This month I'm taking part in Me Made May, hosted by Zoe of Sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com. Oh and if you head on over to her blog you'll find some amazing discount offers for some wonderful independent pattern and fabric stores, hurry though as it's only until the end of the month. I love the amazing sewing community on Instagram, there are various sewing challenges, competitions and just fun things to take part in most months and I do.
This is my third year of taking part in Me Made May and I absolutely love it. The first year I filled the gaps in my wardrobe by sewing lots that month, the second year I focused on making more basics and plain coloured garments as you know me and my love of the print, especially a bright floral. This year I set myself a different challenge and so far I'm failing miserably. I'm laughing though as I suspected this might just happen.
Me Made May is a challenge, but not set by Zoe, nope, it's your own personal challenge, you set your own personal rules, you don't have to post everyday, really it's about connecting with other sewists and celebrating wearing me made clothes, it's up to you if you want to achieve more during the month. This year as in previous years, I've worn Me made every day, as I do pretty much all the time anyways. I set my personal challenge to finish any ignored and gathering dust makes that I had stuffed in a bag in my cupboard feeling super unloved. I thought this might spur me on to finish them or decide they had to go. So far some have made it out of the bag but not to my sewing machine. Oeeerrrr. I think I'm realising some of them are in the ignored bag for a reason because I get far more excited about new projects, so Ive made a few more things instead.
I'm also busy decorating as we're moving house soon. The house needs a lot doing to it before we move in, so sewing time is a bit less, but of course I always find time to sew. I'd go loopy lou if I didn't find time for that.
My first make this month was another Tilly and the Buttons Arielle skirt. I saw a lady walking along in a navy floral skirt which made me think of the glorious Sanderson linen I had in my stash cupboard. Next thought followed on pretty quickly, I have to make it into a skirt. So I did.
I always line these skirts as I love the finish it gives them and they hang to my body far better because of it. The perfect lining appeared in 2m of a blue/grey rayon I'd bought in a charity shop and was just the thing for the job.
I've already worn this skirt a few times as I love it. I did move the waist buttons over after a first wear though as it was too loose once the cloth moved to my body, so it's a more curved waist shape than in this picture now.
The next sewing plan that had been in my head for a while was to make a top using the Monetta dress tie collar. As I've found the perfect fit for me in the Jennifer Lauren Gable Top I chose to draft the body of this jersey together with the neckline of the Monetta so I could add the collar to it. If you fancy doing this too, then you simply download the various collar options for the Monetta as a free Pdf from Colette. You'll need the Monetta pattern first of course to use the bodice to draft your new neckline.
Again, I've worn this a few times already as I love how it has turned out. In fact, I've made another one already in a blue spot jersey.
I guess this next make kind of counts as attacking the ignored pile, if we're going to agree I can bend the rules of my self-imposed challenge. This rayon had been lingering in my stash for two years, bought to make a kimono style wrap for the summer. I'd not found a pattern that shouted at me so it had just laid there ignored. Then I stumbled upon the Buchanan by Gather, found I had enough cloth to make it with the necessary extra length needed for my height and even better, the leftover cloth that I had lined my Arielle skirt in went perfectly with it to provide the contrasts.
Fair to say I'm over the moon with this make. I'm still waiting for the heat to rack up though so I can think oohhh it's so bloomin' hot this morning, but wait...I have the perfect robe to throw on today.
Oh my, the ructions this robe has caused. My great pal has fallen in love with it and now tells me firmly that it looks dreadful on me and do you know, green really isn't my colour. I have to hide it whenever she comes over now, I think she'd pull it off my body she loves it that much. I've promised to make her one to keep her calm.
So now we are entering week four of Me Made May, three weeks of enjoying wearing and sharing my wardrobe and seeing sewists makes have passed on by. I've got a fair few projects on the go. My Millie's prom dress to finish, several patterns cut out waiting to be sewn, a pair of trousers to make to write a review for and a frock I'm hoping I'll get to make before an event this week.
That's the thing with sewing. I just utterly love it. There's always so much more I want to try out, you wouldn't believe the list in my head and my notebooks. Why, I wonder do my family want to eat and why does anyone care because I've not washed any clothes? I'm sorry, but I'm busy sewing and that's far more important don't you know.
Happy uninterrupted sewing to you.
Thanks for reading, I'll be back again soon.
