Sunday 5 June 2016

Me Made May - Final days and round up!

May = quickest month ever!

Can you believe that's Me Made May over already? And we are nearly halfway through the year?

So, let's start with a quick round up of the final days of MMM.

Day 28 - Named Alexandria Peg Trousers
This is the second time I've worn these and although I'm still feeling ambivalent towards them, I did enjoy wearing them. They are comfy to wear, although I do feel like I have slightly restricted movement in them. My calves are fairly chunky (in relation to the rest of me) and as a result, if I crouch or bend, the fabric sticks over my calves and pulls the waist down a bit. There is no danger of flashing, as they high waisted to start off with, but I am always conscious they need fiddling with. How often do I crouch or bend down? Well, I have a toddler and I cut out fabric (and do a lot of pinning) on the floor. So, quite a bit as it turns out. I'm also still not convinced of how flattering they are but I'm going to keep them a bit longer. It was nice to have a casual trouser that wasn't jeans. Keeper.

Day 29 - Double Gauze Emmeline
Repeat. Keeper.

Additional photo - not instagrammed, but to show that I did wear my Liberty kimono during the month.

Day 30 - Vintage 70's Shirt Dress in Chambray
This was another garment I started off feeling ambivalent about but ended up loving by the end of the day. Partly compliments, partly I just liked wearing it. It's the first time I've worn it with bare legs and clogs and I really like it like that, although between the short length,, the fact that it's a little tight and the gap at the bottom before the bottom button, it does border on indecent when I sit down... But chambray! Keeper.

Day 31 - Block Printed Scout Dress in Chambray
Repeat. Keeper.

In terms of the challenges I set myself, I achieved them. I wore something handmade every day. Not only that, but I managed to wear, or at least try on and discard, everything bar the 1974 dress, which I couldn't wear as I didn't have enough time to repair it. That means I wore 32 of the 33 possible items initially recorded, plus 2 additional items I'd forgotten to include initially - 34 items, all handmade! Of them, 3 items were to be chucked out/used as muslins/refashioned where possible. I have a few items that won't get worn every day, but that's OK as long as I do wear the outside of MMM. I also have a few items which would benefit from being altered a little, so I need to make that a priority.



Final Me Made Me thoughts:
1. I am really bloody proud of my handmade wardrobe.
2. I actually wear most of the garments on a regular basis. I thought I didn't and I expected to get rid of more but really that was more of a seasonal thing, I think. I guess my spring/summer sewing game is stronger than my winter one.
3. My work wardrobe needs more trousers, whether handmade or not, but seeing as I have fabric and patterns, I should probably challenge myself to make them.
4. I don't have a seasonally appropriate jacket for work. I very much doubt I'll get round to making one before it gets colder again, but something to think about.
5. This was the first Me Made May that I didn't panic sew. I guess I felt less need to, but the real reasons were that time was limited and I had to focus on other things (boys t-shirts, dress for a wedding reception). It also meant I didn't revisit anything that needed a fit adjustment or a repair. They are still on my to do list.
6. I get caught up in the agendas of others, and start thinking that I need to make all the things. This happens every year. I don't. My aim is not to sew a 100% handmade wardrobe, it is for handmade and RTW to happily co-exist, but for both to be practical, wearable and of sufficient quality that they last. That said...
7. ... I would like to be able to have more handmade outfit options, as dresses aside, I felt I was always wearing one handmade item with the rest of the outfit being RTW. The people I found inspirational on MMM this year definitely wore more "outfits". And...
8. ...I should think about making more t-shirts. I seem to buy jersey but I don't really sew it, unless it's for the boys. I don't *need* t-shirts, but again, the fabric and patterns are there, so why not?
9. I haven't gone off vintage entirely! Which makes me want to revisit some of my vintage patterns.
10. I have the coolest work toilets/bathroom in the world!!!! :)

How did you get on with Me Made May this year. Any revelations?

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8 comments

  1. You've made some very lovely items and given me lots of inspiration for joining in next year!

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  2. I loved following you on Me Made May! I fully agree, you should be proud of your homemade wardrobe. It's great! I also need to make a jacket for work, it is on my to do list somewhere... one day. And also, I agree, it is so hard to not be influenced by others and their goals / makes. I love your goal of your RTW and handmade stuff happily coexisting together :)

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    1. Thank you, and I loved following along with yours - yours is one of the "handmade outfit" inspirations, I mentioned. It's so nice when we can all inspire each other! X

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  3. It's been interesting following along with you this May. I like that you stuck faithfully to your goals! I had noticed you making a lot more modern designs, being an eclectic type myself it's good to see some of your vintage style resurrected. Regarding t-shirts, I sew jersey quite a bit (haven't got time to blog it right now but hopefully will get some blogged eventually), purely because it's so comfortable and versatile to wear, but I actually prefer sewing woven. I like the crispness and pressing!! Also adult t-shirts can be a bit boring to make, there isn't much challenge. So perhaps it's that!

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    1. Thanks Philippa! Yes, I think the vintage aesthetic goes right to my core. I can never get away from it completely, but I like mixing things up. You might be right about the tees, but they are generally also quick sews, so they are over and done with pretty quickly!!! Glad you are still sewing, even if you aren't blogging! X

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  4. You're right to feel proud, this is amazing! So many cool handmade clothes.....and a different outfit every day - I tend to wear the same things over and over, this is inspiring me to try new combinations.....

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  5. Yes you DO have the best work toilets! And my goodness do you see a lot of them during MMM! So glad you had a useful challenge that left you feeling very proud of yourself, as you should! Your handmade garments are fabulous. I love how each of them seem really wearable for everyday life. I love that! Thanks very much also for your recent comment on my maternity leave post, I really appreciated it and took in everything you wrote xxx

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  6. I really enjoyed seeing all your photos this May and it really sounds like you got a lot out of it. It's so satisfying to realise you actually wear me-mades most days anyway isn't it?! Trousers, that's the thing isn't it? I really need trousers that aren't jeans and I could buy them but, like you, have fabric to use, and I would like the challenge of trying to sew them. Crouchability is an important factor to consider though!

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