I quietly dropped my quarterly recaps this year, since my regular posts kept getting longer and more detailed. So instead of forcing quarterly recaps, I let it go and saved the reflection for the end of the year.
I made fewer things in 2025, but the projects I did take on were bigger and more involved. They asked more of me, and I’m far more proud of what I finished than I would be of a longer list.
Some highlights:
- Recreating my old Gap robe
- Lumbar packs
- A simple bra that actually works
- Sun hoodies
- Handsewn buttonhole on jeans
- Jeans that fit Ryan
- A workout tank that drapes well
- The best workout shorts I’ve ever made
Even with fewer projects, my spending landed slightly above 2023 levels. In 2024, buying the Sailrite LSZ sewing machine pushed my costs way up, so this year looks calmer by comparison.
What hasn’t changed is that fabric is still the biggest expense. Machines are a one time hit. Fabric adds up relentlessly.
I’ve also slowed way down on knitting. I don’t need a drawer full of sweaters that never get worn, and I’m not wearing knitted socks much anymore since compression socks are part of daily life after my DVT in 2024. However, I’m currently working on a sweater that I’m super excited about.
Who I sew for looks more balanced this year. In 2024 I made an overwhelming amount for myself because weight loss meant replacing nearly everything. This year settled into something that feels sustainable. I’ll probably always skew toward myself since I make my own bras and underwear, and Ryan happily buys his.
Color wise, three years of data make one thing clear. Red and black are not our colors!
My one and only humble brag is that I still buy fabric only as needed. I don’t stockpile, and I don’t leave piles of unfinished projects hanging around my sewing space. I really enjoy not having a lot of stuff around. It makes my life feel lighter.
I tend to rotate through the same fabric stores depending on what I’m making. Bra Builders for bras and underwear, Ripstop by the Roll for packs, Spoonflower and Blue Moon for leggings and sports bras, Minerva and Picotextiles for t-shirts, The Fabric Store for merino, and L’Oiseau for sweatshirt knits.
My most used pattern companies line up exactly with what I sew the most: Sophie Hines for underwear, Greenstyle for leggings, Elbe, Thread Theory, and Hey June Handmade for t-shirts, and Caramiya for sports bras. For sweaters, Petite Knit is still my go to.
There is something deeply satisfying about a truly reliable pattern.
Fitness Goals
I set a lot of fitness goals this year:
- 1,800 miles hiking, walking, or running with 100,000 feet of elevation gain
- Complete 200 miles in one month
- Hike to the top of Malans
- Hike to the top of Malans twice in a row
- Hike to Lake Balanche
- Running a half marathon
- Swim
I didn’t hit 1,800 miles. A neck sprain in November while attempting 200 miles shut things down, but I still finished the year at 1,665 miles and 132,149 feet of elevation gain. I’m proud of that.
Malans deserves its own paragraph. It gains 2,250 feet in 2.75 miles one-way and is no joke. I started hiking it weekly in February as part of physical therapy. It took until May to reach the summit without stopping. By summer, it became a weekly ritual, and in October I finally did it back to back for over 4,500 feet of gain in one outing.
That same week, I ran my first half marathon. Ten years ago I could manage ten miles, but 13.1 miles always felt out of reach. Crossing that line felt like a real marker of recovery after my DVT and pulmonary embolism.
Swimming was the most emotionally complicated goal. In 2024, I was desperate for cardio that didn’t rely on my right leg, since I’ve struggled with weakness and numbness since the DVT. As a former competitive swimmer, I assumed it would be easy. It wasn’t. Even swimming hurt. That loss hit harder than I expected. This summer, once my leg was strong enough for Malans, I tried swimming again. I now swim at least once a week. It took months of struggling to flutter kick with my right leg, and butterfly kick is still a work in progress.
None of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for my incredible team of physical therapists and personal trainer when I did finally graduate from physical therapy.
Health Goals
2024 involved far more hospital visits than anyone wants. After my pulmonary embolism diagnosis, they should just give clot survivors a punch card for the ER! My goal for 2025 was simple: stay out of the emergency room.
I didn’t start strong. COVID landed me back in the ER in January, and I called a mulligan on that one. I made it all the way to November after that.
Being on blood thinners comes with several concerns: bleeding and coping with pain. Bleeding is dangerous and pain is harder to manage since ibuprofen is completely off the table. When bleeding and pain show up together, the ER is the only option. I begrudingly ended up in the ER twice in November and it’s hard not feeling like I let myself down somehow, even though I know there’s nothing I could’ve done. I’m hoping 2026 is quieter.
Favorites
Sewing
Some things that made sewing easier this year.
I have disliked every magnetic pin holder I’ve owned until this one. The bowl shape matters. I can pick it up without flinging pins everywhere, and I don’t accidentally brush pins onto the floor while working. Simple is best!
I switched from clear tape and glue to masking tape for assembling PDF patterns and I’m not going back. I can tape seams fully on the front and back, which keeps everything flat.
This made PDF assembly almost boring, which is exactly what I want. Even lighting, plenty of space, and no need to trim edges beforehand. Taping patterns together is genuinely painless now.
I picked this up while learning to hand sew buttonholes and ended up using it constantly. Focused light right where I need it makes slow, detailed work much less tiring.
The old school magnifier still deserves respect. When precision actually matters, nothing beats being able to see exactly what your needle is doing.
I’ve tried a truly annoying number of scissors over the years. Fiskars, LDH, Gingher, and several others all ended the same way. They dulled quickly and flat out refused to cut through 12 oz denim. The Kai Professional shears are the only ones that have handled everything I throw at them, from delicate silks to heavy denim, without fighting back. They cut cleanly, consistently, and without that hand fatigue that sneaks up on you during long cutting sessions.
This year marked five years with my Laurastar Smart I, which still feels a little unbelievable. I’ve never had an iron last more than about ten months. I went through two or three Rowentas, then bought an Oliso and disliked it so much that when it died, I finally caved and bought the wildly expensive Laurastar.
No regrets. Since I rent, a gravity feed iron was never realistic since it would take up too much space and hanging it from the ceiling could cause damage that I’d have to pay for when we move out. The Smart I has a small footprint, everything is integrated, and the board adjusts high enough for me while staying incredibly stable. In five years I’ve had no leaks, no wobbles, no scorched fingers, no wet messes, and no random failures. It just works, every single time.
Books
My favorites were Doppelganger by Naomi Klein, The Chaos Machine by Max Fisher, Enshitification by Cory Doctorow, and Hiding in Plain Sight by Sarah Kendzior. I also really enjoyed Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino, Fantasyland and Evil Geniuses by Kurt Andersen, and Status and Culture by W. David Marx.
Music
Dead Pioneers were my standout new artist, but their music does come with a content warning for both language and subject matter.
I also stumbled upon The Smile, which makes sense given how much I love anything involving Thom Yorke.
One song from My Morning Jacket hit especially hard. Living with the knowledge that 25 to 30 percent of people who develop a pulmonary embolism die if left untreated changes your whole mindset. I’m approaching two years since mine, and I’m grateful for every day I’ve had since. Ryan has been steady through all of it. He never hesitates when I say I need to go to the ER, even at 1 in the morning. He supports my big physical goals without questioning them. This song reminds me of him in the best way.
My affection for Maynard continues. He sits in the same category as George Winston for me. Who else writes lyrics like “your nature is pugnacious, your temperament deplorable”.
Maynard remains endlessly fascinating, both musically and lyrically. Anyone willing to use words like “supercilious” in a song has my attention.
YouTube and TV
The International School of Tailoring videos were easily my favorite this year.
I also got a lot out of Bespoke Educator and ended up buying both the pant and shirt courses. Worth it.
Other regular watches included:
- Adam Savage’s Tested
- Rick Beato
- And I’m sure everyone is familiar with Drumeo, but I actually enjoy Drumble more.
The only TV show I really enjoyed this year was the Great Moose Migration. Forget whatever new thing is on HBO, Apple TV, Netflix, etc!
I’m grateful for the year I had, and I’m hoping to keep things steady in 2026. More making, more movement, fewer hospital visits please, and plenty of space to enjoy the simple things.
P.S. My favorite bird this year was the Yellow-breasted chat. I only ever heard their songs since they like to hide in thick brush, but they remind me of mocking birds that I grew up listening to in Indiana.
I love your year video. Nice. I always learn a lot reading your blog so thank you, it’s appreciated.