Friday 19 April 2013

Wardrobe review and Me Made May


A few weeks ago the rail in my wardrobe collapsed at about 3am, waking me up.  The next day I had to pull out all my clothes and get inside the wardrobe to superglue the rail back in place.
The sheer weight of clothes in my overstuffed crappy little wardrobe was what had caused the collapse.  I have given my chest of drawers over to Little I's clothes so all mine have to now cram into one small wardrobe.

 My clothes were liberally scattered round the bedroom for a few days while I sorted them out and got rid of a few.  I took an inventory of my me mades while sorting.  Here's just a few...and a few realisations. 
Patterned fabric: Oh my goodness, I have a lot of patterned woven tops!  They make me dizzy when viewed en masses.  I also have a fair number of patterned skirts! I still have a lack of plain tops.
Loose billowing fit:
I have a lot of patterned woven loose fitting tops.  I feel a huge urge to step away from sewing loose fitting tops and challenge myself to get to grips with fit.  I like wearing my loose fitting tops but am aware they are not always the most flattering, and sometimes look at bit tent like.  I hate to look pregnant when I am not pregnant! Having said that I have recently sewn two tova blouses, as yet unblogged, I think they are my final loose woven tops for a while.  I am closing that door and please feel free to scold me if I suddenly produce more loose fitting woven tops.  What I want to sew to go with all these loose fitting tops is a pair of Sew Liberated skinny jeans and a pair of summer shorts.  I just have no spending money at present to buy fabric or pattern so they'll have to wait. 
Built by Wendy/ Simplicity 3835
Thrifted and dyed duvet cover
Mystery plaid fabric given to me by a friend
Orange and brown floral from thrifted cutain



Built by Wendy/ Simplicity 3835
Amy Butler fabric, Pink floral fabric bought from Clothkits, floral Amy Butler fabric
Simplicity 3835

Oh my, I have made this six times.  For a while it was my automatic go-to pattern for a speedy sew.   I wear the floral orange and brown, the brown spotty Amy Butler every week at the moment. They hide a multitude of cake eating.   The grey about every fortnight.  The others are short sleeved so I wear them a lot in the summer.  The floral Amy Butler is too tight around the bust and having seen how unflattering it is in photos I have designated it to being unpicked and re-used. 
Simplicity 2599
The reason why I never made a Colette Sorbetto top was I was already using this pattern.
All the 2599 tops are my go-to summer wear.  I have made it five times I think, maybe more.   Just two are in the photo below.
L to R:  Simplicity 2599, Anna Maria Horner Museum tunic, Simplicity 2259, Simplicity Portfolio top

Looking at these clothes I have sewn makes me feel a bit dizzy with patterned fabric.

With this being just a glimpse at my me-made clothes, I think it is definitely time I posted my Me Made May pledge. 
'I, Debbie, of Minnado's House, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '13. I endeavour to wear me-made garments  each day for the duration of May 2013'

And I repeat, "I will stay away from loose fitting top sewing, I will, I will, I will"



16 comments:

  1. I know what you mean about making similar clothes, I do it because they are all labelled easy! (I also agree with the pregnant thing too) Good luck with the me made may, I'm not sure I'm that brave yet.

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  2. Well, I love all your woven tops - so versatile in our climate - and the fabrics are very pretty. Although truth be told you do have quite a few! (I have maybe 4 tops for MMM so far, feeling a little scared!) I have also seen the Sew Liberated pattern & am toying with the idea as am somewhat worried about making full on jeans with waistband, belt loops n all - not sure my machine will take it! If you make them I hope you will post about them. I will look forward to seeing your outfits in May, too.

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    1. I think you should definitely have a go at the jeans pattern. It looks like it would be simple to get the fitting right as well as avoid the tricky details.

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  3. Btw like the new blog header! :)

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  4. I can understand that you might want to try a different look, but if you you feel comfortable with, it can be your unique style, no? I often find myself returning to my favorite clothes because I just feel comfortable and thus more confident in them. And anyway, even when you were pregnant, I didn't think you looked preggers in them. Anyway, I look forward to seeing your me made may and those Tova tops!

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    1. I like the idea of having a "unique style"! I did look pregnant during my pregnacy but it was quite a small bump throughout due to low amniotic fluid. I am gearing up to share my tovas, just having photographing problems.

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  5. Nothing like a closet explosion to make you reevaluate your wardrobe! I find I gravitate towards sewing what I like rather than what I need, and have to deliberately steer myself away from just making more of the same. I hear you about fit, though. It's so nice to sew things with a loose, forgiving fit instead of wrestling with adjustments and muslins. :/

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    1. i think i am ready to move to slightly more complex fit but i am not sure my lifestyle or children are ready for me to be concentrating too hard. xx

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  6. 3am! Yikes!! I'd suggest that you can justify more pattern buying since you clearly get such a lot if use of the ones that you like/ work for you! And I never thought they made you look preggers either!!

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    1. 3am...I woke up after the crash thinking something dire had happened. Everyone else snored through ut of course. :)

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  7. What a great post - it really is a good idea to go thorugh your wardrobe once in a while, now voluntarily or not;-). I think you look great in the styles of clothing you wear, but you know I am with you on trying something new once in a while! :-) Looking forward to seeing your new (and old) makes in MMM!

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    1. Ah, thank you. I am definitely keen on trying something new sometimes :) I am looking forward to seeing you in MMM too. x

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  8. I secretly was dreaming of taking part on this years me made may, but no such luck. I have not find a pattern that would work for me - or maybe better said that I could make work for me. If I ever will find one I would probably make it over and over again.

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  9. Debbie!!! First off, love love love the green skirt you just made - it looks so stylish, cheerful, comfy, and you :-). Anticipating it will be featured in MMM! I'm definitely with you on the making-same-pattern-over-and-over-again (I've got about 4 Sorbettos, another in the works, and another couple dresses/blouses based off a similar sloper pattern, ha!) I'm with Sigrid, if it works, then go with it! That said, trying out more fitted tops could be fun :-). MMM as the perfect excuse to try one out? Curious to see your post on your Tovas - like you, I've also made 2, as of yet unblogged, Tovas. Are yours in prints? I can imagine you looking very stylish in them :-). I always feel slightly pregnant when I wear them, and find that I don't really care! Hehehe. My dad called them, "Very retro. Oh yes, your mom used to have clothes like that." And then he wondered why I looked so confused! I'm tempted to try it, sleeveless, ankle length, in rayon, as a modified take on those maxidresses we see everywhere. Wonder if the drape of the rayon and the weight of the full-length dress would counter the slight pregnancy poof ... or not! Here's to more experimentation ...

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    1. Glad you like the green skirt, I am wearing it a lot. I love the idea of a maxi sleeveless tova...you have to try it. I agree thst the drape of the fabric will be crucial to getting the right result. xx

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  10. I've got well fitting woven tops on my to-sew list for MMM, too! Not too close-fitting, though. They still need to be comfy, right? :)
    Crashing wardrobes at 3am, no fun...

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