I've always been fond of a chance to review my life and set myself some new challenges. So much so that I often make "New Years Resolutions" multiple times a year (1st January, my birthday in June and, when I was still in education, the new school year in September).
In January 2016, I convinced my SO to start running with me. We both agreed that we needed to get some more exercise and just live a healthier lifestyle, so we started the NHS "Couch to 5k" programme. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it is a series of podcasts that guide you from "running for the bus will probably kill me" to running continuously for 30 minutes. The podcasts run for 9 weeks and each week get you running for a little bit longer. So 9 weeks from January 2016, we should have finished it by early March 2016. Unfortunately, due to ill health (his) and loss in the family (mine), we still haven't completed the programme. That's right, 12 months on and we are still on week 5.
So, I think that we can conclusively agree that last year's challenge hasn't worked so brilliantly. However, that hasn't stopped me setting new challenges!
June saw me turning 20-something and I decided that I was completely fed up with my incessant cycle of clearing out my wardrobe of clothes I don't like, only to replace them with more clothes that I don't love. So I gave up new clothes shopping and vowed to repair, refashion and make anything I needed. My exceptions were lingerie and hosiery and so far, it is working well. The only new clothes that have appeared in my wardrobe are a burgundy jacket I found in a vintage shop in Berlin (which I decided was still within the rules, because I give much more thought to the things I try on in vintage stores) and a Chudley Cannons t-shirt that my SO bought me when we went to the WB Studio Tour near London.
I have had chance to make a couple of things for myself, but I seem to more regularly make things for other people. Which brings me on to this year's challenges:
1. Over the course of 2017, I will make at least 12 items of clothing for myself. Theoretically, one a month, but I know that some months are easier for sewing than others and so I won't be tied to one each month.
2. Linked to #1, my fabric stash has started to get completely out of control. So I have also promised myself that I will use fabric I already own, before buying any more. The one exception, is the dress I need to make for a wedding in April (I am a groomsmaid) because I can't guarantee I have the right fabric in my stash.
3. My other favourite thing to do is to read. In 2016, I read 25 books, ranging from "How to walk in high heels" to "Bel Canto", so in 2017 I am stepping it up and aiming for 30 books. That might be a bit much with everything else going on but I'm going to give it my best shot. I have also gone around my bookshelves and catalogued all the books I own that I haven't read yet, and I'm going to start with those. So the first is "The Lies of Locke Lamora" by Scott Lynchm which was a Christmas present from lovely brother.
So those are my challenges and I do choose to accept them. I'll keep you posted on my progress here and on instagram.
