Goals for 2018

I wanted to write my goals in a blog post rather than writing these on a piece of paper and popping it on my cork board. 

Without further ado, here are my 2018 goals!
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Keep better records
At the end of last year I started keeping a time log for everything I was working on. Because a lot of what I make are one-off costumes it can be hard to know exactly how long something will take. I’m getting much better at guesstimating the time thanks to the time logs I’ve been keeping.
I want to start a ‘Makes Book’ which I’ll use to write in anything I make. 
I’ve also realised I need to improve my tax related records. This is how I feel when it comes to bookkeeping. 

Continue learning
I can make patterns from scratch, but I feel a little bit wobbly about it still. I want to improve by making more from pre-made patterns, and learning from pattern making books. The bonus with reading the books is they’re books! I love books.  Seriously, I’m such a bibliophile that I’ve gone on a tangent in a paragraph about pattern making just to talk more about books. Books!
I really want to try at least one pattern straight from one of my gorgeous old pattern books (more books!). I have a few to choose from. I’m pretty sure they’re all 40s/50s era. Even if that’s all I manage at the end of the year towards this goal it means I’ll have a (hopefully) wonderful new garment I can swish around in.
Something else I want to learn properly is how to correctly thread the overlocker I’m currently borrowing. I hadn’t used a domestic overlocker since around 2007 and I’m surprised at how much has disappeared from my mind. Not to worry, I have the manual as well. 

The blue book 'Successful Dressmaking' is probably the sewing book I use the most.

​Make more, and actually finish things off
I’m not very good at finishing things if they’re for me. I don’t have a problem when it’s for someone else but I tend to put makes for myself to the side all the time. I want to have a wardrobe that I’m proud of, and one that is mostly things I’ve made for myself.

I've had this dress cut out and ready to sew for nearly two years. Yes, TWO YEARS!

​​Turn the zero waste dial up a notch
This year I want to actually mend things in the mend it box, not just use it as a graveyard for holey and ripped clothes! I want to start using my scrap fabric and thread offcuts more. I also want to give op shop transformations a go. There’s something kind of magical about breathing new life into a garment.

Most of the items in here need holes patched, but some, like the Star Wars skirt, are waiting for their finishing touches. In the skirts case, pockets need to be added.

Markets
I’ve been wanting to open an Etsy shop for a while. I had planned on doing that last year, but because I had a lot of costume jobs and felt a bit lost with where I wanted Little Grassbird to go, I didn’t end up doing it. Hopefully this is the year!
I’ve been to a couple of local markets before and I’ve really liked them. I’d love to apply for a stall at the Castlemaine Artists Market sometime this year.
Before I do either of those things I need to build up a bit of stock. I’m hoping to get that done in the first quarter of the year.

My stall at the 2015 Castlemaine Steiner School and Kindergarten Spring Fair.

​Be more present online
If I’m comparing this to last year it won’t be difficult at all. I wasn’t very present online at all in 2017. This year, however, I’m hoping to pop up a blog post every week, and get more regular with posting on Instagram.
This shouldn’t be difficult, especially as a lot of my other goals are pretty bloggable/Instagram worthy. 

Ziggy wanted to help out with the photo shoot. He's been here while I write the blog too!