Me Made May 2018 Week One

I can't believe that Me-Made-May, the month-long challenge for crafty folks who make their own clothes has come around again so fast! It was the fab brain-child of Zoe of 'So Zo' blog who started it in 2009. This year there are over 1,177 people taking part!

This will be my fifth year participating and I am trying to up the challenge with a focus on assessing the wearability of my me-made wardrobe.

Here is my pledge:

Let's get to the outfits......

Day One

Top: Deer and Doe Melilot Shirt. Fabric: H&M tablecloth. Made: 2018 

Trousers: Gap

Watch: Olive green G Shock

Socks: Paul Smith

Shoes: Paul Smith Green Loafers

I really like this shirt. The only niggle is the twisted collar and off centre button band which I must avoid if I make a second version.

Day Two

Top: Marilla Walker Ilsley Skirt. Fabric: Robert Kauffman Essex linen. Made 2015 

Shirt: Gap

Watch: White G Shock

Necklace: Tatty Devine scissors

Shoes: Paul Smith purple Miller Brogues

A simple and easy to wear skirt. I may change the front elastic section to a flat panel for a more flattering shape.

Day Three

Top: Merino wool turtleneck Uniqlo

Necklace: Dad-made wooden pendant!

Skirt: Ready Ruthie Dolores Pocket Skirt. Fabric: Vintage. Made: 2016

Watch: Olive green G Shock

Shoes: Paul Smith Green Loafers

I love this skirt. The colours in the vintage fabric are gorgeous and give you the opportunity to pair it with so many tops. I also lined it in a beautiful olive green silk! The wooden pendant necklace is very special to me as it was hand-made by my dad as a present for my mum in the 1970's.

Day Four

Top: Top shop shirt with a re-fashioned collar. Mended: 2018
Skirt: Dolores Pocket Skirt. Fabric: Cotton. Made 2014.

Brooch: Tatty Devine Typewriter necklace A/W 2017

Watch: White G Shock 

Shoes: Paul Smith blue suede Miller brogues 

You may know about my recent re-fashion of my favourite shirt (changed the collar) which has extended the life of the garment, always a bonus! The skirt is another Dolores Pocket Skirt which is made of cotton and stuck to my tights all day!

Day Five

Top: Merchant and Mills Camber Set Top. Fabric: Viscose, Samuel Taylors. Made: 2016 

Trousers: Abercrombie and Fitch

Watch: Black G Shock

Trainers: Nike

This Merchant and Mills Camber Set Top has been such a hard-working garment in my spring and summer wardrobe. It coordinates with lots of my coloured trousers and skirts. This awesome backdrop was outside the Fashion and Textiles musuem in Bermondsey.

Day Six

Top: Merchant and Mills Camber Set Top. Fabric: Cotton seersucker. Made: 2017 

Trousers: Lululemon

Necklace: Marimekko

Watch: White G Shock

Trainers: Nike

Another Camber Set top in a more structured white cotton seersucker that my lovely friend Sophie sent me from Hong Kong. The stiffer cotton compared to the viscose version from day five creates a more dramatic silhouette. I am almost blending into the background of an art installation at the Tate Britain here. It was a very happy coincidence that I appear to co-ordinate into the exhibit!

Week one in collage form below already highlights my love for the versatility of separates!

Maybe the warmer weather may encourage some dress-wearing next week?

Are you participating in Me-Made-May this year? How are you getting on?

Tropical Deer and Doe Melilot Shirt

The Deer and Doe Melilot shirt has been on my radar for a while and when I bought the fabric I knew it would a perfect match. The fabric is actually a tablecloth I bought from a 3 for 2 H&M homeware sale last summer. I bought three cotton table cloths resulting in over 6 metres of fabric for £10!

This was a slow and steady make. I made it in small bursts of sewing sessions ranging between 30 minutes to two hours at a time so it is hard to say how long it took in total. The hidden placket and sleeve plackets were the most difficult part of the construction as the minimal instructions left me confused. I had to re-do the hidden placket three times and I know that it is not right as the collar does not sit centrally.

I decided to get my button holes done at DM Buttons in Soho partly due to the fact that last Wednesday I didn't need to be at work until 9am compared to the usual 7.45am which meant I could squeeze in a trip to DM Buttons as soon as they opened at 7.30am. I was the first in the door and the very friendly David sewed my button holes in ten minutes for only £4.00! The finished button holes look very professional and my concerns about sewing through the thicker collar stand was not a concern with DM Buttons amazing machines!

The only thing left to do was stitch on the sage green buttons which I bought from Ray Stitch in Islington.

Now onto a whole bunch of photos of the process of making the Melilot. Be warned!

I cut out three sets of collars to figure out what section of the tropical pattern would work best

Sleeve stand hand-tacked in place ready for turning the right way around and finishing

Finished sleeve stand

Almost finished shirt before sleeve cuffs and button holes

I trimmed down the side seams (I did my usual pattern grading from 8 to 10 on the paper pattern which in hindsight I didn't need to do) as the hips allowance is designed for a curvier lady than me

Considering I have used some fabric from my stash that has been there for over six months I am tagging Kate from @timetosew and @pillar_bear with #makeyourstash!

Check out other crafty blogs at Sum of Their Stories