which I am hoping will help:

Plus I love LOVE version B! May be adding this version to my future wish list (depending how I get on with the above first he he!).

I'm so looking forward to keeping reading all the lovely blogs - soooo inspiring - and so appreciate and am thankful for the lovely comments and help I've had from lovely bloggers

Happy New Year to everyone!