Monday 1 June 2015

Me-Made-May'15: Days 28 - 31 The End!


Ah sad times! Here's the final round-up of documentation pics from Me-Made-May'15, plus my thoughts at the end. 


Day 28 (spot the cheeky feet at the bottom of the pic!)
Me-Mades:



Day 29
Me-Mades:



Day 30
Me-Mades:



Day 31
Me-Mades:


Final thoughts:

My pledge this year was to wear as many me-made garments as possible (which wasn't too difficult because I do that most of the time anyway) and to wear a dress or skirt five days a week (which was difficult but I achieved it, phew!). To go from wearing a skirt or dress perhaps once a month, to wearing one five out of seven days was a big leap. I chose to do this because I want to expand the variety in my day-to-day looks; I'd got into a serious rut of wearing secondhand jeans, a knit top and cardigan every-single-frikkin-day and I just wasn't happy with what I saw in the mirror most of the time. A couple of months ago a friend of mine even said 'You don't have many clothes, do you?', which certainly isn't true but says a lot about how predictable my outfits had become. 

I also think I felt a bit lost to my current role/s. Yes, I am the mum of a crazy little toddler so comfort and movement is key, but this is my life now for the next few years. I had to figure out a way to combine those practical necessities with outfits that make me feel something closer to 'me' when I look in the mirror. Or at least just not bored. 

So here I am on 1st June, 'free' from my pledge and still wearing a skirt! So Me-Made-May'15 seems to have helped me integrate most of my dresses and skirts into more regular rotation and I've found some good new outfit combinations. I've discovered which of my tights I'm able to wear for a whole day and which require disposal or reworking. I've found that the dresses and skirts that can be worn with trainers are the ones that I will reach for during the week. The rest that need to be worn with nicer shoes and/or are perhaps a little more restrictive will be confined to the weekends when I go to work, and to the occasional date night. 

I feel like I'm still a fair way away from the wardrobe I'd like to own, but this month has given me a good idea about what items will be worth the investment of time and expense to create, and what would be a waste. I'm not going to write a strict 'To Make' list because I like the freedom to make whatever I like when the urge takes me, but I am not going to make anything that I'm sure won't see hefty action. I think this Me-Made-May has really helped me figure out what will and what won't get lots of use with my lifestyle as it is at present. Well fitting trousers and perhaps shorts would be a welcome addition, as would a black or navy knit skirt, and any time spent making jackets or coats will be well spent because of the frequency of wear those garments receive.

How about you? What have you taken away from participating in MMM this year (if you did, of course)? Do you feel you have a better relationship with your handmade clothing now? Or at least a bit of insight into what is required to improve that relationship? I want to thank everyone who took part and got involved in the community aspect in some form or other. It's always such an inspirational and supportive part of the year and 2015's challenge was bigger and better than ever! I already can't wait for Me-Made-May'16! 




29 comments:

Lisa said...

Thank you Zoe for hosting another wonderful Me-Made-May! I'm already looking forward to next year too. :)

Catherine said...

Thank you for organising Me Made May, I know how easy it is to fall into a rut - well done for breaking yours. I was glad that my me made may confirmed that I had been right about the things I need to sew. Just need to make time to actually sew all those things now..

I wear dresses and skirts all the time but I need to make some trousers, so I have the exact opposit to you 😄

classic-mini66 said...

Well done to all participants, I didn't take part this year as I a novice sewer who only had a dress and a skirt in my me made wardrobe at the beginning of May. I intend to be in there next year and it has motivated me to make some long term plans around what I am going to sew over the next few months.

Unknown said...

What a brilliant month! No repeats and taking 31 self portraits floored me though :( I know what to make for next year, and here's my round up of this year, if anyone wants to see lots of pictures of me with mad hair and all the filters: http://juliacroyden.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/sewing-lace-on-widows-weeds-and.html

Caroline said...

It was awesome! Thanks so much x
This year was my second MMM and I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. It has helped me work out which of my me-mades I enjoy wearing and the reason why some haven't been worn since the last MMM!
Like you I need trousers, shorts and jackets... and maybe a couple of dresses.
What I don't need are nay skirts with straight waistbands because they are not comfy to wear all day at work! Why I haven't admitted this before is beyond me?

Gillian said...

THanks so much for hosting! It's the perfect point in the year to check in with my wardrobe, and see how things are going. I hope you have fun sewing up a couple of useful comfy-but-cute things over the next few months! :)

Alli said...

Thanks for hosting Me-Made May again! This was my first year participating, and I had so much fun, plus I learned a lot about how I want to improve my handmade wardrobe! :)

Claire Cooper said...

I didn't officially sign up for MMM15, just because of lack of time to get organised and post. I did wear me made clothes most days, but it was usually just one item at a time. I know I need ti invest in making a wider range of tops/ t shirts etc. a few more me made cardy/ sweaters would go down well, as would some trousers. I made Thurlow shorts and wore them on Sunday, along with a loose fitting too and jacket that were all me made. 3 items in one outfit, I'm doing well. So like you Zoe, I know what I need more of and its not dresses!

Beth said...

i've loved participating this year, thank you so much for organising everything :) i've really got a better sense of which styles i feel most comfortable in now, which i think will help me choose what to make in future so i can get the most wear out of my me-mades :)

vintagerockchick said...

Thanks again for 'incentivising' (is that a word) all us stitchers into actually wearing the things we make and showing them to the world. You have a great varied wardrobe and I definitely have to add a Jenna cardigan to my list.

Jane said...

Thanks Zoe for organising once again - I did a partial play-along without official signup, but found it more valuable than I anticipated. Perhaps my biggest revelation was to finally do a proper high bust measurement and get serious about doing an FBA at last! I have a pear shape with narrow shoulders and I think many of my garments could be more flattering if I had started with a smaller size at the top and worked my way down. Always more to learn! (PS I think you look great in dresses and skirts, and I particularly love that navy skirt with the buttons.)

Sharon said...

It has been a great month and thank you so much for "incentivising" us all. So glad that you have worked out how to use your dresses and skirts into a wardrobe that you feel more comfortable with and your list of makes it what I have just completed, and it is all tops and layers :)

Amy said...

Thanks for being such an inspirational host this year! I too was in a jeans rut, and I loved being more creative with my outfits and just feeling like myself again. It's given me a good focus on what kind of thing to make next. I was in awe of this challenge 2 years ago and can't believe that I succeeded in wearing something me-made everyday for a month!

velosews said...

After all the effort you've gone for use who participate in MMM, I'm so pleased you got something of use out of this month.
It's too easy to get into a clothing rut/rhythm so taking 4 whole weeks to assess what you've got is an amazing opportunity.
I'll be going back to added colour into my safe workwear.
I'm still in awe when I see all the busy sewers who have family and work commitments take part in MMM. Cheers Zoe xoxo

Luzie said...

Thank you very much for hosting this wonderful MeMadeMay. I know now very clearly, what kind of dressing type I am and what I really like to wear. Unfortunetly the wheater in germany was quite cold, so all my beloved summerdresses had to stay in the closet. Lucky Australians!

Luzie

Veronica said...

Well done Zo, you did well wearing those dresses! I found it really great this year, because I've been handmaking for ages but with the big move & mamalyf over the past few years... my wardrobe has shifted so much... a good challenge for me this year... I wrote about it on my blog what I discovered last month.

Thanks again for hosting! You got some good press this year I heard around the traps! YAY

Kestrel said...

Thanks for hosting. I took part at the last minute, deciding to sign up on the 1st of the month. I only did Instagram photos because I can rarely get my shit together for proper photos. This worked perfectly for me and I did enjoy it. I wondered what I'd get out of it as I have a lot of handmades worn daily, but the best thing I did was set the challenge of clearing my UFO/mending/upcycling pile and I got on really well with this. I'll post about it later this week

Cucicucicoo: Eco Crafting & Sewing said...

I always love reading your MMM conclusions! I totally understand the getting into the jeans rut, and think that it's great that the challenge this year has helped you with that! I came to the conclusions that 1) I have a lot more clothes than I thought I did (because, like you, I tend to just keep wearing the same things), 2) I need to dedicate one morning a week to just plain "selfish" sewing because it keeps me sane, and 3) getting sewing WIPS done feels really good! (Part of my challenge was to finish all seasonal-appropriate WIPS). I wrote more about it here: http://www.cucicucicoo.com/2015/06/me-made-may-2015-may-17-31/

By the way, I really love the MMM community on the various social media. Having the hashtag is so great to just check in on what other people are wearing, and see how many talented people participated and get a lot of great new ideas! :) Lisa

Jessica said...

This was my first time participating in MMM. It's been the perfect excuse to carve out time to sew, to focus on making garments I'd actually wear every day, and it even resulted in doing some sewing for others as well as myself. I'm so glad that I took part!

Thank you for organizing MMM, Zoe!

Linda said...

I participated for the first half of the month on Instagram and loved deciding which me made item to wear and how to style it. We got a puppy in the middle of the month so it's jeans and old t-shirts for now! Don't want him to chew holes in my me made stuff! Thanks for hosting, looking forward to next year when I too hope to have a much bigger me made everyday wardrobe.

lp said...

I really like those parting thoughts 1), because I identify with what you've said and where you are, and 2) because I found that MMM was as much about thinking through my real life wardrobe/fashion sense as it was about sewing. It gives my sewing a direction and a purpose and allows me to create the fashion I want with knowledge of what I will actually wear. I think it's the most practical "think through your style and wardrobe" exercise I've ever done.

Nanna said...

I was glad I had enough to participate this year, having to finish up the pattern Review contest & lots of birthdays & graduations helped a lot lol!maybe next year I'll have sewn enough to wear somnething me made everyday, thank you for hosting this I truely enjoyed it!

Helen

Symon said...

This was my first time participating in MMM and I definitely learned a thing or two, which was a pleasant surprise since I didn't expect to :) I realized that a) I don't have as wide of a handmade wardrobe as I thought, but that I'm comfortable having areas of my wardrobe that aren't handmade (like workout gear LOL), and b) I need to be more flexible in my planning and realize that the things I am inspired to sew are also the things I also want to wear! Because of this, I made a few spontaneous garments this month that have been really great additions to my wardrobe :) Thanks for hosting once again this year, and I look forward to participating next year! :)

Mother of Reinvention said...

You lok fab in a skirt and have some lovely ones in your wardrobes. MMM is such a great idea. I would have loved to participate but have too little me-made clothing. Always next year though. Thanks for the inspiration. Xx

Christals Creations said...

I did find some fab items I love but I didn't wear all of the items I have that are Me Made. I will try and use more of them and fill in the gaps though. :)

quicoud said...

Thank you for this great job!
I'll be back next year!

Melwyk said...

I did have fun this month, and I found that I have lots to wear, much more than even last year. It's fascinating to see what you naturally reach for in your closet though, and what you might make next that will also be worn frequently. Most of my daily wear seems to be dresses! Even one that is 24 yrs old...

PaisleyPirouette said...

Thank you so much for organizing Me-Made-May! I totally understand that you would be reaching for your jeans outfit and I am glad that you, too, have had a profit out of Me-Mad-May in dressing more YOU outfits.
This was my second participation. Last year, I was surprised that I had enough garments to wear. I grabbed out of my dresser what came to my mind without a problem. The photos are a lot more truthful than the mirror. So I realized, that a lot of my memade garments are really ME and some others just are not right. Afterwards, I could give them to somebody without regret.
This year, I enjoyed the communication at flickr very much. It is such a kind community.
Thank you, Zoe, for making all this possible! SaSa

Masustak eguzkitan said...

Hi Zoe! Thank you so much for organizing Me-Made-May!
With my new motherhood, this year I could not actively participate in the challenge. But as I got some pictures I've written a post. I leave the link for you to see
Next year we'll have more time.
http://masustak-eguzkitan.blogspot.com.es/2015/06/mmm15.html

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