A lot of other MMM participants have written about their experiences so I shall keep this short and sweet. I really enjoyed taking part in Me-made May. The flickr group was great fun and had interesting discussions. Seeing everyone's photos was inspiring. I also realised that I do like a little of positve commentary and was always really happy to receive comments on my pics! I don't have any sewing friends living close to me at the moment so it was refreshing and enlightening to meet new sewers. I have a few new blogs to add to my favourites now. A big thank you goes out to Zoe for her organisation and dedication!
I am now taking part on Cecili's sewalong using Nani Iro patterns. The pattern notes are written in Japanese - and it looks like a fairly simple tunic top but I am not sure whether I have bitten off more than I can chew. But I have been admiring some of the japanese clothes I have seen fromother sewers and the Nano Iro webpage is a visual delight for me. I have restrained myself from joining any other sewalongs as I have to try and be realistic about what I can achieve. The illustrious Zoe has announced a new (bigger and shinier) challenge to be Self-stitched September and I am looking forward to taking part - check out the widget on the sidebar! These photos show my initial rough sketches and notes (they are very rough, drawn when Little I is nappign in the car or other such snatched moments)on what I am planning to make over the next few months. I am trying to take stock of my MM clothes and how I can fit in with these, also how I can use my shop bought clothes that I am fond of. I am clearing out a few RTW clothes and am selling the better quality ones to give myself some funds for fabric as money is tight here until I find a new job. 
My notes are also my attempt to work out how best to use up what I already have and I am still committed to trying to use recycled charity shop fabric as much as possible. And in this I give you two pics of my recent finds, I went to a small town a couple of weeks ago with a friend. This is a fairly well-off area and has fab charity shops! In the first one can you imagine my glee when there was a table of fabrics?? I have been wanting to make a stripy breton-type top for ages (I have one in pink and white but it's not the same as the classic nay/white). And there on the table was ....cotton jersey cream fabric with a narrow navy stripe. Two yards of it. For £1.50.
My notes are also my attempt to work out how best to use up what I already have and I am still committed to trying to use recycled charity shop fabric as much as possible. And in this I give you two pics of my recent finds, I went to a small town a couple of weeks ago with a friend. This is a fairly well-off area and has fab charity shops! In the first one can you imagine my glee when there was a table of fabrics?? I have been wanting to make a stripy breton-type top for ages (I have one in pink and white but it's not the same as the classic nay/white). And there on the table was ....cotton jersey cream fabric with a narrow navy stripe. Two yards of it. For £1.50.I also bought 3 yards of a Japanese fabric with a little feather print, just visible under the stripey in the photo. It feels like a kind of cotton sateen or may be a cotton/poly mix. It was also £1.50. I am thinking 
of a dress for this, but need to mullthings over for a bit longer.
of a dress for this, but need to mullthings over for a bit longer. 
Hi Minnado,
ReplyDeleteYou looked super fantastic the whole month long! I'm so happy you are on board for the next challenge. I love your sketches and plans. What a major charity shop score! I would ahve been almost sick with excitement if I'd seem that striped jersey too! It's good to hear fabric can still be found in charity shops in the UK, I'm moving back in August and really want to rely more on second hand fabric for my projects.
By the way, I'm really sorry but I realised I messed up the html code before for the wiget as it didn't actually link through if you tried to click on it. The new, improved html code is now on the wiget blog post if you can be bothered to replace it.
Phew! This whole thing is quite a learning curve.
Thanks!
Zoe xxx
Thank you for the kind comments Zoe. I am glad to share my striped fabric excitement as my friends here were not suitably impressed! I think charity shops may be better in the provinces than London - if you ever do a weekend inShropshire or Devon, let me know and I can send you the list of good haunts X
ReplyDeleteI hear you on MMM being inspiring. None of my friends around me sew; it's hard to get all geeky/excited about patterns and fabric and so it was wonderful to find others :)
ReplyDeleteGreat sketches (and fabric, I'm weak for stripes too)! Looking forward to your Japanese top (what fabric are you using?), your summer sewing, and September!