Me Made May 2015 Review: Part Two
So I was chugging nicely along on the Me Made May train despite the novelty wearing off of posting endless pictures of myself on Instagram, and not getting around to blogging a regular review. Then I had to have a minor surgery on my stomach at the end of last week which has me laid up and unable to wear 90% of my me-made clothes. They pretty much all have high waists / waist seams / waistbands etc which is no friend to a hernia repair. Ugh.
Nevertheless, I have been thoroughly enjoying the challenge and surprising myself as to how much I'm making of my handmade wardrobe and how few garments or combinations I've repeated. I've identified some items that I should probably give away and others that I didn't know how to wear and have found a perfect partner. What I've been ignoring is all the party dresses that haven't seen the light of day ...
I have been doing a lot of sewing, but that hasn't been to give me something to wear the next day (honestly!) but taking part in this is just feeding my sewing addiction and making me want to sew ALL THE TIME. As opposed to NEARLY all the time ...
I have however started missing some of my newer and favourite purchased RTW clothes and this has made me realise that I will never be one of those admirable folk who makes all their own clothes, I enjoy browsing and shopping and the thrill of falling in love with an item in a store too much. Even more so now I do it so rarely. However, it does mean that I now only buy things I really love, rather than buying something that isn't what I really want or doesn't fit me properly purely because I need a particular piece of clothing and it "will do".
Days 8 - 21 (pre-op) looked like this:
Day 8: A Linden Sweatshirt and a red denim Moss Skirt. Both patterns by Grainline Studio. The skirt is a couple of years old now and a little large. I've always struggled to find things to wear it with but it goes perfectly with this Linden. Now I just need to alter the skirt so it fits properly - I'm summoning up the motivation to unpick all those flat-felled seams. The sweatshirt I finished a couple of weeks ago and I love it. More details to follow soon.
Day 9: I started these silk houndstooth Suzy Pants about six months ago, but ran into some trouble with some attempted adaptations to the waistband so they languished in my WIP box until my self-imposed rule to rid myself of my unfinished projects this month kicked me into gear. I couldn't bear to just ditch the silk. I wore them with my beloved Burda cardigan and similarly beloved All Saints scarf with mega tassels. Happy happy.
Day 10: More Grainline Studio - this time an Alder shirtdress. This is definitely one of my least worn makes. The pattern is immensely flattering and my husband really likes it on me, but shirt dresses like this are not really me and the fabric is some awful scratchy, crease-attracting quilting cotton that I bought before I had any clue about these things (I have a modicum more clue now), and is horrible to wear.
Day 11: Yet more Grainline - a knit Scout tee. I have so few handmade t-shirts and tops that this one is the default if I need something casual and comfy. I don't love it, it's too voluminous and the neckline is puckered. Post MMM resolution - sew more wearable tops.
Day 12: Oh god, it seems this is the week of Grainline: This is a dress based on the Scout Tee and an Urban Outfitters dress (I thought I was super funny taking a photo of myself wearing it in ... Urban Outfitters). A blog post all about this coming later in the week.
Day 13: Seriously? Yep Grainline AGAIN: this is my most favourite (Moss) skirt. I wore it constantly last summer. It's a gorgeously soft striped chambray and the fit and length make it so easy to wear. And then a bonus item in the evening, my Gingers (not pictured).
Day 14: Phew, something not made from a Grainline pattern. Both me made items; A Shadi Skirt by Named Clothing and the same Eucalypt tank I wore on day 4. I really like this combination; really comfortable but I felt sassy!
Day 15: A kimono made using the By Hand London tutorial and a gorgeous voile ikat.
Day 16: I think I wore four different me mades this day, pictured are 16a my kind-of-camo Anima Pants and then my current favourite make; 16b (at the top of the post) my Echo dress: an adapted Saiph Tunic in the most gorgeous stretch denim. Both patterns by the wonderful Papercut Patterns.
Day 17: I made these shorts three summers ago. They're Colette Patterns Iris shorts and made in a cotton print from my mum's Chest of Fabric Wonder. The provenance is unknown but it seems to be an Indian block print that I underlined to give it enough weight for this pattern.
Day 18: Ginger Jeans plus Linden Sweatshirt. Match made in casual encounter heaven.
Day 19: Colette Clovers in stretch cotton twill ikat. Love these pants. Not sure they go with my Burda cardy.
Day 20: This was a real surprise. I love this combination having never really been happy with the top and not thinking the jeans are my colour. The top is Vogue 1247 in a lightweight cotton Swiss dot, which really doesn't have enough drape for this pattern, but contrary to my previous opinion seems to work here. It has had very little wear, but this has convinced me it should get more.
Day 21: my beloved French Connection jeans which I bought a few years ago because they reminded me of some jeans I tied and bleached when I was at school and a super soft Linden.
So, in summary this should be Me Made May sponsored by Grainline Studios ... And I have a whole heap of blogging to do as the majority of the things I've worn were made pre-blog or are in the 'to blog before they're past their best pile'.
Have you been taking part in Me Made May? Have you enjoyed it? Has it helped you figure out where to go next with your handmade wardrobe?
And if you haven't - sorry for boring you senseless both here and on Instagram.
See you soon x