Skip to main content

Me-Made-May: I'm Giving it a Try!

I bet you've been wondering where I've been?! Between work and home, I've been keeping myself REALLY busy! I've had a few fabric buying/selling trips in the past two weeks and at home, I hosted a Mother's Day dinner, worked in my yard, set up my vegetable garden and trying to keep up with the daily grind. My husband and I have also been planning small getaways for various weekends throughout the summer, so we had our first this weekend to Gettysburg, PA! 

Before May began, I really wanted to participate in Me-Made-May. I wanted to make a real effort to wear my handmade clothes and learn to love them (if I didn't care for them all that much.) But with everything that was going on, I just didn't want to add more to my schedule or put pressure on myself. It was just more to think about on a daily basis! But after reading some of the pledges, I came to the conclusion that I can set myself really small goals! So here is my goal:




I, Julie from Fabric Mart Fabricistas, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '14. I will wear at least one handmade garment, three days a week, for the duration of May 2014. I also pledge to sew using only indie patterns for the entire month of May.

So I have two pledges--remember how I said I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself? Well I didn't give myself a number of items I planned to sew, so if I only make one, it's ok! Three garments seemed to be attainable, so I wanted to give it a try. 

I'm three weeks into the challenge. How am I doing?
I've been able to keep up with wearing at least three handmade garments every week. Actually it was a little harder than I thought. I don't have enough casual garments appropriate for the weather to get through the month! So I'll definitely be re-wearing some of my creations. I was really surprised by this because I felt like I would have more than enough to get me through the month. Here are my downfalls: I have a lot of dresses and skirts that are not suitable for everyday wear. To fulfill the pledge, I was able to get away with some of the dresses for an event or two and going to church. This definitely brought to my attention the fact that I need more casual things in my wardrobe! I need basics! (And rid of the not so great RTW basics in my closet.) 


This is only a few of the items I have worn in the past three weeks. A few of the other items I never blogged about and forgot to take photos when I wore them! I wear my Minoru Jacket a lot, almost everyday! It is so comfortable and perfect for the cool mornings and breezy days. 

The other part of my pledge was to sew only with Indie Sewing Patterns. This has been really easy because I stock piled a few in the previous months. And what patterns do I want to make in the near future? Casual is key! 

Currently on the sewing machine: 

Abby Cardi by StyleArc
I am a huge fan of StyleArc Patterns. Since they are coming from Australia, I buy a number of patterns at one time. I want to get the most out of my shipping costs! I've made the Abby Cardi before. This time I'm making it out of a lightweight Missoni-look Sweater Knit.



Up and coming: 
I still want to tackle pants. I started some pants in early spring, but have yet to finish them. I'd like to try the Clover by Colette Patterns. Reviews on this? What do you think about it?


I also would like to make some casual tops for spring/ summer but do not have any in mind at the moment. 

Who else is participating in Me-Made-May? How are you fulfilling your pledge? 

Comments

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: ITY Dress

Hi sewing friends - Andrea here from Happy.Things.Here over on Insta with this week’s post – I’m sharing about a favorite fabric and pattern today!  So… the last two months have almost gotten the best of me. We made a somewhat unplanned decision to move homes and life has been just insanely busy and hard to find time to sew. But sewing  is such a joy and a stress reliever for me, so I fit in this fun and easy sew amidst the chaos and it made me sew very happy! Sneak peek – how could this print NOT make someone happy? First, let’s talk fabric. ITY , or Interlock Twist Yarn, is one of my all-time favorite fabrics for sewing clothing. Fabric Mart did an Instagram post with a video on this fabric and I highly recommend you check it out if this fabric is new to you. Three things I love about ITY – 1) it’s easy to care for and rarely wrinkles, 2) it’s easy to wear, great for drapey pieces, and works all year long, and 3) Fabric Mart gets great deadstock prints and colors from fashion design

Made By A Fabricista: Breezy Summer Style with Rayon Challis from Fabric Mart.

Hey there my sewing friends!  Summer is here and I am all for it.  It has been exceptionally hot here in Southwest Florida. We have had temps in the high 90’s.  I want to keep cool and comfortable and still look pulled together this summer.  That’s why I chose rayon challis for this month’s summer make.   Rayon Challis is lightweight, flowy, soft and extremely comfortable to wear. It’s an excellent choice for summer outfits.  It has a beautiful drape making it an excellent choice for maxis, tops, dresses, and shorts. The fabric is lightweight and depending upon your sewing project you may need to use a lining with this fabric. Also use a lightweight interfacing when working with rayon challis.  If you are a beginner at sewing, you may find the fabric a bit fiddly to work with, but the end result is so worth it.  Fabric Mart has beautiful challis fabric to choose from. I chose this fun tropical print on an off-white background. This summer season vests are in.  I love the ease of wearin

Made By A Fabricista: The Loring Dress

Hello friends,  This is Byrd, your curvy sewist and I am back with my latest Fabricista make.  This is the newly released Cashmerette Loring Dress, a size-inclusive beginner-confident flowy summer dress.  The dress features a V-neck, pockets and tie that cinches in the waist.  The Loring pairs so nicely with Fabric Mart’s cornflower, magenta and pink floral cotton lawn.  Fabric Mart’s cotton lawn is a dream for summer projects!  Its lightweight breathable nature and smooth silky drape is perfect for warm weather garments like the Loring Dress. The vibrant cornflower, magenta, and pink flowered fabric is a joy to sew and wear.  Fun fact:  Named after the flower, the color cornflower is a medium blue mixed with a little green.  Cotton lawn is easy to cut and sew and pre-washing is always a good idea to avoid any surprise shrinkage after your garment is finished. I also recommend using a serger/overlocker for a clean interior finish. Cashmerette describes the Loring Dress as an explosion