It’s May! One of my favorite times of the year.

All month long sewing and knitting Instagram friends post pictures of themselves wearing garments they have made for the annual event that is Me Made May. I have participated for 5 years. The first year I had only a couple of things that I had sewn but I tried to follow along and I was inspired to sew more to keep up and have new things to share. A couple of years later, I had sewn enough garments to be able to wear a different me-made garment every day for 31 days and now I have even more handsewn clothes, an embarrassment of riches, so May is a fun time to try new ways of mixing and matching my clothes. This year I am heavily into wearing dresses and jeans together. I haven’t sewn my own pants yet but it is a big goal for 2019!

As May approaches, I often feel as though I should sew new things for Me Made May but then I realize that I have so many pretty things that I have already sewn. So although I do sew in May (it would be hard not to with all the online inspiration and new pattern releases) I find that it is a fun challenge to wear older garments in new ways. The harder thing to do is the daily photo. Sometimes, on a weekend, my husband is available to take them. He just shoots photos willy nilly and then I see if there is something I can use. I was lucky with this one.

I think I was moving toward him to take my phone back after a couple of shots but I really like the composition of this one (wearing a Helen’s Closet York pinafore, a Jade knit top and a Blackwood cardigan, all handsewn!)

The photo above was my post on May 1st.  You can tell that I took the picture because it is headless. Sometimes the outfit looks great but I don’t look happy. Keep in mind that I am doing this at 7AM. This is one of the first Isla knit dresses I made in beautiful yellow moon fabric worn with a Blackwood cardigan in striped sweater knit. I hadn’t realized until last year that one could sew sweaters and purchase fabric that was sweater knit. This was a game changer. Both of the sweater knits for these cardigans were purchased at Imagine Gnats, a great resource for all kinds of fabric. The owner is lovely and shopping there feels as though you are shopping in your friend’s highly curated store. You can’t go wrong. Another headless photo below-Isla knit dress by Made by Rae with a store bought mustard cardigan. I wore my first mustard cardigan out andnow wear this one all the time. I may have to buy another if I can still find it. Both outfits are worn with a necklace that I recently purchased and really love.

I wear this simple wooden necklace several times a week and I just bought a beautiful copper and brass necklace this week after seeing it on a fellow sewist’s Instagram which I am so happy with! It goes perfectly with my paisley dress (below).

I have also found that I basically wear the same sandals every day. They are super comfortable. Not high heels because I don’t need the height and I can’t do heels at my work. I ended up getting several different colors last year when I realized how great they were. No regrets. They make the outfit. (Maxi version of Isla knit dress with 20 year old Gap jacket and the same necklace and sandals below.)

I didn’t realize until my daughter pointed it out that the yellow watering can worked well with the yellow moon dress. This was totally unintentional. But now I am trying to find a way to have a bit of yellow in my daily photos. After 31 days this may end up being a photo essay entitled Daily Still Life with Watering Can (and some clothes). Another York pinafore and Jade top combination below with the ubiquitous mustard cardigan.

I plan to keep up my daily photos until May 31st at which point I expect that I will have another social media break for June. This month on, month off is working well for me. You can read more about my Analogue April here. My previous Me Made May posts are here:

2016

2017

2017 part 2

2018

2018 part 2

2018 part 3

Happy May!

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