Miss Maude #MMMay16 Giveaway!

Well it's the beginning of the second week of #MMMay16, which means one thing: GIVEAWAY TIME. This week's celebratory giveaway that is open to Me-Made-May'16 participants is being hosted over on Jennifer Lauren Vintage's blog. The prize is a delightful selection of vintage and new haberdashery and notions, everything you see in the picture above in fact, plus more. Head over to Jen's post to find out how to enter.

I hope you have a fantastic and enlightening second week of your challenge. Remember, taking photos of your outfits isn't important! It totally doesn't matter if you don't document your challenge, everyday or at all. It's all about wearing those amazing hand-stitched items, enjoying them and learning from it all.

My Me-Made-May'16: Week 1

(fairy queen: Day 7)

Happy first week of MMMay'16 everyone! If you've been taking part, how have you found it so far? Any discoveries or lessons learnt? My challenge has been going well. I've surpassed by pledge by not wearing any secondhand knitwear (which I had allowed occasional use of in my pledge). However, putting on my borrowed, mass-produced maternity jeans and trousers each day somehow feels like a cheat, even though I feel it would be pointless and a waste to try making a bunch of maternity trousers for such a limited time when I already have all of these other pairs at my disposal. So I'll just have to get my head around that.

It's been really fun having Dolores involved this year too, although getting her to cooperate with the photos isn't always easy. I've been sharing daily documentation pics of her outfits only on Instagram as well, which has been more fun than trying to get awkward selfies of myself! 

Day 1

Me-mades:

Breton sweatshirt

Navy Jenna cardi

Vest and pants

Sailboat raincoat later that day

Dolores's mum-mades:

Shirt dress refashion

Leggings

Day 2:

Me-made:

Breton fleece

Vest and pants

Sailboat raincoat

Dolores's mum-mades:

Dear sweatshirt

Vest

Leggings

Day 3

Me-mades:

Tova tunic dress

Long-sleeved knit top

Pants

Woodland stroll cape earlier that day

Dolores's mum-made:

Fawn pinafore

Day 4:

Me-mades:

Black Dolores batwing tunic

Leopard Jenna cardi

Vest and pants

Woodland stroll cape

Dolores's mum-mades:

Monochrome sweatshirt

Vest

Day 5:

Me-mades:

Breton tunic

(as yet unblogged) Navy cabernet cardigan

Vest and pants

Woodland stroll cape later that day

Dolores's mum-made:

Twinkle star Hosh pants/trousers

Day 6:

Me-mades:

Denim Tova top

Vest and pants

Dolores's mum-made:

Dear sweatshirt (but had got grubby and changed out of it by the time this pic was taken)

Day 7:

Me-mades:

Bird print jersey top

Pants

Dolores's mum-made:

Liberty print Geranium dress

If Boden Did Maternity: AKA The Breton Tunic Dress

Almost exactly three years ago, during my first pregnancy, I made a top that reflected my then-obsession with the clothing website Modcloth. That garment looked like it could have been stocked by them, if they had a maternity range. Well, it seems as though I've done it again. This time I've made a tunic dress that may be reflecting the current Boden-bias of my Pinterest boards! Just look at this, and you'll see what I mean. I was an accident, I promise! 

Pattern:

As I wrote in slightly greater detail in my Spring/preggers sewing plans post, basically I'm not over this vintage Simplicity 7023 pattern (pictured below). I love the 1960's Breton top I made from it so much that a longer tunic/dress variation was kind of inevitable. 

Ultimately, I think the best silhouette for a tunic dress version of this pattern would be more like this or this: basically, straighter. However, I wanted it to be something I could wear for a a good chunk of my pregnancy, so instead I frankensteined the above pattern with the Tova pattern to create a gentle A-line shape that hopefully still looks fairly straight but is a bit more accommodating. When I've finished being pregnant and stopped breast feeding, I'll skim the side seams in again so it will have something close to the silhouette I'd prefer. 

Fabric:

I was given about 1.7m of this amazing striped double knit from Josie, the owner of Fabric Godmother when I went to visit her at the end of last year. I fell in love with it hard but had already blown my fabric-purchasing budget on several other pieces. Yet she could see how much I yearned for it so kindly put me out of my misery and gave me a length! I wish I could link to it on her site but, as with so much of her stock, she sold out of it super quick so I'm afraid I can't. 

This fabric is either synthetic, or a blend with a heavy synthetic content, but it feels lovely to wear and not at all sweaty. It does, however, retain the benefit of not needing to be ironed at all! As you may be able to tell from these photos, I recent went on a little holiday (near Alicante in Spain) and it was the perfect garment to take as it doesn't crease at all (apart from the pockets, see below). 

The only thing that was challenging about this fabric was the fact that the white stripes are raised. That made pattern matching at the centre back seam, side seams and sleeve seams pretty tricky as the stripes kept sliding off each other. The back seam looks less than perfect (not that I care because, you know, it's at the back) but I'd kind of got the hang of it as I went and the side seams and sleeve seams look ok. I probably should have unearthed my walking foot or something, but I was rushing slightly to get this done before my holiday. 

I knew this simple tunic dress was going to need pepping up with some pockets. My first plan was to use the striped fabric for them, with the stripe running vertically and with white flat piping round the edge. After wasting an hour or so attempting this, I abandoned them because they were looking rubbish. I then turned to a scrap of the washed denim that I also used for the facings (leftovers from my Tova top) which worked much better because I could get a really nice, crisp-looking finish with that. Luckily for everyone, I can link to the washed denim (also from Fabric Godmother), as she still has it in stock. Although I'm so in love with it and keep thinking of sewing projects that it would be great for, so I may have to snaffle some more...

Thoughts:

MAJOR SUCCESS. It could be argued that the tunic dress looks a tad frumpy in these pictures, but I really think that that's just the stage of pregnancy I'm at right now. I don't have the deliciously full, obviously-pregnant bump yet, but I said goodbye to my waistline months ago! I wore this dress heaps on holiday, both with and without jeans underneath, depending on the temperature. I'm really excited about its future incarnation with the altered side seams.

I can see at least one more version of this pattern in my future. I'm thinking a basic black top, perhaps with oversized patch pockets, that overall with have a beatnik chick vibe, a bit like this.

Cost:

Striped fabric: £0 (given to me by Fabric Godmother and no longer in stock, but they do have some nice-looking black and white striped Ponte for £16 per metre that might work well for a similar looking garment)
Scraps of washed denim: £0 (I factored its cost into a previous make, but it can be found here for £10 per metre)
Pattern: £0 (I actually have no recollection of obtaining this pattern, but seeing as this is the third time I've used it now, I'm sure its cost doesn't need factoring in anymore)
Total = £0

Now obviously that cost outcome is questionable, but I literally didn't need to spend any money between the point the idea for it struck me until it became a wearable garment, so I'm sticking with it!

Hand-Stitched #MMMay16 Badges By Tasha

(image source: Stale Bread Into French Toast)

If you are taking part in #MMMay16 and all the incredible handmade clothes being worn so far are getting you itching to make stuff, then may I suggest this awesome project that is the brain-child of challenge participant Tasha from Stale Bread Into French Toast? She has written a lovely explanation of what inspired the idea behind these gorgeous celebratory badges in this post, which also includes a complete explanation of how you can make your own, including a FREE PATTERNS PDF! Don't feel you need to have any previous hand-embroidery experience. Tasha takes you through the whole process, including useful info on materials and techniques, with beautifully clear photos for each step. 

(image source: Stale Bread Into French Toast)

Also, don't forget to enter the awesome Fabric Godmother 'Dream Wardrobe' giveaway if you haven't already and are taking part in #MMMay16. You have until Saturday night...

Happy Me-Made-May'16! Fabric Godmother 'Dream Wardrobe' Giveaway

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS HEATHER!!!**

HAPPY ME-MADE-MAY'16!!!!! It's here and I'm sooooo excited to get cracking and to see everyone's challenges unfold. As with previous year's, we will be celebrating this month of awesomeness with weekly competitions/giveaway for the participants of #MMMay16 to enter. I will be hosting two, and the lovely Jen from Jennifer Lauren Vintage will be hosting the other two. And ohmygoodness, is this first one a cracker!

UK-based (but will send internationally) online fabric seller, Fabric Godmother, has offered up a very exciting prize: a month's instalment of their 'Dream Wardrobe' project kit. 'What's that?!' I hear you ask. Well, when someone signs up for the dream wardrobe package, they receive a style consultation with Josie, owner of Fabric Godmother. She finds out all about their style preferences, lifestyle, colouring, body type and so on, then they will receive one package per month for the duration that they have signed up for that contains everything required for a fantastic sewing project. 

(some stunning rose print stretch cotton sateen, available here)

It's such an amazing idea and would really benefit lots of sewers. Maybe you are fed up with making the same type of garment project and need a gentle push towards something you may not usually gravitate to? Maybe you're frustrated by having made poor fabric choices for sewing projects in the past, and would like someone else to take on that part of the equation for you? Maybe you simply don't have time to go shopping for all the elements required for a sewing project and would appreciate receiving them all in one bundle in the correct colours and necessary quantities, so you can crack on with the fun sewing part?

(elegant 'Delphi' layered maxi dress pattern by Named patterns, available here)

To enter, all you have to do is answer a quick question to help Fabric Godmother stock the things you'd really like to see in their online shop. Quickly visit the sewing pattern section of their site and see which of your favourite indie sewing pattern brands they don't currently stock that you think they should. Leave your answer in a comment at the bottom of this post, and remember to include your email address if I can't easily find it within two clicks of my mouse.

Every time I host a giveaway, I end up having to redraw the winner because someone didn't leave a way for me to contact them. If you win but there's no email address, then there's no way to get the Dream Wardrobe instalment to you. 

Your email address will not be used for any purpose other than contacting you if you are the winner. Please remember that the giveaway is open to participants of Me-Made-May only. Leave your comment by midnight GMT Saturday 8th May 2016. I will pick a winner by random number generator the following day and contact them.

Good luck!

Cabernet Cardigan: Round #1

So with #MMMay16 providing the wind beneath my wings, I've dived head first into my Spring/mid-pregnancy sewing plans. The remade denim Tova top has been a real success, but this second project may have spawned a new obsession. May I introduce my first attempt at the SBCC Cabernet cardigan pattern? 

Pattern:

If you recall, I bought the Cabernet cardigan pattern because I had 1.5m of turquoise Ponte de Roma burning a hole in my stash. As soon as I bought the pattern though, I knew it was the best decision I'd made all week. Suddenly, in my future I could see complete cardigan self-sufficiency! What power! I loves me the Jenna cardi pattern, and my Brightside shrug will certainly come into its own as it gets warmer. But what I hadn't realised I needed until now was a looser, layerable, low-neck cardigan pattern that looks good unbuttoned. Basically, I needed a way to recreate my beloved secondhand mustard cardigan, which you can see me wear an embarrassing amount of times during this week four years ago!

(image source: SBCC Patterns)

However, I know that an exact replica of the mustard cardi would never be achievable: the Ponte doesn't behave anything like fine manufactured knitwear so the best I was ever going to get was a decent interpretation. Plus, I knew I wasn't going to nail it first time, so going into this project I kept in mind that the best possible outcome would be a wearable toile. 

I checked the fit half way through this make which resulted in me making two small changes. Firstly, I'd forgotten that SBCC patterns are intended for petite figures, which is fine for me in the body because I am short-waisted, but it meant that the sleeves were coming up too short. I ended up recutting the cuffs as the easiest solution for this version, and made a note to extend the sleeve pattern for future ones. The second change I made was to unpick the waistband and reshape the side seams for a straighter shape. You can see below the new line I drew on the front and back pieces to bring the side seam in from above the waist down to the hips.  

I also decided to omit the pockets as I didn't plan to wear this cardigan buttoned up, and I thought the pockets might create bulk that would prevent the front from hanging properly. This didn't really work out (more on this below), but I don't think I will be arsed to go back and add them. 

Fabric:

I wrote about this turpquoise Ponte de Roma in my Spring sewing plans post, and now all I really have to add is that it was lovely to sew with and wear, but has bobbled (pilled) a little bit after several wears and one wash. The colour is still gorgeously vibrant and it makes me happy to look at, although finding clothes to match with it, other than black, has been a bit tricky. 

Thoughts:

Well. You could interpret this project as a success or a failure, I guess. A success because it was a really fun project, I intend to use the pattern again AND I've worn the outcome heaps. Yet a failure because it's been assigned to house-wear only because it looks really frumpy (I included these last two images as evidence). It's managed to hit the 'sweet spot' of neither baggy-in-a-cool-way, nor the more slender fit of my beloved secondhand mustard cardi. So I have work to do. 

So what do I intend to do? I have two more recently acquired pieces of Ponte (this navy and this mustard) that are earmarked to try this pattern again. I think the navy will be first on the chopping block, and I'll start with a whole size smaller (this turquoise was a medium). I'll also include the straightening of the side seam and make the button stand/neckband narrower. I may even slim the front panels down as well, making the front edges straighter and less curved. I've also got some beautiful grey marl wool blend knit that I recently bought for lounge-wear trousers but that has washed up a bit too itchy. I'm tempted to try it as a Cabernet, but go the other way and select a larger size for an oversized look. 

Cost:

Fabric: Ponte de Roma remnant £6.99 from Ditto Fabrics in Brighton

Pattern: PDF $12 (£8.37) from here

Buttons: vintage from stash

Total: £15.36

As someone who is used to sewing from stash and getting any non-me-made clothing, especially knitwear, from charity shops, that feels like quite a lot for a cardigan that is only getting worn around the house. However, house-cardigans see years of wear, so in terms of pounds-per-wear, I know it'll more than justify that outlay in the long run. But more importantly, I see that cost as an investment in being able to create the cardigans of my dreams with my own hands in the future! 

Me-Made-May '16: Your Pledges

(divine Jenna cardi by Crafty NH Mom)

I LOVE reading all the #MMMay16 pledges as they come in. The most popular pledge by far, of course, is the aim to wear one self-made item per day for the duration of May, which is an awesome, and hopefully very useful challenge. But other participants have been coming up with different specifics that they feel will have a more directly beneficial effect on their relationship with their self-made wardrobe.

If you are planning to challenge yourself this Me-Made-May but are struggling to come up with pledge specifics that inspire you, here area few of this year's pledges that may offer up some ideas. I've illustrated this post with some of my favourite handmade garments/outfits from last year's Flickr group pool (if you wish to share your documentation photos on this year's Flickr group, please find it here and request admittence). 

(nicely combined separates and cute compadres! By Just Sew Jenna)

I think the pledge Morocco-dwelling @janomegnome has come up with is genius and very touching. She intends to wear as many handmade clothes as possible and 'above all **to talk about them with non-sewing folk** and not skip the chance to share the love out of modesty or suchlike daft habits'. Me-Made-May is such a great opportunity to bring the handmade and non-handmade facets of your life a bit closer!

It's good to have a reminder that Me-Made-May isn't only for sewers/sewists, or people who already have a huge array of self-stitched clothes. Ninja-crocheter @salapes is pledging to wear 'all of my handmade items of clothing at least once during the month of May'. How nice, to give every garment you have made an airing during the challenge! What better way to assess and compare how you feel about the things you have made?

(some of the utterly perfect outfits by Len from Seamless blog) 

Debbie from 'Sewn From The Heart' has chosen the popular 'oneself-made garment per day' pledge, but added the following that I really wanted to share with you all:

'I have a number of garments I've made since I started sewing again late last year. However, almost without fail, I make them, photograph them for my blog and then put them in my wardrobe, almost never to be worn again. I find it hard to get past that 'I'll keep them nice incase I wreck them' mentality. To make myself actually wear the clothes I've made will be a huge personal challenge and I really hope that it will break the cycle I'm in and start to change the way I look at, and use, my self made clothes.' It's fantastic that she has figured out exactly what's going wrong in her relationship with her handmade wardrobe, and is using Me-Made-may to bust out of that rut. Go Debbie!!!!

On top of the 'wearing' part of her Me-Made-May pledge, Ashlee from This Seams Interesting has given herself an additional aim to sew up 3-5 pieces of fabric from her 'behemoth stash on new projects between now, April 1st, and the end of May'.

So what about you? Do you want to pledge this year but find yourself holding back? Share your quandaries...