Make Nine 2019 catch up

A few days ago, posts started appearing on my Instagram feed showing people catching up on their #makenine2019 progress. Oh yes, I thought, I signed up for that, didn’t I? Oh well, bet I haven’t done most things.

So I started looking back through my finished makes and realised, somewhat to my surprise, that I actually haven’t done badly at all this year.

As for last year, I combined both patterns and stash fabrics in my Make Nine in an attempt to get through both, and it seems to have worked quite well. I’ve even blogged some of them!

Successes

It seems that I managed to select several combinations which worked perfectly together. In no particular order,

• Burnside bibs in tencel twill were a big hit (especially once I’d shortened them slightly so that I don’t step on the hem!)
• Sloane sweatshirt in fleece backed sweatshirting, with hand embroidered slogan, has been worn loads
• Ginger jeans have been a massive win this year (I will blog them, I will!)

Partial successes

Some things were kind of nearly there but either needed different fabric or more adjustments

• Simplicity top pattern looked lovely but desperately needed rather more room in the upper arms in order for me to move! I wore the top once, vowed to make the necessary adjustment and haven’t looked back since
• Opium was a joy to make but I don’t love the style of the finished coat on me and it really doesn’t seem to fit into my lifestyle. I’ve chalked it up to experience and probably only worn it half a dozen times.
• Flint has been one of my hardest working summer patterns; it’s merely that I still haven’t used this particular fabric to make them. I did make two pairs of shorts and a pair of culottes using the pattern though so that’s pretty good going.
• Willow tank was made up in a lovely cotton lawn I’d been hoarding for some time, but it only just creeps in at the bottom of this section because I love that fabric so much. This really doesn’t fit that well around the shoulders and pulls a lot whilst wearing ; I was going to make amendments to the pattern but then the Ashton top was released and it is perfect for me so I abandoned the Willow altogether.

Failure!

I know, we’re supposed to stay all positive and stuff in the sewing world, but sometimes things just don’t work. The Pneuma tank was that make for me. Although I’m proud of myself for managing to sew activewear and for fully lining the crop top section of this pattern (which isn’t in the instructions), the finished item is not great looking and isn’t that comfy to wear. The drapey top over the crop top is just plain weird; you end up with excess fabric at the back where it joins the crop top and it just looks totally wrong.

Didn’t attempt

The only pattern from the nine which wasn’t even attempted was the Republique du Chiffon playsuit. I still really want to make this for my holidays, but time wasn’t my friend this year. And the realisation that you have to add your own seam allowances to this has not exactly endeared it to me! I hate that so much!

So, all in all, it’s been a pretty sucessful year. I’m in two minds about whether I should pull a make nine together for next year, but given I didn’t pull this one together til February, I feel like I have some time to decide!

How about you? Did you sign up this year and how did you get on? Do these kinds of things work for you or do they make you feel more pressured?

Becca x