Wrapping Up Me-Made-May 2024
Me-Made-May is a wardrobe challenge to help improve your relationship with your handmade clothes. The aim is to intentionally wear your self-made items more and/or in different ways, and have fun at the same time.
This was my eighth time. I’ve tried different ways of doing Me-Made-May in the past: a capsule collection each week; wearing only zero waste clothes; wearing going-out clothes mixed with at-home ones (bad idea); doing a wardrobe clear-out at the same time, and so on.
This year is different as I’m housebound with Long Covid, and sartorial standards have slipped a bit as I have daytime lie-downs and sometimes sleeps (= can’t wear linen!). I feel the need for very comfortable clothes. I do get out of pajamas every day.
My pledge was:
- Wear me-made clothes every day, with at least one item zero waste. Enjoy them. Where possible, try to incorporate a #ZeroWasteTrifecta ie three zero waste items worn together.
- Aim to wear the same item in multiple ways during the week, partly to discover new ways of wearing things and partly to cut down on clothes accumulating on that chair in the bedroom.
- Finish three sewing UFOs.
By the way, this is what my property looks like with only 23mm of rain in 5 months.
So how did things go? Yes, I wore me-mades everyday and all except for one day wore zero waste. Had several zero waste trifectas. I did enjoy them and by the end of the first week found myself looking forward to getting dressed. Some days I even wore lipstick! Managed to wear the same garment with different things and discovered some new combos.
But the big win was finishing UFOs. Me-Made-May gave me the kick up the pants to get on with it and I actually finished 9 things. It’s now far easier on my conscience to begin new projects without the unfinished ones lying around the house. Highly recommended!
Cheers!
love the post and your attitude and of course your wonderful clothers and ideas xxx llewena
Thanks Llewena, it’s been a good Me Made May 🙂
Congratulations on finishing UFOs and the enjoyment and satisfaction you get out of things you’ve made. I started my life in Robertstown, nearby, so I know what the dry winters are like. Yes, the pile of clothes on the bedroom chair is an issue!
I will pray for your long Covid to end!
Many thanks, Helen.
The Experts are saying it’s the driest start to the year on record ever, however an elderly farmer friend (Mintaro/Black Springs way) says his farm rainfall records show we’ve had drier, but rain later in the year has made up for it. So we shall see…
Thanks for praying for me!
Love all the knitwear! Thanks for posting.
Many thank, Linda 🙂
I so enjoyed your May Me-Made journey. Congratulations on getting all the UFOs. BTW I’m working on a new Xanthea.
Thanks Terri, wished I’d cleared those UFOs earlier – it’s a great feeling.
I hope the weather gets you the right amount of water!
I recognized that yellow pinafore from your ETSY listing. 😉
I bought the Smith pinafore pattern, and I now have one in almost-denim (It’s got a zigzag twill weave, and a little bit of stretch) Your instructions for topstitching worked very well, and I love the huge pockets. It’s a loose fit, I guess I could take in the side seams if I decide it’s too loose?
I’m thinking about making another one from one of the pieces of wool flannel from my stash. Great pattern!
Thanks Sylvia, still waiting for rain…(possible rain this week but no-one’s holding their breath).
Yes, that’s the same yellow pinafore as the Etsy listing. So happy yours worked out well. Feel free to take in the sides to adjust the amount of looseness – it’s designed so you can easily do this on the side seams.
Wool flannel sounds very good, and you could cut a lining for it if you wanted. After making some pinafores in stiff denim (such as the yellow) I found that softer fabrics were much nicer to wear https://lizhaywood.com.au/making-rubbish-wearable-a-smith-pinafore-from-upcycled-denim/
Love hearing and seeing your collection for Me Made May. Love the vest you are wearing, is it one of your patterns? I haven’t been making my clothes of late but making your zero waist sun hat during a recent workshop has inspired me. It might be, because your instruction video made it so easy. Do you have other instruction videos connected to some of your other patterns?
Thanks Jolene, yes the vest is but a very long time ago. I had forgotten about it!
I would love to have videos for all my patterns but I tend to make them only for ones with complex or unusual instructions.