How to set better sewing resolutions

As the new year rolls around, you’re probably jotting down the usual resolutions about finances, health, and lifestyle, but have you thought about adding sewing goals to that list? The trouble is, we often keep our resolutions kinda vague, which makes them easy to abandon soon after. In this post, I’ll walk you through some practical tips for making sewing resolutions that are specific, measurable and actually aligned with the thing you love about sewing, so this can be your most fulfilling year in sewing yet.

Avoiding Ambiguity

‘Sew more’ is a goal I’ve set for myself before. However, it’s pretty vague and won’t result in any meaningful output. I don’t know if you can relate to looking through your wardrobe and realising that for all the time you’ve spent sewing, you only have two or three garments you actually wear. And those YouTube videos about ‘Everything I made in insert year‘ are just salt in the wound.

So if you feel like you want more handmade items that you’ll actually wear, you need to get a bit more specific. Try something like:

‘Complete one sewing project a month that fits.’

For the average sewist who has work or school, this is completely realistic. It also helps to think of that entire month as ample time to print patterns, sew a mockup (check out my blog post on whether you should sew a toile), make adjustments to the pattern, and sew different variations.

This way, you’re not being vague, you’re giving yourself enough time, and you’re accounting for the fact that a project might not fit you straight out of the envelope.

Ps: Check out my free sewing planner to help you break down projects into smaller manageable steps

Set Goals for Shorter Timelines

I think we underestimate how much our interests and desires can shift throughout the year. In my opinion, the best way to break up a year is into quarters. This way, you’re not beholden to goals you set months ago when you were fixated on a certain trend or fabric. Setting goals for the next three months helps you avoid the pitfalls of rigidity and it allows you to move with the seasons according to your actual sartorial needs.

So give yourself room to do quarterly goal-setting sessions. The best part is you’ll get to review the last three months, figure out what worked and what didn’t, and carry that into the next quarter. Yearly goals look great in an Instagram post, but honestly, most of us struggle with goal-setting and discipline (though I say that as someone who has been diagnosed with ADHD).

Create a Back-Up Plan

If you’re anything like me and tend to be all-or-nothing, it’s worth having a backup plan. So let’s say your goal is to sew a 5-piece handmade capsule wardrobe in three months. Fairly reasonable. But what if you get to month two and you’ve only sewn two items, one of which fits really badly and looks nothing like the inspo pic you had saved on Pinterest?

This is where a lower-effort goal comes in handy. You could scale back to three items, say one top, one bottom, and a dress. It’s not a far cry from your original goal and it’s completely doable. Or you could shift gears entirely and swap the garments for lower-stakes projects like a makeup pouch or a laptop case.

The thing is, we still want gratification from our sewing, and I think that gratification is sweeter when it’s tied to a goal you actually set for yourself. So instead of setting yourself up for potential disappointment, give yourself smaller goals you can fall back on in case things don’t go to plan.

Check out my free printable brain dump to help you relieve your brain from all the sewing related stuff you’re carrying in your head

Think Beyond the Project List

Sewing goals aren’t just about the projects you want to complete. You might also want to learn new techniques or venture into a whole new branch of sewing altogether. Maybe you want to finally perfect sewing knits. In that case, you could explore which tools help you get the neatest finish and which knit fabrics you actually enjoy working with.

This kind of goal is harder to quantify, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give it some structure. You could do some research and put together a little curriculum around knits, check out educational YouTube channels like Seamwork, and choose one or two knit projects to really focus on. Other uncharted territory worth exploring could be bags, lingerie, or even quilting.

Sew What Actually Makes You Happy

Understand what aspects of sewing bring you the most joy and satisfaction and give yourself permission to let go of the rest. It’s easy to think that you must have this upward progression when it comes to skills and the types of items you sew. If something about sewing is bumming you out, you don’t have to keep doing it.

Tailor your resolutions to align with the interests you have identified. For instance, if creating garments sparks your creativity, focus your goals on honing those skills. Alternatively, if quilting is your forte, set objectives around exploring new quilt patterns or techniques. Centering your resolutions around your interests makes the sewing journey more gratifying.

Final Thoughts

That’s it from me for now. I hope these ideas inspire you to reflect on your sewing journey. If you’re looking for more structure in reviewing the past year of sewing and setting new goals, you might enjoy my printable Sewing Journal. It’s designed to guide you through 13 pages of thoughtful prompts, helping you reflect on your past projects and plan for the future. Happy sewing!