Phew. I’ve been a busy bee and haven’t had the time to post my #MMMay18 round up until now. Yikes!
Me-Made-May was a success this year! I pledged to wear at least 3 me-made garments every day. I managed to take outfit posts every day even if a couple are of hanging garments. My undergarments are always me-made so I they are counted on top of the garments listed for each day and I live in my Belmont leggings these days so I didn’t always list them in the garments. Leggings for LIFE!
I’d love to have an “instagram-worthy space” (not that I get what that means) to easily take pictures for these but I don’t have that. My mirror is in my closet and my closet is packed full of stuff since it doubles as a linen closet and also has a bunch of bags ready to go to the charity shop for donations so you either get a view of that or my room which was likely in disarray… I’ve learned to let the concept of displaying perfection go. I think the world would do better to not expect it at all because perfection is impossible.
Imperfection can be beautiful in its own right. If you see my ironing board in the background, you know I was sewing and that means self-care for me and happy happy Andie! If you see a pile of stuff, you know I let that go in order to recover from a migraine or rest myself from pain. A laundry basket in the background means that my husband did the laundry and it’s just waiting to be put away and that shows how our relationship is all about balance and love and making sure one person isn’t taking on all the household tasks. Let’s put it this way, if I spent the time and energy on making a space that is IG-worthy and has that “perfect” look, I wouldn’t have the time or energy to sew and that would be tragic. I also wouldn’t be as real as I try to be so that people know that I’m not perfect. I am me and I really can’t be anything but honest about that. So there ya go. Maybe if we ever move, I will set up a spot that looks a bit better for mirror selfies but maybe not.
Me Made May
Day 1: Simplicity 1459 and Muse Patterns Jenna Cardi
Day 2: Decades Everyday T.L.C. Caftan
Day 3: Burda Blazer, Cashmerette Concord top, and Blank Slate Forsythe Trousers
Day 4: M7094
Day 5: Nautical M6696 and Muse Jenna Cardi
Day 6: Hello Kitty Concord Tee and Prefontaine shorts
Day 7: M7094 and Cake Pavlova skirt
Day 8: Modified Cashmerette Springfield top and Cake Pavlova skirt
Day 9: Concord Tee and patternless dirndl skirt
Day 10: Cashmerette Cedar Dolman and Belmont Leggings
Day 11: Colette Moneta, Belmont Leggings and Swoon Scarf Neck Cardigan
Day 12: Concord tee, Belmont Leggings, and Cake Pavlova skirt
Day 13: Modified Cedar Dolman dress, M6614 hoodie
Day 14: Simplicity 8084 and Belmont Leggings
Day 15: Swoon Scarf Neck cardigan, Belmont leggings, M6887
Day 16: Concord tank top and Parisian Nights pj shorts
Day 17: Burda blazer, modified Springfield top, and Cake Pavlova skirt
Day 18: Concord tee, Upton skirt, and Belmont leggings
Day 19: M6614 hoodie, Concord Tee, and pj pants
Day 20: Concord Tank top and Itch to Stitch Belize Shorts
Day 21: Cashmerette Upton dress
Day 22: B6210
Day 23: Burda cowl neck top and patternless dirndl skirt
Day 24: M6696 and Swoon Scarf Neck cardigan
Day 25: Modified Concord tee and Cake Pavlova skirt
Day 26: Decades of Style TLC Caftan that I got popsicle over lol!
Day 27: Colette Myrtle dress and Jenna Cardi
Day 28: Colette Myrtle dress and Swoon scarf neck cardi
Day 29: Concord tank top and Blank Slate Forsythe Trousers
Day 30: Concord Tee and a Cake Pavlova skirt that I had just finished fixing earlier that week
Day 31: Simplicity 8084 dress and Belmont Leggings
Andie Wells Studio 
WOW! That closet is full of goodies!! Those me mades are fantastic! I’m jealous. But I’m getting there! LOL! Plan A already started, 3 bottoms made already!
Don’t sweat the photos, it looks homey:o) Just like it should!
WOOO-HOOO for me made fashion!
Go Eliz!!! You rock. Soon you’ll have a closet full like me! ❤❤❤❤
(((HUGS))) Slowly but surely! LOL!
Great outfits/looks Andie. Your looking good. Much rather a `real’ you than a camera styled image.
Hope you keep going from strength to strengh
Thanks Lucy! You’re the best. ❤
You too my friend 🙂
Hi Andie
Oh wow, you have been very busy, you’ve got a great looking wardrobe there. You are so good at picking fabrics that suit you and styles that flatter. Especially love your McCall’s vintage blouse, simplicity shirt dress, various Concords and the Hello Kitty tee. Well done on all of it ⭐👍👏
You’re so spot on. The whole pouting-like-a-trout, neutral background, movie studio lit, fake as f**k world of IG and social media in general does my head in (oops, either showing my age or a bit of good, old fashioned, Suffolk bluntness kicked in there!) I love that sewers, knitters, crocheters etc just find a mirror or a sunny spot outside and go ‘snap’, there ya go world, this is ME and what I made! Photo set up and manipulation is great for straightening up a shot, getting the light balance right or making some neat bit of art. Great too if you’re showing off a piece of work or item to sell so all you are seeing is that object in no context whatsoever but airbrushing, contouring and generally lying to the world just is not cool IMHO. My online ‘sewcial’ experience give me real, smiling sewers, chuffed to bits to be wearing something s/he made and loves to wear. I think sewers like yourself, the rest of the CSC and a lot of other sewers and crafter’s out there are doing this world a huge favour showing real life, real homes, real family dynamics and real bodies in their photos. You are damn right to be proud of what your pictures mean. If you were to take a snap in my place it’d be a similar story. Dog looks like he’s gained 10lbs= I haven’t been up to grooming him, all my clothes put away= I’ve lived in PJs for weeks because I haven’t been out, house in darkness= my brain is allergic to all light. All very real and the way I like it.
Speaking of darkness, yup the blackouts are done!!! So chuffed with myself, made bias binding myself, a first. Fabric was a pig, like suede, had to wonder clip the 17 yards (windows very wide) of binding immediately after pressing as the fabric barely creased. Start to finish 1 very large and 1 average size curtain about 8 hours altogether, sessions of about 2 hours each excluding breaks spread over 10 days in total to cut fabric to size, cut the curtain tape (sewn onto each side as curtains hook to black outs and black outs hook to runners) make the binding, sew it all up plus cut new net curtains. Finished on 27th May, still recovering due to new complications but nearly there now. This room is now about 2°C cooler on the hottest days we had so far than on comparable days last year so Billy and myself are far more comfortable, Mister was impressed at what a difference it makes too, plus when my head rebels and I’m allergic to light it’s like middle of night in the middle of the day. A success all round and enough fabric to make simple blinds for the kitchen door and bathroom windows. A win, win, win, win if you will! Brought Ginger jeans pattern in my euphoria to add to project 2023 collection as a UK sewing mag is doing a jeans sew along with them. I figured the hand holding might be helpful & an offer meant 40% off the cost of the printed pattern 😄
I’ve prattled on enough, lol, you can tell I’m crap at pacing as like my posts I fit as much in at once as I can in between long periods of non existence!!! Hyper + Zebra = pacing disaster zone!
Take care, big stripey hugs and enjoy the milder weather 😎
T x
Great job on the curtains and getting them all done! You rock. I hopr your Ginger jeans go well. Hugs!!
Love your reflections on a “perfect” home, Andi. It’s hard to let things go but it feels great to be able to prioritise health and happiness over the little things. I tell my friends off now when they apologise for a “messy” house 😉
Agreed. My messy house means I spent more time caring for myself. 😁
So did you learn anything about your style or wardrobe holes or anything from MMM? Or was the big revelation about social media & the myth of perfection?
Not so much a revelation but what my messy room means to me. As for my wardrobe…nope. I knew I needed
Argh sorry. Pressed send button accidentally. I knew I needed more bras and underwear. I think most of my sewing plans cover other stuff. I like taking part though if just to see what repeats I wear. It helps show what I should sew next.