Me Made May Days 21-27

Hello everyone!

Another week of Me Made May has ended, and what a busy week it was for my household!  It was the last week of school for my kids, so we are now in the throws of summer vacation as I type this  (woo hoo).

Here is the rundown of the week:

Day 21 started out with my son's 5th grade award ceremony.  I managed to hold it together and not cry like a baby, but I do admit it was difficult.  Even though I don't remember any award ceremonies for graduating 5th grade when I went to school, it is obviously a thing now.  I do realize the significance of what my son has accomplished, as I do think that elementary school is a lot more work-intensive than it was in the past.  I am looking forward to middle school years, and what that will bring!

 

And just because I want you to know the real truth about trying to get a picture of your oldest while your toddler is running around, here we are with my littlest bundle of energy (almost 2 now):

Somehow they both look remarkably similar, and got most of my husband's genes (though I'm not complaining, lol).  

Day 22 was a fun day because I found one of the first garments I ever made, NL6648.  I remember wearing this shirt faithfully in those first days, and feeling so good about having a shirt that fit well.  I made my own clothing label back then, and ironed it inside the shirt too.  Sadly, I can not find the pattern to make more!  There are some really cute views NL6648, especially a sleeveless one.  I guess I will have to keep looking or repurchase this one again.

Day 23 was one of my favorite looks for the week!  It is the Laura top by Rosy Pena patterns, with a little more length added than my first version.  Does it not remind you of Lula Roe?  Every time I would go to the carpool line to pick up my kids from school, there would be a stylish teacher there, waving the cars through, wearing Lula Roe.  I don't know if she sold it or bought it, but she had on a different top every day.  Each one looked a lot like this one, in different gorgeous patterns.  This is a nod to her, and also a nod to stylish comfort!  

Day 24 was a day of celebration for us!  It was my hubby's birthday!  Though I wanted to attempt to complete Me Made May without repeating outfits, I decided that 23 days was long enough.  23 DAYS! :) I am so happy about that!  Anyhow, for this repeat I styled it in a different way by adding a colorful pair of capri shorts.  It was such a good day overall.

In keeping with stylish comfort, Day 25 I wore S8383 again.  This one is not only a fave of mine, but got raves from my hubby.  When he compliments I definitely pay attention.  

Day 26 is my New Look kimono, this time worn with a coral RTW top and a lighter short.  I think I like it better with the light colors.   It really brings out the colors in the kimono better than how I wore it earlier this month.  One of my best friends got a chance to try this kimono on, and told me she would like one in the same colors and everything.  Since her birthday is coming up soon, I plan on sewing one or two for her.  When I saw the kimono on her, it looked so good, which is proof that kimonos look good on most everyone!!!!

Day 27 is another one of my favorite looks for this week!  It is another Moneta! But, this time I decided to go bold.  I saw this gorgeous double brushed poly at Sly Fox Fabrics, and had to have it.  I am a part of their online Facebook group, and have been getting sucked in by all the fabrics they display on their Wednesday reveals.  This fabric did not disappoint!  It is so lush and soft in person.  I will definitely be ordering from them again.  

So, I was thinking about my takeaway for this week, and I think I am seeing a pattern with the patterns I choose to sew.  I LOVE Simplicity and New Look!  I don't know what it is.  I am not saying that Mccalls, Butterick, Vogue, etc. are not my jam...I only tend to more readily find styles I like in these two lines.

As a matter of fact, here are some of the Simplicity patterns I picked up at the last 99 cent sale:

 I am already seeing great versions of this pattern going around, especially the latest version from Mimi G.  In fact, I got this because I saw that Mimi G bought it in one of her haul videos, and I just fell in love!  I like all of the views, so I am not sure which one I will make.

Let me start by saying I take back everything I ever said about bodysuits.  Mostly it was "that is such a cute style on her, but not for me."  My own sister even ROCKED the cutest bodysuit with a pair of high-waisted pants.  I appreciated it on her, but did not dare to fall in love with the style until I saw THIS!!!  I want to sew all the versions, lol!

I love this one in View B.  The asymmetrical style is not my thing, but I really want a nice top or dress with a ruffle.  So, I will give this one a try.

I wasn't initially drawn to this one until I gave it a second look.  I have a similar off the shoulder top pinned in Pinterest that I have had a hard time finding a pattern for.  This one fits the bill.  I think it can really make my vision come to life.

Lastly, I just thought this one was cute.  I like View C and D, but I am not sure how the ruffle will work for me.  I think if I can get it to sit at the right place on my bodice then I can make it work.  After all, it was only 99 cents! It was worth it to buy it and give it try.

I look forward to finishing out MMMay 2018' this week, and coming back soon with my final looks and thoughts.

Stay sew-filled!

Me Made May Days 14-20

Hello everyone!

Me Made May is still going strong, and I hope you are not tiring of it, lol!  I think I woke up on Day 16 and thought "Wow, it seems like I have been doing this FOREVER!"  Of course I haven't, but it just feels like it.  Then again, I don't think I have ever kept such close track of my wardrobe before.  I have always taken photos here or there, but not every day.   Thankfully, this amount of mindfulness is allowing me to see my own personal style and choices in a new way.

Here is my recap of the items I wore on Days 14-20:

Day 14 is an unblogged top that I found while flipping through my pattern binder.  It jumped out at me because the sleeves looked so fluttery.  However, when I sewed it, I was so disappointed.  The sleeves looked more droopy to me.  Nevertheless, I love V-necks, and it is still wearable and "spring-like."

Day 15 is my last cold shoulder top in a wild print.  In fact, I wore this top about a month ago to a custom pizza joint with my family.  While I was filling up my drink at the soda fountain, a random woman came up to me, tapped me on the shoulder, and exclaimed "I love your top!"  I was a bit taken aback, but I thanked her and went back to eat with my family.  On the outside I was calm, but on the inside, I was SO EXCITED!  I mostly sew for my own personal taste, and it is an extreme bonus when someone else finds something I have made enjoyable.

Day 16 is my favorite handmade of the week!  I happended to be cleaning out my sewing closet when I spied this dress in the corner of the room.  I started it last summer with my best friend, and the weather turned too quickly into fall, so I never finished it.  Also, the fit of the sleeve wasn't right with the print of the chevron.  It just didn't look right.  So, I decided to re-work the dress by cutting off the sleeve portion and binding it instead.  It worked wonderfully!  My husband loved this one too! So, by request, I am sure I will be making another version in the future.  

Day 17 was special to me because I got to attend my daughter's award ceremony!  I wore the Tomi by Empty Hanger Patterns, and it is the bomb, you all!  I love this dress so much! It was the perfect dress for a little bit of a dressier occasion, but I think a more casual fabric will give this style a more everyday look.  My plan is to experiment and see if I can make a casual version happen.

Day 18 solved a dilemma for me.  What happens when you start a project and it fails?  Well, you can always reuse your leftover fabric and create something new! That is what I did here.  This awesome fabric from Joann's was supposed to be a Burda top, but didn't work out for me.  So, I used what was left to SQUEEZE out NL6735, a cute scoop neck tee with short sleeves.  I love this fabric!

Day 19 and I had to get up early to help my husband with some business matters.  When I got up, the weather was a bit cool, so I decided to see if I could get away with wearing my favorite Sewaholic Renfrew, even though it is a sweater knit.  I am happy to report that I made it through the day without sweating, lol!  I love this top and this color, but I surely won't wear it again until the Fall.

For Day 20 I dug out a Target maxi skirt, and paired it with another New Look 6735 top.  It is not quite a TNT yet for me, but they were easy tops to sew, and they will serve me well in the basic department.  I did not sew the maxi, but one is on my list for summer!!

That concludes my week of MMMay!  My takeaway for this week was to step out of my comfort zone a little more often.  That can be intrepreted in any kind of way, but for me, I tend to LOVE basics!  I love having foundational garments that you can mix and match, dress up and down.  That will not change much because it is how I am.  However, I am realizing that I can push myself to include more "trendy" or "on-trend" items.  Sometimes that is the only way you know if something is for you or not--you try it and see!  I mean, it's just fabric, right?  My goal, moving forward, is to offer myself the opportunity to dream more in my wardrobe!! DREAM!!!! So, stay tuned!  I will try and come back this week and expound some more on this goal.

Stay sew-filled!

Me Made May 2018 Days 7-13

Hello everyone!

I hope you had a restful week!

If you have been following me on Instagram @sewfilled, then you know that my entire family (except my husband) ended up getting sick with the stomach flu last week!  Usually, even with five family members, this does not happen.  As soon as the first person becomes sick, I start a mad dash of handwashing, cleaning, and disinfecting in order to keep germs at bay.  Well, for some reason, this stomach flu came prepared, and knocked the kids and me out all in a matter of DAYS.

Thankfully, and there is a thankfully, it did not last long!  Also, I was still able to post for Me Made May!

Here is what I wore for Days 7-13:

Day 7 I wore another version of the New Look 6378 Kimono in a rayon crepe challis.  This one was a quick sew since I had made it before.  However, the fabric I used was much drapier and fluid.  Still, I love the pink and orange flowers, and hope to blog some of my "off-the-grid" garments soon.

Day 8 is the Aurora tank top! I forgot how much I loved this tank when I made it last year!  The print is from Girl Charlee, and was such a good use for smaller yardages of fabric.  

Ok, so I was still not sick on Day 9, but I was dealing with sick kids when I finished my FIRST ever Jalie cocoon cardigan.  Yay! It is one of the items on my spring list, so that completes a third item!  And, yes, I finally get why others love Jalie! While I had a few minor annoyances, overall I loved the fit of this cardigan, and made no adjustments.  I think I will tweak the seam forward some for my next version, though.

I was so wiped out on Day 10, but I managed to pull out an oldie but goodie from around the time I first started sewing for myself.  I love this NL6034 top, and it still fits me very well.  I admit that some of the beginning garments I sewed were pretty scary, but this one still holds up.

On Day 11 I was turning the corner, and oh so grateful!  I put on the Sewaholic Renfrew and even got out of the house for some fresh air!! You may see this tee pop up in the shorter sleeved version before MMMay is over.

Day 12 I put on my mustard Colette Moneta.  If I could wear one dress all year, I would choose this one!  There isn't anything about it that I don't like, and that is not only on me, but on other people that I have seen sew it as well.   

And, finally, for Day 13, I welcomed Mother's Day with my floral Moneta.  On this day I had the realization that I have already made it this far without repeating any garments!  This is more of a personal challenge, but I am ok if I have to repeat because I mainly want to celebrate where I am in my sewing journey today.

So, for this second week of outfits I have felt so...motivated!  I mean, I am rockin' my handmade items every day!  Usually I will wear something I have sewn around 2-3 times a week at best.  And of those times, I will wear things that I REALLY like more often.  Like the Moneta dress...or my cold shoulder tops. 

Moving forward, I want to be less afraid to let go of things that just don't work for me.  I have designated a section for sewn items in my closet (specifically) and want to learn not to cling to them just because I spent the time and energy to create them.  Instead I aim to wear my items, accessorize them with what I have, and if they are not what I intended them to be, then let them go (give away, etc.)  You know...the exact same thing I was already doing with RTW clothing, lol!  

Those are just my thoughts moving into this week.  I will be buckling down this next week as I have a few more items I am working on so I can finish strong.  If you are also taking part in MMMay, I would love to hear any newfound thoughts or ideas from you!

Stay sew-filled!

Me Made May 2018 Days 1-6

Hello everyone!

Spring has sprung here in Georgia!!  In fact, I am going to have to remind myself how the seasons change for next year.  Apparently, the weather waffles back and forth, looks like it will never get warm, and then BAM all of a sudden the hot (80s) weather hits you, and you can't even remember that it was freezing a week ago! LOL!  So, my reminder will be "even though you don't see spring, keep sewing for it!"  Though I am content to wear things I made last year, I do wish I felt a little more ready for the season.

Today I am going to go over the things I wore for my FIRST year participating in Me Made May!!!  If you follow me on Instagram, you have probably already seen what I posted, and I thank you for keeping up with my daily posts.  I wasn't originally on board with posting daily, but decided to do it as part of a Facebook challenge/giveaway by Sly Fox Fabrics.

Surpisingly, I am thoroughly enjoying the process!  It has really allowed me to move from the goal of wearing a handmade item to actually incorporating handmade items into the wardrobe I already have.  Usually I wear things I have sewn, but don't have a coordinating look in mind.  This year I am definitely becoming more intentional and thoughtful about my wardrobe choices. 

I also thought I wouldn't have the time for daily outfit pics.  Just thinking about what it would take made me feel exhausted in the mind! But, I found the time to get it done as I went throughout my day.  I mean, I already get dressed everyday, right?  From there I just take the extra step of taking a selfie while my son naps. 

That said, here are my selfies for Days 1-6:

Day 1 is my favorite "peacock" shirt from Simplicity 8337.  I made this pattern so much last summer, and still consider it a staple!

Day 2 is all about the summer tank I made from Empty Hanger patterns.  I love it paired with the cardigan, but ended up taking it off when I went outside.  It is good for being in the house with the air-conditioner is blaring (anyone else cold-natured)?

Day 3 is my easy, breezy kimono from NL6378. I love this thing SO MUCH!!  I am working on another one that I hope to show you with next week's recap! Or you can follow me on Instagram to see it sooner!

Day 4 was a good one! I wore the Laura top because I like it, and it makes getting dressed easy.  However, I got some compliments on it (yay), so I am pretty sure I will have to make some more soon!!

Day 5 was another trusted version of Simplicity 8337.  It was an overcast day, and my oldest son had a Robotics competition.  At the last moment I added a necklace to dress the top up a bit, but I do like wearing this one.

I am cracking up at how I left the volume control pictured in my screenshot (ignore, ignore).  I will work on leaving that out next time! Day 6 is my favorite because we attend church, and I always use it as an opportunity to get more dressed up than my usual stay-at-home mom attire.  I wore a necklace with this as well. but it is hard to see in the photo.

That wraps up my week of MMMay 2018!  I am ready to dive in for another week, and I promise I am not forgetting to sew as I go along!  I wanted my Burda top to work....Remember this?

I am so disppointed, but I couldn't get this one to work out.  I got a HUGE portion of the neckline that formed a cowl neckline across the back.  I know that is not correct, so the error is somewhere.  I have been re-tracing my steps to see if I can figure it out, but I will probably have to re-cut it.  So, yeah, I am moving on from that one for now.

I hope to see you all soon with a review! 

Stay sew-filled!