This is my first year end review. 2019 has been a busy year for me. In this post, I’m going to review the most important things I learned small business-wise, my best/most useful sewing tips/skills and my favorite projects of 2019. I’ll also give you a heads up with my plans for the new year.
Small Business
The most important thing I learned in 2019 from a small business perspective has been how to use Pinterest effectively. In January 2019 I purchased a series of online ecourses called the “Bloggers Pinterest Mini Bundle”. I worked my way through these materials in the subsequent four weeks. I also took a few free tutorials on graphic design and learned how to use Scribus (open source desktop publishing). The changes I implemented as a result of taking these courses have trippled my average monthly Pinterest viewers. I’m looking forward to implementing more techniques from these courses with the expectation of further increasing my average viewers.
Sewing Skills/Tips
The most useful sewing skill I mastered in 2019 was how to make my own continuous bias tape. Before one can master continuous bias tape, one must learn continuous bias strip. If you need a refresher, you can read my two-part series by clicking these images:
My continuous bias tape tutorial covers both homemade and store bought bias tape making tools so this sewing skill is accessible to sewers of all budgets.
My two best sewing tips of 2019 are emery filled pin cushions and pattern weights. I’ve been using my emery filled pin cushion for nearly eleven months and haven’t noticed any dull pins since. A few years ago a family friend loaned me her metal washer style pattern weights. I found them extremely helpful for keeping both patterns on fabric and keeping large pieces of fabric on my cutting table. I returned them before I moved to Saskatoon and sadly missed not having any at all until I made a set of rice-filled ones. Rice-filled pattern weights are an affordable option that allows you to use up some of your fabric scraps. Click the bellow images to learn more about these projects.
Favourite Projects
It’s hard to qualify which project reviews were my favourites as I only review projects that are of interest to me. That being said, I’ll assume my top picks are the projects I use everyday. I constantly use my fabric covered cans. Before I made them keeping track of pens, highlighters, rulers and marking pens was a constant chore. Now I’m able to find my items 90% of the time (which is a vast improvement of the 25% of the time that was my previous standard). Click on this image to learn how to sew your own fabric can cover:
Another item I use every day is my rice-filled palm rest (aka wrist rest). I type nearly every day and really notice the difference in my comfort at the keyboard when I’m using it. It did take some trial and error to get the firmness just right, but I definitely prefer a custom palm rest to a store bought one. Click on this image to read how to make your own:
Reading is one of my hobbies so I always have at least one book on the go. Sometimes it’s an ebook, sometimes a physical book and sometimes both. I have made several fabric bookmarks in different styles (some to use myself and some were given as gifts). I still have several paperback novels, several reference paperbacks and a few small business paperbacks to read so I foresee my fabric bookmarks continuing to get daily use. Click the image to read my post about three different styles of fabric bookmarks you can make.
Planning Ahead
The end of one year is a good time to starting planning for the next year. I’ve already planned most of my 2020 blog posts (and some of the 2021 posts). There will be sewing tips and tutorials, projects reviews, scrapbuster projects, a year end reivew and hopefully a backpacking DIY. I’m also hoping to implement more of my Pinterest skills and learn some more website-related skills.
Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2020! Comment below and/or Pin me for later!
Tanya
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