Like most years, 2019 had its highs and lows, but overall it was a productive year for me. I had some personal stress and drama—my mantra for a couple of months was “the only way out is through”—but I just did the best I could and tried to learn from it. I also course corrected where possible and ended the year in an pretty good place. There’s a lot going on in the world right now to be upset and worried about, but my personal life at least is back to normal for the most part, so I’m feeling in decent shape for 2020.
Looking back at old posts, I’m always grateful that I took the time to write down my goals and review how I did on them. I am constantly amazed by how much of it I actually achieve and 2019 was no exception!
Goal #1: Video
I started 2019 by taking an Intro to Video class at my work, Photographic Center Northwest (PCNW). One of the hurdles I needed to get over to start doing video again was learning how to edit in Premiere. My quilted potholder tutorials from several years ago were edited in Final Cut and actually have a surprising number of views for how bad I think they are. Flash forward to three years and some OS upgrades later, I no longer had Final Cut. I also hadn’t made a video since then, so I was kind of starting from scratch. I had heard good things about Premiere and had access to it, so I figured if I was going to be starting over I might as well learn how to edit in that program instead. Turns out, this class was just what I needed to get me started. The weekly exercises were the perfect balance of shooting and editing and I finally learned enough about Premiere to get me editing!
Getting into doing video has been a long time goal for both personal and professional reasons. For the purpose of the class I used content for Rake and Make as a way to practice. Here is my Vimeo account if you want to see the few videos I made last year. I made two Rake and Make videos for class and the third is a project I did for an event at work.
I laugh every time I watch my newspaper pots tutorial as I think I look like a blind magician in it. As it turns out, reading a teleprompter and having to do all the parts of a video production is just as hard as I thought it would be. I know I can’t be too hard on myself though. You gotta start somewhere, right? Any embarrassment I might have is totally overshadowed by the fact that I feel like I have a new superpower now that I know Premiere. I have so many ideas for content for both Rake and Make and PCNW, so I am excited that I have the skills to bring those ideas to life now.
Gardening/Urban Farming Goals
Trimmed trees so yard gets more sun.
Sometimes goals aren’t fun and sometimes they are also expensive. That’s probably why it took Matt and I awhile to do this, but we did finally invest in trimming the trees in the backyard and it totally helped. Our yields were better than they have been in a long time, so it was totally worth it! We had more cucumbers than we have ever had and my friends and family were probably totally sick of all the pickles and cucumber martinis I brought to every event over the summer.
Got new chicks
This was our third batch of chicks, but the first time we didn’t raise them inside and instead snuck them under one of our broody hens. Guess what? It worked! She woke up the next morning thinking she’d hatched them and went on to raise them herself. It was the cutest thing ever! That said, since we didn’t handle the chicks much, if at all, there is only one of them that will let us anywhere near her. Her name is Goldie the Gold Sex Link (pictured here). I know, so creative. We’ve had so many chickens at this point that I am getting kind of lazy about naming them. Anyway, I can’t tell if she is super smart or super dumb, but she is very sweet, so she is my favorite. The other two I named Rosie (a Plymouth Rock Barred Rock) and Stella (a Black Australorp), but I kind of want to rename them after two of the Weird Sisters on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Dorcas and Agatha) for no other reason than I think it’s weird that they completely freak out and run away if we try to touch them. Maybe not a good enough reason, so perhaps my next set of three chickens will get those names…
Built Greenhouse
After years of collecting materials, we finally built the greenhouse! By we, I mean Matt, but I did help pour the concrete (man, do I have a new appreciation for people that do that for a living). We also had the help of a few friends over the course of the construction, so thank you to anyone who showed up to hoist a wall or put in a window. I promise we will have a “topping out” party soon!
It’s not totally finished, yet. We still have to side and paint it and build out some things on the inside. It will probably be a work-in-progress for a while, but we can totally start using it this year. Look for my 2020 Goals post to see what exciting plans we have for the greenhouse this year!
Sewing Goals
Activewear
I completed the Pacific Leggings & Dunbar top and you can read about them here.
Outerwear
After slowly (so very slowly) tracing the Kelly Anorak and then getting the materials and having them sit on my desk for almost a year, I finally had some time over the holidays to start this jacket!
It’s going well so far and I am taking my time with it and enjoying the process. I am very excited to finish it so I can wear it though, so I will probably wrap it up this weekend. It will be my first completed make of 2020!
Swimsuit
Sewing the Sophie Swimsuit was probably my biggest sewing accomplishment of the year and none of it was a scary as I thought it would be. Not the sewing of it OR the putting myself on the internet in it! In line with my Kelly Anorak, this was a process I thoroughly enjoyed as well. It was just the right amount of challenge in a way that made it really fun to sew.
Knitting Goals
Knit 2nd Okanogan Sock
The socks-that-took-forever are finally done and I love them. These have been getting worn a lot with my Linden Sweatshirt & Hudson Pant pajama set this time of year.
Knit Weekender Sweater
I didn’t end up casting on the Weekender, but I did one better than that! In an act of total selflessness, I started the Brooklyn Tweed Sawyer Sweater for Matt. The Weekender is definitely rolling over to the goals list for 2020 though!
2019 Makes
I made a lot of other stuff in 2019 as well. Probably more than I ever have. Here’s the full list. It’s mostly because I sewed a lot of knits. Shit’s faster when you don’t have to mess with a muslin!
Eastwood Pajamas for Matt
Striped Oslo Cardigan
Cleo Dungaree Dress
Mid-rise Ginger Jeans
Two True Bias Ogden Camis
Blackwood Cardigan
Pacific Leggings & Dunbar Top
Capri Length Mid-rise Ginger Jeans
Sophie Swimsuit
French Navy Stellan Tee
Two Halifax Hoodies
Linden Sweatshirt & Hudson Pants Pajama Set (for Minerva Blog)
Charleston Dress (for Minerva Fabrics Blog), worn to Vancouver Frocktails
Two more Linden Sweatshirts (unblogged)
One more pair of Hudson pants (unblogged)
Gold Lurex Sallie Jumpsuit, with fabric procured from Mood while in NY, for Seattle Frocktails (unblogged)
Pattern Testing
Maeve Makes Pooze Pouch
Fig & Needle Crestwood Skirt (unblogged)
Other stuff that happened in 2019
Attended 2019 Camp Workroom Social
This was my fifth year attending Camp Workroom Social and I took Patternmaking with Katy Patzel. I wanted to feel more confident about hacking patterns and this class blew my mind. It felt like a semester’s worth of patternmaking in two days. I have already utilized much of what I learned, so once again I was very happy with my class. I also just love seeing my camp pals, many of whom I have known since the first year, so it’s always a special time.
Frocktails
I went to Portland Frocktails…
… and Vancouver Frocktails
…and helped plan and host Seattle Frocktails again!
Looking back, 2019 was a pretty good and very eventful year. I’m so thankful for all of the wonderful, creative people in my life that constantly inspire and motivate me. I look forward to more community, creative collaboration, and good stuff in 2020!
