2010 New Year's Resolutions: Sewing Know-How

I just finished reviewing Singer's Complete Photo Guide to Sewing. Looking through this book again reminded me what a great resource it is...and how much I don't know. One of my resolutions for 2010 is to increase my sewing knowledge and comfort with various techniques. I'm making a list of all the apparel sewing techniques included in the Singer book. My goal is to try each of them at least once before December 31, 2010. I may have to try a few projects that I wouldn't normally have attempted in order to accomplish this but I think this will be fun. I'm keeping The List in the right-hand column with each technique numbered. Whenever I complete one of these techniques, I'll do my best to take sequential photos and post them.

I am skipping all the home decorating and serger techniques. I only own a conventional machine with just the basic stitches. I also don't need to do any decorating at the moment; that's the beauty of wedding gifts!

Is the list everything I don't know? Of course not. Actually, there are quite a few things on the list I've done many times before...just not done well. The point is to take the time to learn better technique so I will be proud of my garments...and not shudder when I see a picture of me wearing a beautiful teal shantung dress with "ski-slope boobs." Don't ask. It was bad.

The List

1. Layout for even and uneven plaids
2. Make self-fabric bias strips
3. Encased seam: self-bound
4. Encased seam: French
5. Encased seam: mock French
6. Encased seam: flat-fell
7. Encased seam: mock flat-fell
8. Stretch/taped seams
9. Bound seam: bias
10. Bound seam: tricot
11. Bound seam: Hong Kong
12. Darts
13. Basic gathers
14. Gathering with elastic
15. Sewing elastic in a casing (waistline seam)
16. Set-in sleeves
17. Sewing sleeves: flat-method
18. Continuous bound placket
19. Shirt-style placket
20. Attaching a cuff
21. Pointed collar with nonfusible interfacing
22. Round collar with fusible interfacing
23. Convertible collar
24. Shirt collar with a stand
25. Waistbands
26. Hems: topstitched
27. Hems: twin-needle stitched
28. Hems: bound
29. Hems: machine blindstitched
30. Curved hems
31. Narrow hems
32. Bias neckline facing
33. Patch pocket with square corners
34. Patch pocket with rounded corners
35. Self-lined patch pocket
36. Lined patch pocket
37. In-seam pocket
38. Slanted pocket
39. Welt pocket
40. Thread eyes
41. Buttonholes
42. Snaps
43. Lapped zipper
44. Centered zipper
45. Fly-front zipper
46. Covered separating zipper
47. Exposed separating zipper
48. Invisible zipper
49. Interfacing jacket front & facing
50. Shaping jacket lapels
51. Interfacing jacket back
52. Interfacing jacket hem
53. Shaping jacket undercollar
54. Interfacing jacket sleeves
55. Notched collar
56. Topstitching a tailored collar
57. Custom shoulder pads
58. Sleeve heads
59. Tailored jacket hem
60. Jacket vent
61. Lining a jacket
62. Lining bottoms with darts
63. Lining bottoms with pleats
64. Elasticized waistbands
65. Cut-on waistband with casing
66. Cut-on waistband topstitched
67. Smooth elastic waistband
68. Shirred elastic waistband
69. Ribbed neckline: flat
70. Ribbed neckline: in-the-round
71. Ribbed neckline: V-neck
72. Adjusting pattern for swimsuit
73. Activewear elasticized edges