Day 7: Me-Made-May '19

It finally feels like spring!  Break out the floral dress.

Today's statistics:  50% me-made, four out of eight items.

This floral print dress is made with Tessuti Pattern's Eva dress pattern and a 100% cotton fabric. It's been in the wardrobe for almost two years. And there is nothing to complain about here, it has been worn a lot and it has held up well. I don't even think it has made it to the mending pile yet.  

All of the other me-made items were previously mentioned in previous me-made posts. These include the cork handbag (McCall's 7851), cotton knit knickers (Simplicity 8229) and my nightgown (Butterick 5667).  Ready-to-wear items were other undergarments, cotton cardigan and a denim jacket. 

Happy Sewing!  

Day 6: Me-Made-May '19

I refuse to wear a winter jacket even though the morning temperature dipped to zero. Yikes! Today's me-made fashions were based on the cold, refusing to put on a winter jacket and comfort.  

Sixty-seven percent (6 out of 9)of my clothing choices were made by me.  

The top, Simplicity 8529, and the long cardigan, Butterick 6495, are fairly recent makes. Both items were made in the recent months. This is a case of being inspired by the fabric. It originates from Spain, according to the label its fibre content consists of 78% cotton, 22% polyester and 8% spandex. 

Although, I am trying to stay away from man-made fibres I did pick this one up because I found it originally labelled as a cotton. It wasn't until I later came across the near empty bolt on another visit to the store that I found the full fibre content labelled in on the side of the cardboard. This is one thing that I wish fabric stores were more diligent on, providing accurate details. Sometimes you really don't know what you picking up.  

The skirt (OOP Butterick 5790) was worn on day one of Me-Made May. Other previously mentioned me-made items worn on day six of Me-Made-May include cotton undies (Simplicity 8229), and the pajama set (Butterick 6296 and Vogue 9217).  

 Happy Sewing!

Day 5: Me-Made-May '19

It was a rough morning and my typical Sunday routine is throw out of the window. I'm dealing with a cold and staying indoors. But I did manage to get dressed.  

Seventy per cent (7 of 10 items) of today wardrobe choices were me-made.

It's hard to believe that this skirt, OOP Vogue 9060, will be five years old this fall. The pattern for this skirt is still available on the Vogue website in the out of print category so if you want to pick it up I would suggest doing so soon. I've also used this pattern to create dresses and I have to say it's been worth every penny.  

I made this skirt prior to my decision to move away from man-made fabrics. It was the textured floral design on the fabric that drew me in and I have to admit that it's one comfortable skirt. And it has held up well over the years. This skirt has been worn often and I haven't become tired of it. I don't foresee that happening anytime soon. 

This top, McCall's 7360, is a more recent addition.  It's less than a year old.  I haven't worn it a great deal mostly because it's more of a warm weather top with the mid-length sleeves and made out of raw silk. Plus that loose short hemline is not the best choice for those cold winter days when the wind tends to blow some chilliness into any openings in one's clothing.  

Raw silk does need care as it can be prone to damage. It is not a fabric that handles direct sunlight well and stains may be difficult to remove without damaging the fibres. Despites these risks, I made a pullover top that maybe a coffee drinker shouldn't be wearing.    

The reminder of the items worn today were me-made-knickers (Simplicity 8229), pajama set (Butterick 6296 and Vogue 9217) and my terry robe (OOP Simplicity 7417).  Ready-to-wear items were additional undergarments, socks, and a cardigan sweater.  

Happy Sewing!

Day 4: Me-Made-May '19

Gotta love Saturdays, those days you can dress in whatever makes you feel comfortable even if your sewing is not perfect. And wow, some of these items have been in the wardrobe for quite some time.  

Sixty percent of my clothes worn today were me-made. Six out of ten items were made by moi.  

Okay, would you believe that this shirt is, at least, twelve years old? It was made with OOP Vogue 2789, an Anne Klein design from 2004.  It's not my greatest sewing effort as there are some visible sewing mistakes. And it has gone through some transformation over the years as my body has changed shapes. Eight years ago, the pintucks were removed in hopes to provide more ease before defeat was admitted and side inserts were added. I didn't have fabric remnants so I used a contrasting black fabric. It's perfect for puttering around and getting housework done.  

The skirt is another item that has been in the wardrobe for awhile and has visited the mending pile more than a few times. It was made with OOP McCall's 7870, circa 1995.  I made it about four and a half years ago and I wear it a lot.  So much so, that the double kick pleat every now and then requires a bit of tender loving care at the top of the kick pleat.  It's worth it, I still like wearing this skirt. 

The knickers and sleepwear were previously blogged about. Different colour of knickers but still made from Simplicity 8229. They are the latest unblogged pair, made only a few months ago. Pajama set mentioned here and the terry robe mentioned here.  Ready-to-wear items include the remainder of the undergarments, tights, a sweater and socks.  

Happy Sewing!

Day 3: Me-Made-May '19

I knew the rain was coming, I could feel it in my aching bones and Voltaren rubbed skin.  With the excitement of a small child wanting to play in the rain, I planned my wardrobe choices around my Hunter boots.  

Eighty percent of today's clothes are me-made!  

This infinity scarf is a 100% silk. It was added into my wardrobe about a year and a half ago and it is one of my favourite accessories and I wear it more like jewelery.  It is all about the fabric for this item.  

But did you know that silk fabric has natural fire retardant and antibacterial properties?  I personally feel good about sewing with silk fabric because it's a natural fibre but not all share my enthusiasm for silk.  

British online fashion retailer ASOS has joined a growing number of companies that have ban several natural fibre fabrics, including silk, in their line of clothing.  Indian silk production has been noted by Human Rights Watch in 2003 for the abuse of child slaves.  And PETA has lead a campaign to end silk production citing the pain experienced by silk worms in the harvest of the luxurious fibres.  Am I wrong to admire this fabric as a wonderful gift from nature?  

I guess you can say that this top, OOP Vogue 1306, has been hanging around for years.  In an unfinished state, originally cut in 2012, this Rebecca Taylor design wasn't finished until six years later. 

It's a medium weight cotton knit and I feel good about this fabric even though I have to again admit I don't know anything about the supply chain management around the textile industry. I do know that I feel better about fabrics and garments that have a natural fibre content. It saddens me to hear marketing campaigns against them and I do realize that there is so much to learn about how are fabrics are made and where they come from.   

This Rachel Comey skirt, OOP Vogue 1247, is made in one of my favourite fabrics to sew, cotton sateen. It's about a year and a half old and it has seen a steady rotation in the wardrobe.  It actually replaces a navy version that I originally made in 2012.   

It's the smooth surface the satin weave produces that makes this one of my favourite fabrics to sew with and to wear.  

Only my remaining under-garments and jean jacket were ready-to-wear. But wait there's more...  

Sleepwear was also me-made!  I made a cotton pajama set back in 2017 when I combined Butterick 6296 for the pajama shirt and Vogue 9217 for the pajama bottoms. And of course the cotton robe that was shown earlier this week. The pajama bottoms have already made it to the mending pile to repair a ripped side leg seam. Although, I don't enjoy mending, I do like wearing this set of jammies. 

Researching and reading about human rights issues and the environmental impact of the textile industry really has changed my view on mending.  Repairing and caring for garments as more than an austerity measure, it's an act of kindness to the environment.  

Happy Sewing!

Day 2: Me-Made-May '19

Today, Thursday, May 2, 2019, is a chilly start to the day.  The fog looked beautiful from the warmth of the indoors but the zero temperature called for some strategy. With the temperatures expected to hit double digits layers is the key to dressing.

Fifty-five percent of my garments (includes the handbag) were me-made.  A total of six pieces (out of eleven).

I pulled out these wool pants, OOP Vogue 1325, created almost five years ago!  They still look new.  It's made with 100% British wool and I couldn't be more thrilled with how well these pants have held up over the years. If I could afford to have a complete wardrobe made out of wool I would and these pants work for all seasons.  

I could sing the praises for wool fabric All. Day. Long. Wool has anti-bacterial properties that means it requires less frequent washing and at a lower temperature.  Win. Win, when it comes to the impact on the environment and exending it's life span. 

This sweater, Simplicity 8529, is a recent addition to the wardrobe.  I made this one five months ago when I realized that I didn't have enough fabric to make Vogue 9330.  I have no idea what the fibre content of this fabric is made up of except it was found on the wool table of the local fabric store. And the table was filled with wool like bolts as well. I believe this is a faux wool because it didn't shrink a fraction of a millimetre. But it's warm and it's not pilling like a polyester. Actually, it hasn't pilled at all.  [knock on wood]  Hmmm, I'm stumped on this one.  

All I know is that it's warm and cozy and perfect for the morning chill that I had to walk into. 

My handbag is me-made!  I don't typically sew accessories but when I found out that a local fabric store was carrying cork fabric I was intrigued.  The handbag is made with McCall's 7851 and it's just a couple months old.

Just like wool I can sing the praises of cork fabric All. Day. Long!  This fabric scores high on the sustainability metre and is created with cork bark.  The best part is how light-weight this bag is and it just a little bit of extra kindness to my back.  The lining fabric is a 100% cotton canvas and the handles are suede.  All natural fabrics.  

And cotton undies for added comfort.  These are made with Simplicity 8229 back in 2017.  And they have held up well considering that they are almost two year old.  I'm really happy with this fabric choice and I do plan on revisiting this project soon.  

My sleepwear is the same as yesterday except for a change of undies and socks. If I could only have stayed in my pajamas all day I would have been happy. But life happens and sometimes it's frowned upon to go venture out in pjs.  

There were some ready-to-wear pieces that were thrown into the mix (socks, undergarments and a suede jacket).  I should have grabbed a pair of gloves this morning but I didn't expect it to be that nippy outside.  

Reflecting on my clothing choices I feel good about all of these pieces.  For the most part, I was mindful of the fabric choices that I made and it worked out. They have paid for themselves in the end and still look good. They are all pieces that I want to wear regardless of their age and how long they have been in the wardrobe.  

Happy Sewing!

  

Day 1: Me-Made-May '19

Today, Wednesday, May 1, 2019, is a running errands kind of day.  It is a gray day and my wardrobe choice seems to reflect the mood illustrated by the skies.  Fifty percent of the garments I wore throughout the day were me-made.  

Thirty-three percent of my day-wear garments were me-made. The outer garments consisted of a gray animal print linen shirt (Butterick 6026) with a charcoal gray ponte knit pull-on skirt (out-of-print OOP Butterick 5790) and a cashmere ready-to-wear sweater.  The undergarments were all ready-to-wear.  I'm not one of those talented leather work artists so my accessories, a black leather handbag and gray Sorel shoes (not shown here), are also from the retail landscape.  

My linen shirt is just shy of two years old.  It hasn't seen a lot of wear since making it mainly because it is not the type of fabric I reach for during the winter months and when I do wear it, the shirt tails roll up.  Maybe one day I'll straighten the hemline.  It is a keeper, I love that it's a natural fibre fabric and the print.  It hits high marks on the sustainability metre.  Linen is made from flax which needs few chemical fertilisers and less pesticide that cotton in its production.  If I didn't live in a climate where it can get pretty darn cold in the winter, I would have more linen in my closet. And I'll admit that I could have chosen a warmer option for the gray, rainy day. No wonder it doesn't get worn more.     

My skirt is a polyester ponte knit.  I'm not proud of this and I'm really trying to cut back on the amount of man-made fibres lurking in my wardrobe.  Yet, this is a recent make and came into my wardrobe about two months ago.  The fabric has been in my stash for years prior to my enlightenment and I'm trying to use what is in my fabric stash.  I like that this fabric isn't prone to wrinkling and it's warm for those cooler days. But I have to admit if I'm going to be mindful of the impact that my fabric choices have on the environment this hits low marks on the sustainability metre. Polyester is a man-made petroleum-based fibre meaning that its made from a carbon-intensive non-renewable resource. It is estimated that more than seventy billion barrels of oil goes into the production of polyester annually.  And it is believed that synthetic garments are the biggest source of microplastic pollution in the oceans. A laundered synthetic garment can release up to 1 900 fibres into the environment. This knowledge demands care in washing this piece of clothing and highlighted by an awareness that I don't want to make anymore polyester fabric choices.  

The garments worn as my sleepwear were 75% me-made.  My nightgown (Butterick 5667) is about a year and a half old and the terry clothe robe (OOP Simplicity 7417) is a recent make from the beginning of the year.  The robe replaces a well-worn robe that was seeing its last days. These two items were made with 100% cotton fabrics and they are both comfortable and warm.  I've really been noticing that the price of cotton has been going up over the years. If the blue waffle cotton wasn't faded and moved to the discount section I doubt I would have given this a second glance after seeing the price tag.  And the cotton terry fabric was a deal when Mitchell Fabrics was closing down. It is easy to understand the allure of those man-made fabrics vs natural fabrics when you making an economic choice at the cutting table. But it's worth the wait, to do without, until a good deal shows up.

Even though the production of cotton products are also criticized for its environmental impact, I find that the fabrics do last longer than many of their man-made counterparts.

The knickers (Simplicity 8229) are also me-made and are about two years old. It's made with a cotton and spandex knit and the sides are a polyester lace.  These are not my favourite pair, I much prefer the ones without the lace inserts, Simplicity 8228. And the one RTW sleepwear item was my cotton socks.

So before I head to bed, do your fabric choices keep you up at night? I hope not, rather just food for thought, conversation and perhaps future project planning. I wish everyone a good night's sleep.

Happy Sewing!  And sweet dreams.