Me Made May 16

I'm scraping in here just before the start of May, but I am pledging to join in with Me Made May again this year. If you aren't familiar with the concept, take a look here.

It's taken me a while to think about what my pledge or challenge should be this year. Last year, I challenged myself to wear more me made bottoms, as I was on Mat leave and had fallen into a "jeans and top" rut. This year I'm back at work 4 days a week and most of those days I will wear something handmade, usually a dress or skirt, so I wasn't sure what to do. I want it to be a challenge, but I don't want it to be stressful.

But yesterday I wore a handmade blouse that doesn't get much wear for no particular reason. I was thinking about this last night, when the penny dropped, and I had my challenge. So, here goes...

I, Helen from Grosgrain Green, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '16. I endeavour to wear at least one me made garment each day for the duration of May 2016, and to wear each and every item of handmade clothing that I own, at least once during the month, where seasonally and occasionally appropriate.

I already know where the handmade gaps are in my wardrobe, and I do generally sew what I like to wear. But I do have handmade items languishing in my wardrobe that rarely get worn, but which I can't quite bring myself to throw out. So, this year I want MMM to give me the opportunity to identify why I don't wear them. Is it that my style has changed? Is it that they no longer fit? Is it that actually they are just pretty craply made? Is it a wardrobe orphan? Am I just not wearing them out of habit and could there still be life in them?

If, after wearing each item I still love it, I will resolve to wear it more. If I find myself hating or even just feeling a bit "meh" about it, I will donate/recycle it and move on.

The only exceptions to this are occasion and weather specific. May in Scotland, generally, is not that warm, so I can think of at least one skirt that I won't wear because it's way too summery to wear with tights. Similarly, I have no nights out planned in May, so unless something drops into my social calendar (unlikely), I probably won't wear my Seachange top because I would feel ridiculous wearing that during the day. My aim is not to make myself feel stupid, so, for those items, I will resolve to wear them at the first available opportunity, so I can go through the same process.

Are you signing up? What is your challenge? Here's to another fun May!