Me Made May 2017

Oops... poor neglected blog!

I wasn't going to participate in Me Made May this year. I've got to the point where I wear my handmade clothes without thinking about it now.

However.... suddenly it was May 1st and I remembered Me Made May!

So what has changed since last year?
- I've lost 2 stones in weight
- I've knitted more socks
- I've knitted several shawls
- I've bought more fabric
- I've tidied the house (huge job!)

But the one thing I've not really done is sew any more clothes.

This month I am going to wear all my hand made clothes and see what still fits, what is too big, what I don't actually wear any more.

I'm also going to get out my sewing machine and fabric box and see what needs sewing up and what else I can make.

I'm also going to attempt my first dress.

Fabric and patterns

Just realised I never posted the last day of me made may - oops. I did do it, honestly!  I've also continued to wear my hand made clothes on a regular basis.

Since I've done me made may I've been shopping for clothes in a different way. I've been trying to decide if it's the pattern or the fabric I like. The conclusion I've come to is there are certain brands where I really like their fabric patterns - fat face, Seasalt,  mantaray. I am also a big lover of linen fabrics. I tend to choose very simple patterns.

So I now need to continue building up my set of basic patterns, and to find a supplier of print fabrics I love.

Me Made May Days 28-30

Wow! Almost there! So impressed I've managed to do this for a whole month! I wonder what I'll find myself wearing over the next few weeks!

Day 28 - travelling to Scotland. My latest simplicity 8523 blouse in the cheap polycotton from hobbycraft which was washed, tumble dried and ready to wear again -no ironing required!

Day 29 - my favourite simplicity 2103 blouse with the pink flowers and hand knit socks for a farm open day followed by a bbq. Weather boiling, neck burnt. Oops.

Day 30 - woke up to fog and wind! Hand knit socks for today (which were so comfy on our walk to see a castle and across the beach).

Me Made May Days 23-27

Day 23 was the beginning of the packing for our holiday so I dug out a t shirt I'd tie dyed. Not sure I like it but at least it had an airing.

Day 24 I thought I'd better give my sorbetto top an outing before I made another. It's definitely too short - need to work out what to do with it. Other than that it was very comfy so I made another - 3 inches longer!

Day 25 required me to look respectable for a class photograph so out came the new simplicity 8523 top. Bit tight around the sleeves and the bottom (didn't do the slit sides through laziness ) but very wearable. It's also washed brilliantly and doesn't need ironing!

Day 26 needed walking boots for work so the only me made was socks. Until the evening when I needed to look considerably more respectable for a work event. As everything else was being saved for the holiday, out came the flowery skirt yet again.

Day 27 was yet another flowery skirt day as I have nothing else suitable for worn that hadn't been packed for the holiday. I must make a new work skirt!

Me Made May Days 17-22

Oops... bit behind!

Day 17 was patched jeans and hand knit socks because I felt under the weather. Discovered a lack of comfy handmade clothing today!

Day 18 - back to the blue chambray simplicity 2188 blouse and more hand knit socks.

Day 19 was hard. School logo PE kit. Fortunately I'd finished my trainer socks earlier in the week!

Day 20 and simplicity 2188 made an appearance yet again, this time in the floral form. This must be one of favourites as it's the one I've worn the most in May!

Day 21 was the first outing for the simplicity 1203 jersey knit tank top. Super comfy - must make more!

Day 22 and it was back to the simplicity 1080 dottie angel tunic. This is an awful fit, only worn because I was slobbing about at home and we are going away next week so I'm trying to savey favourites for then.

Done quite a lot of sewing this week - the tank top, another simplicity 8523 blouse  (in bargain £3 a metre polycotton from hobbycraft ) and shorts from simplicity 1203 which were made entirely of leftovers from previous projects.

I'm aware I've not worn my green edged skirt yet, and that my navy skirt is waiting to have a smaller waistband so it doesn't fall down. I've also got 2 tops and a pair of shorts as yet unworn so plenty to try out this week.

Me Made May Day 16

I woke up to glorious sunshine so popped on my white broderie anglaise blouse  (simplicity 8523) with crop jeans and sandals. I took a selfie outside and it was so bright I couldn't see the photo.

The clue should have been in the black clouds that appeared behind me in the photo....

By the time I'd done the school run I was back into jeans and hand knit socks - I was frozen!!

I managed to finish the sorbetto top - love the pattern and the way it has come out. I could possibly go down a size or make the bust darts a bit deeper to get a better fit, and I'd certainly make it longer next time.

Me Made May Day 15

I dug out the very first refashion I did for today's me made May. I added a skirt to a t shirt to make a dress to go over leggings. And a ribbon belt.

No, I never wore it.

No, I had no idea what I was doing.

I wore it for a couple of hours,  took it off and got out the stitch ripper!

It's now a much nicer tank top from a free pdf pattern - Sorbetto by Colette. I need to buy bias binding tomorrow for the neck and arms then I can finish it off.