Me Made May - 2023 Challenge

Me Made May is the brainchild of Zoe Edwards who runs the blog 'So, Zo...' (sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com) and also the Podcast Check Your Thread – a podcast about sewing & sustainability. In Zoe's own words Me Made May 'is a wardrobe challenge that helps you improve your relationship with your handmade items.'

The overall idea is that you make your own individual pledge before the beginning of May to wear your handmade garments a) more often or b) in different ways or c) whatever you decide is right for you and your wardrobe! Although I have been making my own clothes for a number of years now, I have never taken part in this challenge but have decided that 2023 is the year that I will! So here is my pledge and expect to see this post grow in size over the month as I document how I get on!

Day 1 - The Copen top from www.madetosew.com This pattern is only £2 on the Made to Sew website and is perfect for beginner dressmakers. I don't wear this very often, mainly because of the high neckline but I need to make a new version with a v neck and Made to Sew have lots of tutorials on how to adjust this pattern on their YouTube channel.

Day 2 - The Stella Hoodie from www.tillyandthebuttons.com Such a great pattern - I have worn this so much. Its made from a lightweight green ponte roma fabric.

Day 3 - The Sew Over It Jodie blouse www.sewoverit.com/product/jodie-shirt-pdf-sewing-pattern which I previously made into a dress. Today I wore it for work; but open over a ready to wear long sleeved T shirt and jeans; a bit like a house jacket. This was made in a blue linen blend fabric also from Sew Over It. This definitely ticks the box for the part of my pledge about wearing things in different ways!

Day 4 - The Penelope Top by Modkid Patterns. This is quite an old top now but I have got so much wear out of it. Its very comfortable and made that bit more pretty by the beads I put round the neckline. Its featured on the blog before in a couple of posts!

Day 5 - A Tilly & The Buttons Agnes T-shirt with flutter sleeves. I made this just as an experiment with the fabric and the hacked sleeves but have worn it quite a bit.

Day 6 - Another Tilly & The Buttons pattern - the Rosa Shirt. I wore this initially today under a green jumper and really liked the pretty fabric on the collar peaking out!

Day 7 - The same Tilly & The Buttons Rosa shirt as yesterday but styled differently today. Worn open over a shop bought cashmere vest. Nice and casual for a day at home.

Day 8 - Another Tilly & The Buttons pattern! The Pearl cardigan. This was a wearable toile and although its a great pattern, I'm not sure I like the style on me. I haven't reached for it in my wardrobe much since I made it, so the jury is out on this one. But I'm pleased that Me Made May has encouraged me to look at it properly and review where it could fit into my style.

Day 9 - The Stella Hoodie makes another appearance! (Tilly & The Buttons pattern in the 'Stretch' book). This was the first one I made and managed to get it out of a 'scrap' of pink fleece material I had been hanging onto for ages. I've worn it so much as its such a comfortable top - perfect for going out to exercise which I'm using it for tonight!

Day 10 - A Tilly & The Buttons Rosa Shirt dress in a cotton lawn fabric. I made quite a few adjustments to this but have already spoken about those in another blog post.

Day 11 - Same shirt dress as yesterday but with my green jumper!

Day 12 - This is a knit top from Gertie's Vintage Casual book - Gertie Sews Vintage Casual: A Modern Guide to Sportswear Styles of the 1940s and 1950s (Gertie's Sewing): Amazon.co.uk: Hirsch, Gretchen: 9781617690747: Books.

Day 13 - A Penny Dress from Sew Over It - Penny Dress Sewing Pattern - Sew Over It in a beautiful viscose fabric from www.sewisfaction.co.uk . Really love this dress!

Day 14 - This is another version of the Penny dress (under my green jumper!), this time in a linen mix fabric from www.remnanthousefabric.co.uk in Harrogate.

Days 15 to 18 - I went away for a few days this week so did a round up of what I wore when I got home. Mainly my blue and grey Penny dress and multiple versions of my Rosa shirt - seems like this one is a favourite!

Day 19 - I taught one of my dressmaking workshops at Just Makers in Ripley today - 'Sewing a Girl's Shirred Dress'. So naturally I wore my self drafted shirred top! Made from the fabric pieces left over from one of my Penny dresses.

Day 20 - A self drafted tiered skirt in a bright floral cotton poplin from www.remnanthousefabric.co.uk

Day 21 - Same as yesterday! I spent some of yesterday in old jeans and T-shirt for some gardening so decided to wear my skirt and white top again today.

Day 22 - I wore my Sew Over It Jodie dress today. It was so nice and warm I could wear it as originally intended as a dress (rather than over a T-Shirt as I did earlier in the month!)

Day 23 - back in jeans and T-shirt today but still a handmade one! This is the Penelope Top from Modkid Boutique Patterns. I've done another blog post on how I added the beads to this neckline...check back on my previous posts to see it!

Day 24 - My Tilly & The Buttons Rosa Shirt Dress again. This time with a belt! I like wearing this for work as it looks smart on a Teams call!

Day 25 - This is a dress I made ages ago and was a mix up of a bodice from another pattern paired with a basic gathered skirt. It was made with some fabric my sister in law gave me (as was my Rosa dress above!)

Day 26 - A brand new dress today....this is a shirred top with a tiered skirt sewn onto the bottom of the bodice. No specific pattern, I just tried to copy a dress I had seen online. I think next time I make this I will lengthen the shoulder ties and will make the skirt less full, but still really like this version!

Day 27 - Back to my pink and orange tiered skirt again today paired with my pink Agnes T-shirt with flutter sleeves this time.

Day 28 - I wore my Penelope dress from Modkid boutique patterns today. Same pattern as two of the tops above but as a full dress with a ruffle around the bottom. The belt is also handmade from a scrap of Liberty print cotton lawn.

Day 29 - My lilac tiered skirt made from a Lisa Comfort cotton lawn plus another pink top, made from the same fabric as yesterday but this one was made using the Tilly & The Buttons Coco pattern with a boat neckline.

Day 30 - One of my Bibi skirts which is a pattern from Tilly & The Buttons. I used a polkadot ponte roma fabric and added a ruffle onto the hem.

Day 31 - Final day of the challenge! Today I wore another one of my tiered and gathered skirts made from a cotton lawn.

So that's a wrap on Me Made May 2023! I'm planning a follow up post with my thoughts on the challenge, so stay tuned!