Me-Made Clear Out: Round One

The new year is as good a time as any for a clear out of unworn garments. Especially if one of your New Year's Resolutions is to populate your wardrobe with garments that more accurately reflect how you truly want to dress. But when most of your current clothing selection has been hand made by your very self, a big clear out can some times be harder to face, as Winnie noted in the fabulous guest post she wrote whilst I was away honeymooning last year.

It's probably because we know full well how many (wo)man-hours went into each element of the creation that it can be so hard to part with them, even though they are gathering dust and you know they aren't going to be worn again. But when my drawer where my clothes that won't fit on my rail began to refuse to close, I knew it was time to sift out the bad items and take them to the textiles recycling bank, and make way for the lovely creations I plan to make this year. So, come Me-Made-May '13, what won't you be seeing anymore...

Awesome fabric, cute style, BAD FIT. I'm never going to wear this blouse again because it's way too large round the shoulders and I can't muster the motivation to unpick and rework it as much as would be required. 

Not that it ever stopped me from wearing it, but if I'm honest with myself, my black sateen Jenny skirt never fitted very well round the waist. So it's out on two counts. 

Oh my precious Leopard Collar Batwing top, how I love thee!!! Yet I had to accept that much wearing and laundering have taken their toll and the once lovely, drapey fabric now clings and hangs in an unpleasant fashion. Fear not though, I intend to harvest the collar and recreate this lovely garment when I dig out some suitably drapey jersey from the depths of my stash. 

It may sounds like an exaggeration, but this is hands down the best and most versatile top I've ever owned. Will recreate, the hole it leaves in my wardrobe is too great. 

I can scarcely believe I am saying this, but my denim sailor trousers have to go. I have worn them so often since I made them a few years ago, that  the gap they would leave is too great so I have to make a similar garment to ease their passing. They've been washed so many times that they're really faded in a not entirely attractive way, plus they are now too short, despite having let down the hem as much as physically possible. I might see what they look like if I cut the legs off and make them into little sailor shorts.  

Oh goodness, look at that saggy fabric around the crotch area! NOT NICE. The denim version I made of these shorts also have to go for the same reason. I've already graded the pattern down, so I may try and recreate these in the future. Though with the amount of snow on the ground right now, I can't imagine EVER needing a pair of shorts! 

This lovely mustard jersey was just too damn drapey for this style of top. It would have been ideal for a slinky batwing top, but there was never enough for that anyhow. This top was always too short as well. Bye bye. 

I have a lot of fun designing this ice cream sellers top, and it gave the opportunity to try out a couple of ideas, so I don't regret the process. However, since this photo was taken I never wore it, perhaps because the sleeve cuffs prevented cardigan layering, perhaps because I actually hate wearing pastel colours and have nothing to match with it. Probably a combination. Ah well... 

Having declared that these capri pants/cropped trousers might be the most comfortable trousers in the world, I've eventually come to understand that their innate comfort stems from being at least one whole size too big. And not too big in a 'nip them in at the side seams' type big, as in a 'totally started with the wrong size and the whole crotch area is too damn large' type big. To be honest, I'm done with trying to tweak the Colette Patterns Clover capri pattern. I'm going to start elsewhere for my quest to create the perfect capri pants. 

This little remade jumper served me well, and I thank it for it's hard work. However it is time for it to retire, particularly because my belly keeps popping out from underneath since it shrunk in the wash!