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"

What not to do in white

Over on Flickr some made-by-me group members have been carrying out inventories of their home made wardrobes in preparation for May. When I looked at my me-made clothes I saw a big gap for neutrals. I think this is a kind of move on into another stage, instead of just individual items I am trying to make a coherent wardrobe of clothes so that I can put together outfits that I have made myself. I know it is easy to pop to the shops and buy cheap t shirts to wear but at the start of this year I decided not to buy anymore new clothes from shops. I wanted to move away from unthinking consumerism and consumption. I was also wanting to wear clothes that fit me more comfortably. I have found it quite liberating to walk through shops or past shop windows and look but not buying - instead I notice bits I like and think about how things are made, whether they would better in a different colour or fabric. I am currently reading "Eco chic" by Matilda Lee and it's an eye opening read.

Here is my white t shirt when I first made it -my first attempt at sewing stretch fabric and what can I say? Oh, yeah, it was HUGE! I laid an old favourite shirt on it and from this was able to take it in an inch all round and it fits much better.

And below is what I have just finished this morning, another top from 3835 - I didn't plan to make another but I found a duvet in the charity shop last weekend and used it to make this top. I really like asymmetry and have been wanting to make an asymmetrically printed top or dress for ages. This fabric is embroidered with circles. I wasn't sure how it would turn out but I really like it - I haven't worn it out yet. Not sure if I will hear shrieks of "OMG, that strange woman is wearing a duvet cover!"

I will report back.....watch this space.....

I have to add that it is really stupid to make a white t shirt, then put white t shirt on, happy, happy, make cakes with almost three year old...I managed to remember to wear an apron for that, phew, white t shirt still white, but then we put on chocolate icing, she ate her cake and gave me a lovely cuddle afterwards. Eeek - do not hug chocolate-icing-eating-small children in freshly minted pristine white t shirt. It now has faint chocolate marks in three places.

I hav eto go now and finish this little bag I am sewing for my friend's daughter's birthday tommorrow. It is edged with some of my vintage lace stash which came from my Grandpa's wedding dress business.