Me Made June '11 - The Final Days!

Well, June is now over.  I can't say  that I'm not glad.  Now, don't get me wrong here, I have enjoyed participating in MMJ and watching others in their achievements and struggles with this challenge but I have found this challenge very hard for several reasons. 

• I have been a sewist sewer for a very long time, in fact too long to remember.  I have not sewn for many years and only come back to it this year.  The outcome is that I did not have many me-made things to wear to fulfil this challenge.
• This month has found me with many unexpected commitments, (family and others) leaving precious little time for making more clothes.
• The issue of having a photo taken of myself each day has proven to be difficult also, as firstly I don't really like having my photo taken, secondly finding a suitable location and thirdly getting someone to do it.  D has been very gracious and patient with this task.

Things I have learned through my participation in Me-Made June.

1. My wardrobe is definitely lacking in casual tops.  
2. Most of what I own, me-made or RTW is knit hardly any woven fabric; easy to wear, quick to make but I prefer to sew with wovens.
3. I need to introduce more colour into my life.  It seems that all my clothes are either black, white or neutral!  So boring, especially in photo's!
4. I am in need of plain colours (not prints) to make my wardrobe more versatile.
5. I love a challenge and jump on board without thinking it through first.  Can I successfully complete this challenge?  Do I have enough to wear for it?  Do I have the time to sew the amount of clothes I need for the challenge?  NO!

The outcome for me, is that I need to address several wardrobe issues. I should stop buying prints and add more plains to my wardrobe.  My winter clothing is also a shortcoming for me.  I don't like winter, I feel the cold but hate layering up as then I feel like the 'Michellan Man' hehe :)  so for me this would be a better challenge during the summer months when I have an abundance of things to wear.  AND I need to add more colour!

Aside from my wardrobe issues I also realise that I really need to learn how to work the self timer on my camera and use the tripod so I don't have to rely on D or anyone else for my photoshoot.  Would I do it again?  Maybe.  Certainly not until I have acquired more me made clothes.  Have I enjoyed it?  Yes, sort of.  At first I felt a lot of pressure to meet expectations but that wore off as I realised  it didn't matter to  anyone else but me.

This is my first time joining a challenge and I want to thank Zoe of So, Zo...What do you know?  for leading this one.  It really is a fantastic idea and gets everyone wearing and appreciating what they have made.  All up I have found Me-Made June '11 to be an interesting exercise.  I learned a lot about myself and my wardrobe. 

Now onto what I wore for the final days of June.

My outfit for Day 29 - The skirt is one worn previously and made for this challenge.  It was made to replace my RTW one that was looking a bit worse for wear.

Today's outfit - Day 30.  A new top completed last week made from Kwik Sew 3617.  My review here

My heels are sinking into the ground : )  Don't you just love the camelia flower carpet?

I made a few changes.  This time I swapped the pattern and plain fabrics around.  I also shortened the sleeve and added a band in the floral fabric.

Don't you just love the finish you get with the coverstitch machine?  I do!

Two tops - One pattern - More colour!

Introducing Dolly

June has been a very busy month for me and I have promised myself I would post more often than I have been.  With not much sewing time I really didn't have anything more to show so I was wondering what to write about then I thought why not introduce you to Dolly. 

Dolly has recently joined my me in my quest for better fitting clothes. She is very elegantly attired in white which is wonderful for not showing the dark colour through light fabrics as Diana my previous model did.  (Don't know what happened to Diana but she disappeared some time ago.)  Her white outfit is quite 'rough' and things do not slide around.  Actually it almost grips too well.  Dolly comes ready to work hard with a nice solid wood stand which won't tip easily and as you can see she is fully adjustable.  There is only one problem which I will share with you and that is that I am short-waisted and Dolly is not.  She is adjusted to the shortest length and this is about 3cm/1" longer than me.  Do you have the same problem?  Now that Dolly has joined me I hope she serves me well and look forward to a long and lasting relationship being creative together.


On a different note I promised I would mention Kestrel from Kestrel Finds and Makes is having a 1st Birthday Giveaway to get myself another entry.  The prize is a lovely retro '52 pattern and some gorgeous vintage buttons.  I have a real soft spot for vintage styles and would like to start making some for myself.  How do you feel about vintage styles?

Another Top

Day 22 - I wore this new top made during the week.  I still need to alter the sleeve length.  I was measured for sleeve length at my sewing guild meeting but as I quite often find the measurement was not accurate.  It' needs to be shortened by about 3-4 cm.  For a review of this pattern see below.

 Me Looking at Kushka (the cat)

Day 23 

My purple dress revisited.  This dress is so comfortable to wear it just might become my new favourite dress.  I needed to try something a bit different for my photos and D took this one while I was mucking around.

This month has been very busy for me in terms of having so many things crop up that have prevented me from doing that which I love the most.....Sewing!  Therefore, I have not added very many me made items to my wardrobe.  I have been so busy I haven't even had time to blog.  I promise I will be more consistent in the future.

Me-made  June is almost over now and as a result of this challenge I have discovered that I have definite gaps in my wardrobe.  The most obvious is that I do not have many casual things to wear.  I have quite a few clothes for work, probably more than I need (I only work part time) and I tend to live in RTW jeans and tops when not working, sadly my tops only come in black and white which I must say I am finding quite boring these days.  I have several in both colours.  Also, I do not possess many jumpers/sweaters for the colder months.  Currently I am knitting a jumper for the winter but aah...alas I was having problems with the sizing and consequently have knitted and re-knitted the back and sleeve several times.  I gave up on that pattern and bought a new one to follow and seem to be having more success this time around but I am sooo.... over it at the moment.  Maybe it will be finished for next winter. LOL

 Pattern:  Kwik Sew 3617, View A

Pattern Description:
Pullover close fitting top. View A has a scoop neckline and wide neckband. View B has V-neckline, gathered neckband with elastic, and extended shoulders forming cap sleeves

Pattern Sizing:
XS-XL I cut the medium size

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes it did

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Very Easy

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I like the fit of this pattern. It fits closely but not too tight. I thought the way the neckband was attached was a bit fiddly. I overlocked/serged both layers together instead of attaching the neckband and then turning over the facing and stitching as described in the instructions.

Fabric Used:
I used two different types of polyester jersey knits

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I made my usual changes for a short waist and sleeve but I also made this pattern longer. I also added a tab and button on the contrast neckband.

 Close up of tab detail

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes definitely. I have already made a second version and shortened the sleeve to three quarter length and added a contrast band.

Conclusion:
I would recommend this pattern as it was easy to construct and can be changed easily for different looks. It makes a great wardrobe builder.

Till next time 

Cheers & creativity

MMJ - The Last Week

How time flies!  It's been a week since my last post.  Last weekend was a long weekend here in Melbourne and we went to our holiday house at the beach.  Got to catch up with our youngest daughter which was nice.  The days were cold.  We had sunny mornings but the clouds rolled in soon after lunch each day. No photos to show. Forgot the camera, remembered the computer but forgot the camera. Duh!!

Confession time!  "I failed the daily me-made challenge!" Sob.  I didn't wear any items made by me for the whole weekend.  I knew early on that I didn't have enough clothes for this challenge and have been sewing like a crazy woman trying to get a few things together to fulfil my pledge.  I have only come back to sewing in the last few months after having not done any, except patchwork, for several years so not much is made by moi.  Having said that, I haven't given up yet.  Yes, I have found gaps in my wardrobe but still I can't justify making so many clothes when it's overflowing with RTW garments.

Day 14 - Mmmmm..... It was cold and I was catching up on the housework and washing etc after the weekend.  I was wearing my black top worn previously but it was hiding under a windcheater so didn't have a photo taken 'cos ya couldn't see it!'


Day 15 - Back to work again.

It's hard to get a good photo in the late winter afternoon sun.  I wore my scarf - seen before.  Still trying to get a bit of colour in for the winter.

Day 16 - Oops!  Back to the neutrals and black again, after all there's not much else in my wardrobe.  The scarf was finished last night.  I know, I'm the queen of scarves.  The pic below shows the scarf better but a real cheesy grin from me.  I was muckin' around

No sunshine today even though it was forecast and it was later in the day so an inside photoshoot.

How is everyone else doing with the challenge?  Have you run out of me-made clothes yet?

Colour in My Wardrobe!

I live in Melbourne where we are known for wearing black.  I wonder if anyone thought that if there were some colour in the shops people might actually buy it.  Instead we have no choice.  It's even hard to get away from shades of black when buying fabric.  I have been wearing black, grey and white, or some form of a neutral for way too long now and wanting to add some colour to my wardrobe for some time so, when I saw this purple fabric I just had to have it.

TaDa!  One down three to go!  My first dress in the June Challenge 4 x 1 which also helps me achieve another day in the Me-Made June Challenge. 

This is the dress I wore today and was absolutely thrilled when I received 2 compliments within 10 minutes of my arrival at work.  Neither person could believe it when I said 'I made this myself!'  This really made my day.

During the course of Me-Made June I have discovered that it is very hard to get a decent photo.  It took my husband about 10 shots of the back view to get this one and I still don't think this is very good.  The flash appears to be too bright and you can't see the pleat detail very well in either photo.  Below is my review of this pattern.

Pattern:  Butterick 5523

Description:
Close-fitting, A-line, above mid knee length, pullover dress with draped collar, front and back pleats, Long sleeves with pleats at cap, back tab with non-functioning buttons.

Size:  8-14.  I cut the 14 View A.   I probably could have cut the 12.

Did it look like the  pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?  Yes it did.



Fabric:  Gina Dry Handle Knit purchased from Knitwit

Were the instructions easy to follow?  Yes, very easy. Great project for a beginner.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I love the style. I didn't like that there was no allowance made to shorten the waist for petite sizes. For a dress that is supposed to be close fitting it isn't really.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I made the usual pattern changes for shortening the waist and sleeve lengths and I sewed the elastic to the empire seam line as I didn't read the instructions and cut off the allowance for the casing.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Probably not, but I do recommend it.

Conclusion:
I love this dress, it's easy to sew and makes a great addition to your wardrobe.

MMJ - Day 8

This is a black pencil skirt started for the MMJ challenge which I finished yesterday.  Black is so hard for this old girl to sew these days it took longer than anticipated.  I needed to replace my RTW one.  It's been worn so much it's faded and is looking a bit worse for wear.  I used Butterick 3438 a TNT pattern first made  many years ago and always fall back on when I need a pencil skirt. It fits well and I find quite comfortable to wear.

You will notice that my boy 'Kushka' decided to be part of this photoshoot.  He's usually not that interested.

Have a nice day!

MMJ '11 - What I've Been Wearing

Well I must say that time has escaped me over the last few days and it seems that the whole month of June is going to be very busy for me.  So I thought I had better catch up.  On day 2 of MMJ'11 I forgot to do the photo shoot.   Home from work to cook and eat dinner then out to my craft group held twice monthly.  I had to go to the archives to dig up this one.  I wore my tunic dress made from  Butterick 5427.

Oops...... no photo for day 3.



Day 4 - was my sewing guild monthly get together.  We have a fun day sewing, helping and learning from each other but I think much more gossiping gets done than any amount of sewing. 

These ladies were actually sewing at the time I took this photo.  I did manage to get 1 knit top and 1 shirt cut out and also finish a dress.  I would have been more productive at home but still it's fun chatting with others who share an interest/hobby with you.  You learn so much!

What I wore.  A top made from Simplicity 4076. The is a TNT pattern to which I have made sleeve alterations.  I have a strange look on my face in this photo.  The sun was so bright my eyes were watering and I couldn't keep them open.  Usually I never walk outside without my sunnies. 

Day 5 - Much better photo - wearing my sunnies; I can actually see today.  This is a scarf I made, copied from one I bought last Christmas while on holiday.  It's such a busy time of year I had forgotten to pack one and I absolutely love the one I bought.

Today, Day 6 is much colder than the last couple of days.  We still have sunshine but it's very 'fresh'.  The air has a real bite to it so I rugged up in my knitted scarf.  I love the colour of this scarf but I must say that it's very heavy and felt like it was choking me.  Note to self - undo and re-knit with less stitches to make it thinner and lighter.

Oh no...!  I have discovered a gap in my wardrobe.  I am lacking in casual/weekend garments suitable for the winter season.  I'm not sure how I will go tomorrow as it's going to be very cold here and getting colder through the week and I'm certainly in need of winter clothing.  I better get on with the sewing.

I have enjoyed reading all the posts and seeing what everyone is wearing.  I hope I can keep up.

Me Made June '11 - Day 1

Wow!  Today is day 1 for Me-Made-June'11.  I am very nervous about this challenge.  When I signed up for this I thought it would be fun but then reality started to set in.  Was I insane or what?  Will I ever be able to meet this commitment?   I took an inventory of  me made garments/items and found them to be sadly lacking.  Yes, it's verified, I am insane!

This is what I found for today.  It's a top that I made in April which was finished last week after my much wanted Coverstitch machine arrived.  As the sun was shining and gave false impressions that it was warm even though it was the first day of winter here 'down under' I decided to wear it.  I don't think I will get much wear out of it until the weather warms up though.

One thing I have learned; this challenge has definitely improved my productivity.  Having pondered this thought a few posts ago and set myself some goals.  I have been sewing a little every day as I promised myself I would.  In order to meet this challenge I have several things in varying stages of progress on the sewing table as we speak.  Thanks to those people who commented on increasing my productivity.  I have taken those thoughts on board and it is certainly helping.

I only finished this top last week so I will include my pattern review in this post.  I like this pattern but as you can see I am wearing a cami underneath as it's too low in the neckline. I will make a long sleeve version making alterations for a better fit for the winter in a plain colour.

Pattern and fabric chosen.  The photo doesn't show the fabric colour very well.  There is just a hint of pink in it.

 

Vogue 8649

Pattern Description:
Semi-fitted, pullover tops have gathered kimono sleeves. Custom fitting for A,B,C,D cup sizes. Designed for knits.
Pattern Sizing:
8-10-12-14, I used the 14, view A and cut for the C cup using the guide for cup selection but found this to be a little large for me.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes, very easy.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
The sizing seems to be quite big. I cut the C cup sizing according to the size selection guide even though I wear a DD bra and found it still to be a large fit. When I make this top again I will cut a smaller cup size and cut the 12 or run it in down the sides for a more fitted look.
Fabric Used:
Polyester knit
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I made this top according to the pattern.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Definitely, I will sew this again with alterations.
Conclusion:
This is a great style, comfortable and it was very easy to sew. It makes a great addition to my wardrobe basics.

Good luck to everyone in the challenge!