2024 Creative Goals

Ever since the pandemic hit, goal setting has been a bit unwieldy, but I’ve think I’ve finally hit a stride in system that works for me. I will share more about how I’m going about accomplishing these and other goals in a later post. Knowing how volatile the last year was for me, I'm writing this list with a great deal of optimism because ultimately things have been going so well. I want to keep that momentum throughout 2024.

So for 2024, my personal creative goals in no particular order, here we go:

1. Develop a line of digital sewing patterns
   I've been thinking of this for a while and over the past decade this has become a lot easier to do, both for technology and distribution. I may not make a ton of money from it but profits aren't the point. I just want to create and share my designs with other people who may like them. I’ve already begun putting things in place for a Spring opening and will continue chronicling my journey here.
   
2. Learn shoemaking
   I've found an online course, I Can Make Shoes, I want to take. Shoe making wasn't a part of my BFA in Fashion Design and I've always wanted to learn. With this course I can learn at my own pace and finally reach my goal of being able to make everything I wear from head to toe.
   
3. Make More Jewelry
   I’ve been wanting to make more jewelry like earrings, but also other components that could be used with garments like buttons and other findings. I want to explored using materials and techniques like precious metal clay, soldering, keum boo, wire, rhinestones, and cup chain.
   
4. Sketch/illustrate more days than not
   This has been a struggle for me. My skills have stagnated and I’ve already started taking steps to make drawing a part of a regular routine. I know all I really need is concerted practice to get to a level of proficiency I’m comfortable with. Coupled with the goal to develop the line of sewing patterns I think I'll have no choice but to improve.
   
5. Finish sewing through my stash
   This is the last year I'm holding on to the fabric in my stash. If I can't get through it this year, even if I still have projects I want to do, I'm going to let the majority of it go. I couldn't predict the pandemic, or getting sick, or changing jobs, but now that things are beginning to stabilize for me it's time sew or get it out of my house. Keep up with my Fabric Stash Challenge!
   
6. Upholstery and Furniture Projects
   I’d like to reupholster the chair in my main bedroom, a chair in my closet, and refinish and reupholster my dining chairs. I’d also like to build an ottoman or two for my media room and a storage cabinet for my dining area. I also have ideas to build storage above my main desk in my living room and to turn a chest of drawers in my bedroom into a secretary desk style vanity. I dipped my toe in a little bit with the updates I made to this Andover ebonized arm dining chair by Davis Allen for Stendig , a delightful surprise I didn’t know I had been literally sitting on for fifteen years.
   
7. Write a novel
   I have one unpublished manuscript that I want to rewrite and dozens of stories inside my head that need to come out. This year I’m going to pick at least one and write the first manuscript (or rewrite an existing one) to prepare it for publishing. I think I’ll self-publish but I want to leave myself open for lots of different possibilities. There’s an idea I have that marries my love for writing and love for fashion design and costume in one. It’d be a heft project to undertake, but it’s one that excites me.

Do you have any creative goals that you're looking to accomplish in 2024? I'd love to hear all about them.