Me-Made-May
As the second Me-Made-May under a pandemic comes to a close, there are a few observations. First, I tend to live in pajamas as I quickly change out of my clothes after a day at work. Getting dressed up is not a top priority. It's well below making sure that I have face masks, Lysol wipes, hand sanitizer and disposable gloves in my handbag. Oh and the handbags I use are way bigger than the one I was using pre-pandemic or the current trend for little bags sized for a credit card and lipstick. Talking about lipstick. I haven't worn lipstick in over a year. Have you?
How things have changed!
And I really need to lose weight. Most of my clothes don't fit. This year's Me-Made-May selection is a reflection of this sad fact.
Sewing
Sewing wise, I've developed an appreciation for mending. It feels good to fix things and get them back into rotation.
Talking about fixing things, there is a previously-loved machine in my life. The previous owner wanted to find a new home for the machine as they said didn't use it and asked if I need a serger. It was gifted to me and oh my gosh, I'm really grateful for this incredible gift.
It was in great need oil and it still needs some attention and TLC. I found a copy of the manual online and am slowly going through it to get it working again. I might have to bring it in for a professional to get it in working order. The thread from the left needle is not catching, even though I've re-threaded and changed the needle. If I can get this in working condition, it will be a welcome item to the sewing table.
I would have tinkered more with the machine if the sewing mojo wasn't starting to reappear. Maybe it was encouraged by the new machine. Or perhaps it is the beautiful cotton stretch woven fabric that I stumbled across earlier this month.
I picked this up with the thought of making another Eva dress with a little more ease. Did I mention that I out-grew most of my wardrobe? I'm seriously lacking summer clothes that fit. It's almost done, just the hemline to shorten and finish.
Output
Fabric: 33.1 metres + 1 recycled skirt
Zippers: 0 (May) + 1 - 55 cm zipper = 1
Buttons: 0 (May) = 18
Seam binding: 0 (May) + 7 metres (prior months) = 7 metres
Knit 'N Stable Tape: 0 (May) + 9 metres (previous months) = 9 metres
Twill Tape: 0 (May) + 0.5 metres (prior months) = 0.5 metres
Spools of thread: 2 700 metres
Sewing machine needles: 0 (May) + 3 (prior months) = 3
Hand needles: 0 (May) + 1 (prior months) = 1
Sewing Label: 1
Input
Fabric: 10 metres (May) + 24.7 metres (previous months) = 34.7 metres
Sewing Machine Needles: 0 (May) + 1 package of 3 serger needles (previous months) = 3
Buttons: 0 (May) + 10 (previous months) = 10
Sewing patterns: 2 patterns (May) + 2 (previous months) = 4
Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!
Friday was a half day at work which gave me to perfect opportunity to finish yardwork at home. I threw on the same cotton knit Ebony dress, crica 2021, Closet Core patterns to finish cutting the grass. For work, I wore one of the three versions of the tulip dress that are in my closet, circa 2020, The Assembly Line. Sleepwear: Cotton pajama set, circa 2020, top: Butterick 6296 and bottoms: OOP Vogue 9217.
One of my all-time favourite makes, a Marcy Tilton cotton shirt, circa 2011, OOP Vogue 8709 was teamed up with a pair of black linen pants, circa 2020, Vogue 1642. Sleepwear, circa 2018-19 was the old flannel stand-by pajama set.
Woke up early Saturday morning to a much needed thunderstorm. So thankful for the rain even though it meant the risk of being rained on while lining up to get into the store for groceries. This meant dressing in layers. Jeans, circa 2020, Butterick 5682 worn with a cotton knit floral top, circa 2017, Vogue 9028, a RTW denim jacket. That's right, I wore a Canadian tuxedo. And just to cover up this fashion faux pas I threw the boiled wool jacket, circa 2020, Butterick 6244 over the denim jacket.
Continuing on the theme of layer dressing, I also double-masked while in line and grocery shopping, a Dhurata Davies facemask, circa 2020, against my face and a KN95 disposable face mask over top. I changed clothes when I came home from grocery shopping into a pair of wool pants, circa 2019, Vogue 1642, cotton knit t-shirt, circa 2018, OOP Vogue 1306, and a sweatshirt fleece hoodie, circa 2015, Butterick 6253. Sleepwear was a cotton knit nightgown, circa 2020, vintage Butterick 5517.
Lockdown Sunday was all about staying in and spending time at home. This cotton canvas weight dress, circa 2020, vintage Vogue 1606 was worn during the day followed by a cotton knit nightgown, circa 2020, vintage Butterick 5517.
Today is a long weekend, woohoo! It was nice to have another day to catch up on things. I threw on the same dress I wore yesterday to start my day outdoor tending to the plants. (Details above), I'm not dressing to impress here and since we're now considered the Covid-19 hotspot not only in Canada, also the U.S., I really didn't care about getting dressed today. I was so disappointed waking up yet another news story of people ignoring Covid restrictions. It really has become the wild west of the pandemic in this part of the country. Sigh. After enjoying some outdoor time, listening to the birds singing, I came in looking forward to spending time in my pajamas, circa 2018-19, and taking care of indoor chores.
Tomorrow, I'll have to get dressed.
This dress ended up on the mending pile a week ago when I was kneeling on the lower hem and tried to maneuver. The rip happened at the lower button region.
Thankfully, there was a remnant piece of this fabric left over and I made myself a patch, removed the button and tried to match the stripes.
I could have used some Wonder Tape™ here but I'm down to my last roll and they no longer carry it at Fabricland. I'm saving that last package until I can find another source that is not Amazon or an Etsy shop with crazy shipping costs. But I digress...
After the rush to find summer clothes that fit, it's back to much cooler temperatures and the threat of thundershowers. I wish I wore tights with this dress, circa 2016, Vogue 1410. But I didn't and my bare legs were freezing. I did have a RTW t-shirt with 3/4 length sleeves underneath but I could have easily wore a jacket as well. Sleepwear: flannel pajama set, circa 2019, Butterick 6296 and the bottoms, circa 2018, OOP Vogue 9217.
I'm surprised that I still fit into this dress and am incredibly thankful. I don't have a lot of summer clothes that fit. It's a black raw silk maxi dress, circa 2014, OOP vintage McCall's 8823. This dress with a RTW cotton knit cardigan was my work outfit. I came home and changed into jeans, circa 2020, Butterick 5682 and a cotton knit t-shirt, circa 2014, OOP Vogue 1306, to do some yardwork. Sleepwear is the same as yesterday's, scroll down if you're looking for the silk pajama set, circa 2020, details.
I noticed that now that we're remote learning and I am chained to my desk, my step count is a 1/3 of what it used to be--YIKES! I might have to start going for walks at lunch time.
Friday was one of those days that I had nothing to wear. It happened on the day that students were learning about hyperbole in their poetry class.
My body was revolting at the thought of anything too tight and everything was too tight. It didn't help that my loose fitting pieces of clothing were sitting in the laundry. Even my feet and ankles were in pain and swollen by the end of the day sending me straight into my pajamas, circa 2020 (top, Butterick 6296 and bottoms OOP Vogue 9217) as soon as I got home. I squeezed into the only knit skirt, circa 2020, Vogue 1730 that would go with an oversized shirt, circa 2021, The Assembly Line T:205.
Saturday was all about catching up! It was my day to catch up on errands hindered by long pandemic response line-ups at grocery stores, punctuated with desired-items no where to be found and sky-rocketed meat prices. It looks like it's going to be a vegetarian summer. Thank goodness I like lentils. But I digress...
On Saturday, I wore a too-snug RTW black pullover knit dress and leggings, hidden under a loose-fitting cotton knit sweater, circa 2020, OOP Vogue 9215. My me-made face mask, circa 2020, a Dhurata Davies free downloadable pattern, was worn over top a disposable face mask. And I brought me-made grocery bags, circa 2021, OOP McCall's 4851, to the store. Sleepwear consisted of the top part of a pajama set, circa 2017, Butterick 6296 worn with RTW yoga pants since the bottoms have recently been turned into rags. There are plans to sew another pajama bottom in a navy cotton sateen that I have in the stash. One day when my sewing mojo returns.
Spent some time cooking and tending to the outdoor plants after switching over my closet to spring summer clothes and removing the items that no longer fit. The feet are doing better today and I was happy I was able to slide them into a pair of runners. A simply comfortable shirtdress, circa 2018, Simplicity 8687. Silk pajamas, circa 2020, top Butterick 6296 and bottoms, OOP Vogue 9217.
Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!
A long day. Thank goodness this dress was pressed and ready to wear this morning. And the moment I got home, the pajamas came on for the night. Too exhausted to add details, scroll the previous days if you're looking for pattern details, these have already been worn this month.
Stay safe and Happy Sewing!
It's starting to feel like spring so I wore the typical spring look, a floral dress, circa 2017, Tessuti Eva dress pattern. Sleepwear was the cotton pajama set, circa 2020, top Butterick 6296 and bottoms OOP Vogue 9217.
Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!
Today was a long day after yesterday's announcement that schools will be moving to code red starting Wednesday. For the following thirteen school days, students will move to remote learning for all students of non-essential workers. It certainly coloured me surprise coming from our provincial government since shopping malls will remain open and consumers can still shop for non-essentials in the latest round of "restrictions" announced on Friday. You see, we have the second highest per capita rate of covid in the country, all four more contagious variants of concern have been detected in the province and we currently have an ongoing court challenge of Covid resistrictions. Yup, it's a real gong show around here. No wonder my sewing mojo is nowhere to be found.
This is also why I changed outfits. It wasn't that I spilled coffee on my outfit. Well, not today anyway. As soon as I get home, I'm out of whatever I wore to work. But there was an appointment that I needed to get to and it was a quick change and out the door. And then the final change into my pajama.
Today's me-made tally: Graffiti print denim shirtdress, circa 2020, OOP McCall's 7546, OOP Vogue 1503 and 8934. Changed into the tulip dress, circa 2021, The Assembly Line pattern. Cotton knit panties, circa 2018, Simplicity 8229. Cork sunglass case, circa 2020, free downloadable pattern. Sleepwear were my old flannel pajama set, the top, circa 2019, Butterick 6296 and the bottoms, circa 2018, OOP Vogue 9217.
Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!
Days 7, 8 and 9:
I wore tights this morning with this outfit only to wish I had bare legs and sandals by the time I left work. Cotton knit t-shirt, circa 2017, OOP Vogue 9057 under cotton pullover dress, circa 2020, vintage Vogue 1606. Today, I wore disposable face masks.
For relaxing and sleep time, I pulled out my silk pajamas, circa 2020. The pajama top was made with Butterick 6296 and the bottoms with OOP Vogue 9217.
Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!
I'm a day late but I was out for the count for much of yesterday.
So, I was feeling pretty good when I woke up, thinking that I escaped any of the side-effects from the vaccine. I ended up back home and in bed after lunch.
For a few short hours I tallied four me-made items:
Cotton shirtdress, circa 2020, out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 1606. At work I wear two face masks, a medical grade mask under a reusable face mask, circa 2020, Dhurata Davies pattern. And most of my day was spent in flannel pajamas, top, circa 2019, was made with Butterick 6296 and the bottoms, circa 2018, with OOP Vogue 9217.
Yes, today I wore two coats. This morning I was out on patrol duty when it was minus seven and when you're standing there in an open parking lot for fifteen minutes I was going with something warmer. My coat of choice this morning, circa 2018, OOP Vogue 8934. By recess duty I was out without a coat and by the end of the day the wind picked up and I went to the trunk of my car to grab the spring coat, circa 2019, Vogue 9367.
My dress of choice was a French terry knit turtleneck dress, circa 2019, OOP Vogue 8939. Since I need pockets at work and the dress doesn't meet this requirement, I topped it with a light-weight top, circa 2020, OOP Butterick 5891. Face masks worn at work were a disposable medical grade mask topped with a disposable KN95 mask.
And sleepwear was is a repeat of the set worn yesterday. Details are above.
Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!
Outfit change into the black cotton sateen with stretch skirt, circa 2020, OOP Vogue 1247 and a short sleeve RTW t-shirt. The skirt is a little snug but not as bad as the blue dress.
And a third change when I came home into something that has enough ease for breathing. Currently, the most comfortable style of dress in my closet would be The Assembly Line's (TAL) tulip dress, circa 2020.
Sleepwear this weekend is all about pampering myself in silk pajamas, circa 2020. The top is made with Butterick 6296 and the bottoms made with OOP Vogue 9217.
Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!
Yup, that sums up this past pandemic year. Pandemic pounds and the struggle to find me-made clothes that I find comfortable to wear is real. This past year, I rarely found myself able to comfortably move my good wool pants. Thank goodness for a mild winter and roomy shirt dresses. But I digress...
Here is a tally of today's eleven me-made items:
Cotton knit T-shirt, Vogue 9057, circa 2017. It was paired with a navy cotton sateen skirt, out-of-print (OOP) Vogue 1247, circa 2018. My cork eyeglass case, circa 2020, was reached for today. Not shown is a pair of me-made panties, circa 2017.
Concern of the rising Covid-19 case counts and test positivity rates means a change of clothes upon the return home. So there were two day-time hour outfits worn today. Cotton with stretch black and white print dress, circa 2020, Vogues 9237 and 9057 worn with a RTW and many-times mended black cotton knit front buttoned sweater and leggings.
Since it wasn't quite warm enough when I ventured outside, I grabbed my reversible jacket OOP vintage McCall's 2495, circa 2021, flipping it to the red wool side before running out the door.
For a recent make, this little jacket has been worn a lot this year. There was no me-made face mask worn today as they are all in the wash. A disposable face mask was worn. Mental note: sew more reusable face masks when the sewing mojo returns.
Sleepwear: It was a hectic week and I figure I deserve to wear silk pajamas, circa 2020, pajama top was made with Butterick 6296 and the bottoms with OOP Vogue 9217. Kept the day-time outfit on for my afternoon nap. I so needed that nap!
Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!
Well, I guess I will start with some stats. In 2024, I focused on two things, sewing from the stash and no more polyester. Let's start...
