Well, here we are. Into the fourth month of 2025 already, and what have I achieved?

Have I ticked off my ambitious January sewing goals? Absolutely not. Have I finished even one of my many, many unfinished projects? Also no. But have I made progress in other, arguably more creative ways? You bet.

Let’s dive into a brutally honest progress check.

Sewing: 1, Finished Projects: 0

Despite grand intentions and detailed lists, I haven’t actually finished a single item from my January sewing goals blog post. My plans were full of optimism and, as it turns out, completely incompatible with the realities of parenting a now crawling baby who thinks my sewing machine pedal is a toy.

But! That’s not to say nothing has happened. Here’s what I have managed:

The Sewing Wins (Kind Of)

*This setup screams ‘ergonomic elegance’ and definitely not ‘precariously balanced chaos’. But it does save my kneecaps, so we move. Although it’s probably time to invest in a ceiling mount.*

*One half of my fabric stash, aka my happy place. I could stare at these all day. Some people collect art. I collect potential.*

Wardrobe Audit & Repurposing Plans: Conducted a wardrobe audit. Plan: repurpose what I can, convert some items to breastfeeding-friendly designs, and make things that serve me in this never-ending breastfeeding era (yes, we hope to have more kids, so this stage isn’t going anywhere).

Sorted my entire fabric stash, which included uncovering some long-lost gems and a few “what was I thinking?” purchases.
Organised my UFPs (unfinished projects) into categories: ‘high potential’, ‘requires therapy’, and ‘what even is this?’
Projector Sewing: I’ve officially gone digital… in the most analogue way possible. My kitchen is now home to my sewing projector setup, meaning I can project my patterns and burn dinner simultaneously.
Sewing Machine Relocation: Since the spare room was repossessed by the tiny human, my machine now lives in a kitchen cupboard. Convenient? Yes. A potential health and safety hazard? Also yes.
Actually started sewing again! Admittedly, it’s at the kitchen table, at 9pm, under questionable lighting, with one eye on the baby monitor - but still! Stitching feels like a small act of rebellion and self-care rolled into one. And it feels so good to be back.

Sewing WIPs (Works In Progress)

The Adrift Shift Dress: I started this project when I was pregnant (roughly 2-3 weeks before my baby was born). I was inspired by the Mister Mimi Margot dress in black with the pop of colour coming from the ric rac trim, and will be adding invisible zippers to the side seams for easy access to the milk bar. Thankfully my past self left a note on the unfinished dress of the to do list, which has spared a lot of confusion with my late night sewing sessions. The dream of a finished dress lives on.
The Elsa Dress Toile: The lovely Elsa Dress (kindly gifted by Silversaga Patterns) is currently in muslin mode. So far I’ve cut out a size 12 and a size 10, and am liking the fit of the 10. I need to lower the bust dart and add length to the bodice, but first I need to learn how to adjust patterns on the computer as this is my first project entirely on the projector! I’m planning one version in a breezy linen-viscose so I can live out my floaty dress dreams, and the other is for a friend’s wedding this summer in a beautiful silk georgette. Will it be done by July? Place your bets, folks.

Fabric Buying: A Confession

*Fabric gold, in my humble (and financially reckless) opinion. At this point, I’m one Liberty print away from needing a budget intervention.*

Right. The part I wasn’t going to admit…

This quarter, I’ve spent the following on fabric:

$166 at Spotlight
$5.60 at The Fabric Store (technically $79, but I had a voucher!)
$67.20 at Super Cheap Fabrics
$85.80 at Drapers Fabrics
$285 at The Fabric Broker

Total: $609.60 (AUD)

Cue internal screaming.

To absolutely no one’s surprise, I’m now on a fabric buying ban for the rest of the year. No exceptions. Not even if the perfect linen comes along. (Okay maybe one exception. But just one.)

DIY Adventures (Or Misadventures)

When I wasn’t tripping over fabric or dodging baby toys, I managed to make decent progress on our house DIY projects:

Soft-close hinges? Installed. Cupboard doors? Stacked. Holes? Being patched with questionable enthusiasm. It may look like a DIY disaster zone now, but we’re trusting the process (and hoping the paint hides a multitude of sins).

Started on the bedroom wardrobes! This 1980s house came with cupboards straight out of a retro time capsule and a functional and aesthetic glow-up has been high on my DIY list of priorities, especially because the hinges creak and the doors slam every damn time the cupboards are opened and closed. The plan? Extend the door height (floor-to-ceiling), add soft-close hinges, throw in some faux shaker-style trim, update the hardware, and give them a fresh coat of paint. Simple, right? (Wrong.). Why does a “simple” job like replacing hinges always take SO much longer then it should? Stay tuned.

The Roof Leaked: As a bonus challenge, the bedroom roof decided to spring a leak, so we’ve temporarily swapped into the damp disaster zone while our daughter gets to sleep somewhere that isn’t slowly cultivating a mould mushroom farm.

The Verdict?

Am I the most productive sewist this quarter? No. Did I spend WAY too much money on fabrics? 100%. But did I make progress in my own chaotic way? Absolutely. And really, isn’t that the true spirit of crafting - starting a hundred projects and finishing approximately three?

So What’s Next?

Finish something, maybe? That’s the dream. My new sewing setup is far more accessible (literally - it’s in a cupboard I open every day), and my stash is so well organised it’s actually useful. Now that things are in motion, I’m hoping to see a few more finished projects in Q2.

But even if the UFPs continue to pile up, at least I’ll be sitting on them in style. Possibly while holding a baby. Probably while dodging snacks.

Let’s Chat:

How has your year in sewing been so far? Have you actually finished anything, or are you also just moving fabric piles from one surface to another? Are you on a fabric ban too? (Please say yes, I need the solidarity.) What’s one thing you’ve done this quarter that you’re proud of - even if it’s just tidying a drawer?

Drop a comment below - I’d love to hear what you’re working on (or avoiding). And if you enjoy mildly unhinged sewing updates like this, subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss the next one!

Stitching, Sorting & Slightly Less Hoarding: My Q1 Sewing & DIY Update