My 2013 Favorites

It's hard to believe the another year has almost past. What a year it's been! The most surprising year of my life, that's for sure (but that will be another post). Despite all the big changes in my life, some things remain the same. I'm still a believer in handmade. We had a lot of crafting for Christmas in our home, and it's such a pleasure to see the joy other people get from making something with their own hands. And, this being primarily a diy/craft blog, it's only right to wrap up the year with my favorite projects of the year.

1. The lace heart back tee is definitely the most used sewing project I made this year. It's super versatile, goes with almost everything, and is so comfortable. And, also probably the quickest sewing project of the year. Two thumbs up!

2. This has got to be one of the cleverest refashion projects. Sleeves into a blouse! Yes, I do pat myself on the back for thinking of this one.

3. My venture into crochet jewelry was a great success. I've worn these a lot this year. It's nice to turn to other crafts besides sewing and knitting from time to time.

4. Now, you might be a little bit surprised to see my blog design makeover in this list, but it's one of the biggest design projects I've ever tackled, and my first html-coding challenge. I'm so proud that I managed to create my own design from scratch and get it all to function as it's supposed to. I'm already dreaming up my next blog design!

5. My concert gown is hands down my very favorite project this year. I'm so proud of this dress! It was a challenge to sew, but I learned so much in the process, and it gave me so much confidence to keep on pushing my limits.

6. The gathered skirt is a favorite of both you and me looking at google analytics. It's one of those projects that I wanted to do for ages, but never got around to doing. I'm so glad I finally did!

7. The lacy tee was also one of the most popular projects from this year, both on and off line. It was my summer favorite for sure, and I've also worn it lots this autumn and winter. I'm glad we don't have the silly "no white after Labor Day" rule around here.

8. My Granny's old skirt turned into the perfect summer skirt. I was so sad to see summer go, but I'm sure it will get a ton of wear next summer as well.

9. My second favorite of this summer was this maxi dress I made from vintage fabric my Granny gave me. The fabric was patiently waiting for the perfect project in my stash, and I think I made the right choice with this dress.

10. My favorite blouse as of late is the pussy bow blouse I refashioned. For me, the garments I refashion from my Mom's old clothing are all special because they're part of our family history. They all have a story that's close to my heart and now they can gather even more stories for my daughter.

11. I wanted to make this list an even 10, but I just could leave out the open front sweater I made recently. It's been my go to sweater ever since the day I made it, and it's the hit of the season for sure. And, it's one of those refashion that waited for years for the right idea. It was definitely worth the wait!

Scrolling through my blog made me realize how much I myself have changed over the year. My style has evolved, and so have my designs and project. I think it's a positive change, and something I'm looking forward to developing even further. I'd like to try out new styles and ideas next year and try something completely new. I already have a couple of ideas, but that's another story for another time.

I hope to make even more handmade things in 2014. Creating makes me happy, and we should all fill our lives with things that make us happy. That's the biggest lesson I've learned this year.

What were some of your favorite projects from this year? What kind of crafts/projects would you like to make more in the coming year?

Enjoy the last days of the year!