Thread Carefully does Me Made May 2012: The final round up

Hello all!

We’ve been terribly quiet on the blogging front because we’ve been trying to keep up with Me Made May. Here are our final weeks of the challenge.

Day 15

Tabatha

Simplicity K2938 Top and Self-Drafted Skirt

I made this top and skirt out of the same length of fabric but never thought to wear them together until recently! The skirt was what I designed and made for my City and Guilds in Fashion.

I’m wearing another pair of red shoes from Topshop!

Julia

New Look 6789 top

New Look top in vintage look floral fabric given to me as a present. I only had one yard so made some contrast trim from yellow polka dot.

Day 16

Tabatha

Sewaholic Crescent Skirt and Sew U Boatneck tshirt

This is another of my Crescent skirts (I’ve made four). It’s denim with red topstitching. The top is from SewU Home Stretch and was the first jersey garment I made, but it has lasted well and I wear it a lot. I’m wearing navy wedges from Asos, which weren’t very warm when the weather turned chilly later in the day!

Julia

Colette Chantilly Dress in turquoise floral chiffon over turquoise cotton.

It’s probably a bit too dressy for work but I really love it so I’m wearing it! (sorry the photo’s a bit dark!)

Day 17

Tabatha

Colette Meringue skirt

I’m running out of wintery options now – where is the May sunshine? Here’s my Meringue skirt, which I blogged about here.

This outfit is a bit too ‘worky’ for me – I prefer the outfit shots in my blog. But wearing it with a red jumper a) kept me warm and b) gave me the chance to wear more red shoes! These ones are made by Firetrap and they have a cute little bow!

Bonus shot!

New Look 6932 pyjamas

A bonus entry! Here’s my daughter in her pyjamas made by me.

Julia

Colette Crepe Dress

Navy with tiny white polka dots and photographed thoroughly creased after work.

Day 18

Tabatha

Sewaholic Pendrell Blouse

This is the first time I’ve worn this blouse. When I made it, I absolutely loved the way it looked on Delilah (my dressmaker’s dummy) but when I put it on, it felt like a nurses’s uniform. I loved all 3 of Julia’s Pendrells, and that is what attracted me to the pattern, but somehow it just didn’t look right on me, and whatever I tried it on with it didn’t look quite right. Last night I took a couple of inches off the length and rehemmed it, and although it looks better now, I’m still not keen (and this photo is not the most flattering anyway!). I do love the fabric though – it’s got an ivory background with turquoise magpies printed on – think it’s made by Moda.

I’m wearing it with wide legged jeans from Warehouse and my pink Birkenstocks. It wasn’t really *quite* warm enough for sandals, but at least they were comfortable!

Julia

Sewaholic Pendrell Blouse

Not that you can see the distinction between the trousers, the top and the cardigan, but this is a Sewaholic Pendrell blouse in black polycotton with contrast ruffles. The ruffles were doing in Liberty Cranford fabric.

Day 19

Tabatha

Colette Sorbetto Top

See that smile? That’s forced, that is. If it weren’t for me-made-May there’s no way I would have gotten dressed today, let alone asked hubby to take a photo of my shiny no-make up face to post on the internet! This outfit was basically an equivalent to pyjamas – my Colette Sorbetto top, navy linen trousers from Primark, red cardi from DP and red flip flops from Aldo.

BLEURGH.

Julia

Sewholic Renfrew Top

I made some slight modifications – I made the waistband wider and the neckline deeper so I could wear a top underneath if I wanted to wear it to work.

Day 20

Tabatha

Colette Couple – Colette Crepe Dress and Negroni Shirt

We had friends over for Sunday lunch today which was a good reason to make a proper effort for MMM! This is my second Crepe dress, and I’m wearing it with green wedges from Topshop and a necklace which was a gift from a friend. Mr Tweedie is wearing the first Negroni I made for him as part of the Male Pattern Boldness sewalong.

Julia

Simplicity 2363 dress

I think this is Michael Miller fabric but I can’t really remember! I always wear this over trousers as it’s just a little too short for my tastes. This is one of the earliest things I made so it’s not quite perfect, but it’s comfortable and it has pockets.

Like Tabatha’s tweet from yesterday, if I wasn’t doing Me Made May I wouldn’t have bothered getting dressed today.

Day 21

Tabatha

Twinkle Sews Skirt – Made by Julia

Today we decided to do a swap day, so I am wearing something sewn by Julia which is too small for her now, and she is wearing something sewn by me which was too big! Waste not, want not!

Julia made this skirt from the Twinkle Sews book using fabric from Ikea. It has two pleats either side at the front but you can’t see the other two here because of the angle of the photo.

I’m wearing it with a white blouse and pink wedges, both from Marks and Spencer but purchased years apart.

PS. Hooray for sunshine!

Julia

Sewaholic Lonsdale Dress

Excuse the big red face and flyaway hair – I was just out of the shower! We decided to do a ThreadCarefully swap today – Tabatha wore something I made that didn’t fit and I wore something that she made that was too big for her! It’s a little tight still across the boobs but I’m losing weight at the minute so it shouldn’t be too long until it fits like a glove. Also,has anyone else noticed how hard is it to tie the bow at the back when you don’t have anyone to help you?!

Anyways, this dress is fab. Thank you Double T! xx

Day 22

Tabatha

Colette Hazel Dress

I love this dress! I totally copied Colette’s suggested fabric and went for navy and white stripes, and even changed the cutting layout so that it would be the same as the picture on the front of the pattern. I made a simple red tie belt to wear with it – I think it just gives something extra to the dress. I wanted to wear this with red shoes too, but on the beach high heels aren’t very practical, so I’m wearing silver flip flops instead!

The wind is blowing the dress out of shape a bit at the bottom – it isn’t a crazy hem, honestly!

Julia

Sewaholic Pendrell Blouse

In orange Mendocino Underwater Sisters fabric.

Day 23

Tabatha

Colette Peony Dress

This is my newest dress, made a few days ago. The fabric is from Rosenbergs and according to the selvedge it’s a ’40’s by 40’s superfine cotton lawn’ by Great Flower Designs. It has birds on! I’m wearing it with new shoes too (Love Label by Very, but I got them on eBay).

Julia

Colette Ceylon Dress

Made as a muslin which I cast aside for a long, long time, then decided it was probably wearable! Very old fashioned material but I really like it. There are a few repairs needed here and there where I got carried away cutting too close to the seams with the pinking shears but I do like this dress.

Also, what on earth is going on with my hair?!

Day 24

Tabatha

New Look 6993

I made this dress in April (blogged here).

I’ve been waiting for warmer weather so I can wear it. I need to make more versions of this dress. It was so comfortable to wear all day, and the fabric was cool in the warm weather, and it didn’t crease.

I’m wearing it with a cardigan and colour block sandals, both from Primark, and a necklace (which you can’t see very well) from The Jewellery Stop in Leamington Spa.

Julia

New Look 6789 Dress

Made a very, very long time ago and not worn in ages. I’m not crazy fond of this dress – I bought the material thinking the pattern on it was smaller – but it is comfy and cool for lovely warm summer days.

Day 25

Tabatha

Colette Parfait Dress

I’d been holding off from wearing this, thinking it might be too tight, but I was worrying unnecessarily as it was very comfortable. It’s very creased here, I should have ironed it! This is the first Parfait I made in a plain purple cotton. The sun is blinding out the details but the dress has nice silver vintage-style buttons. I’m wearing it with yellow polka dot wedges from Primark, but the sunlight is so strong you can hardly see them! Not that I’m complaining! Oh, and my necklace is from The Jewellery Stop in Leamington Spa.

I must remember to take my sunglasses off for these photos! I keep forgetting!

Julia

Colette Crepe Dress

This is the first crepe I made, as a muslin. It gapes a little at the back but is nice for everyday wear.

Day 26

Tabatha

Sewaholic Crescent Skirt and Me-Made Button Necklace

It was so sunny today! We spent the day in the garden, so this skirt was perfect for doing not-very-much. I’m wearing it with purple wedges from Topshop.

My necklace is basically buttons which are either red, pink, purple or cream threaded in overlapping layers onto a pink ribbon.

Julia

Oops! I forgot to take an outfit shot today but I wore this:

Colette Macaron Tetris dress

How I love this dress, blogged here.

Day 27

Tabatha

New Look 6789

This is the 3rd dress I ever made and I still really love it. Despite the print it’s actually a very practical dress! The fabric is by Michael Miller and was a gift from Julia, and actually the pattern was hers too although I have since bought my own copy! I’m wearing it with a hat and necklace both bought on our travels in Thailand, and with Bertie flip flops.

Julia

Colette Beignet in Bottle green double crepe

The first beignet I made, and I still hadn’t learned that putting the belt loops on, even if you don’t plan on wearing a belt, helps keep the facing in place.

Day 28

Tabatha

Colette Chantilly Dress

Another scorching hot day spent in the garden! This is my floral Chantilly, worn with green vintage style heels from Topshop.

Julia

I thought this dress deserved another airing! It’s also really comfy and cool for wearing in an incredibly hot hospital on really warm days.

Excuse the slightly rumpled look – I forgot to take the picture in the morning before I went to work so had to do it after!

Day 29

Tabatha

This pattern came with a Prima magazine, and I made it a few years ago. The best thing about this dress is the bow under the bust! I’m wearing it with red Irregular Choice shoes.

Julia

Another Colette Beignet in purple with light blue, translucent buttons. The lining is great in this skirt – it’s a pity it’s not more visible! Lesson from beignet number one (belt loops) still not learned…

Day 30

Tabatha

Julia

Colette Parfait Dress – I call this my Lovebirds dress. Made a long time ago, I love this dress, but it is slightly too short for me so I don’t wear it as often as I should.

Tabatha

Colette Peony and Colette Negroni

Had to get creative in order to get hubby’s Negroni shirt and my Peony dress in the same shot today! Unfortunately this meant sacrificing a full length shot with my shoes – but I was wearing red double T-bar shoes from Topshop (yes, MORE red shoes!).

Julia

Simplicity 2938 top in left over fabric from my crepe dress.

I don’t wear this top very often because it’s seriously short. I only ever wear it with high waisted things, which I don’t have a lot of, but it is lovely and comfortable.

Also, today is the end of Me Made May! A big thanks to Zoe for organising it!

What have we learned:

Julia
I learned that I need to make more coordinating items of clothing. I need to think more fully about what I’m making, what it’ll match and if I’m going to wear it. I also learned to dig out some old me mades and gve them another whirl. There are a few things I’ll be getting rid of – I just don’t wear them enough or like them enough to wear them more – and some things I’ll be making more of – the Sewaholic Crescent skirt, for instance. Like I said before, I certainly need some more plain staples. There are a few things I’d like to have missing from my wardrobe – a maxi dress, a plain black skirt, a simple shift dress, a skirt suit and some trousers, for instance – that I will certainly be prioritising in the next few months. There are some things I have made that I didn’t wear, as well; things that were predominantly winter wear or a little too fancy to be wearing during the day. Overall, I’m quite happy with the wardrobe I have so far but there are definitely holes to be filled.

And I need to stop relying on Colette patterns!

Although I very much enjoyed Me Made May I’m certainly relieved it’s over. I really don’t like taking outfit shots and I feel very uncomfortable doing it and posting it online. If I do decide to do it again, it will be for my eyes only!

Tabatha
Me Made May has indeed been a challenge for me.  When I decided to participate, I thought that because I have a wardrobe full of regularly worn me-mades, it would be easy. I pledged to wear no repeats, and also decided to wear a different pair of shoes each day too. I wanted to get some wear out of my shoe collection, because since I stopped working almost two and a half years ago, my high heels have not been on regular rotation!  Anyway, it wasn’t the no repeats part of my pledge that I found challenging, as I have always made the effort to wear something different every day – in fact when I was working I would get through entire terms of teaching without wearing the same thing twice. No, it was the photo taking.  The dreaded ‘outfit shots’.  They just made me feel, y’know, vain. It’s ok every now and then I guess, after all the point is that we are showcasing a skill here, but 31 days in a row?! Aarrrgh! Too much photo taking!

I did really enjoy looking at other people’s photos though, and of course I don’t think everyone else is vain – that’s just my own personal paranoia. It was very inspiring seeing so many lovely creations, especially quite a lot of self-drafted patterns – what a talented bunch!  I’ve also invested in a couple of new patterns after seeing some beautiful examples in the group!