Me Made May: Week One

I’ve been trying to get this post out for days, so sorry it is a little late but…Week one of Me Made May has come and gone, and spring seems to have gone with it! It’s like we jumped right over May and went into July weather! It’s been a consistent 70-80 degrees here in New Jersey which has made going Handmade these past few days very difficult. I’ve realized that I need way more summer clothes, and actual work clothes.

For those of you who don’t know me, I work on my parents farm, Thursday- Sunday every week. I mainly work in the farm market-filling orders, helping customers, that sort of thing, but there are times when I am planting & weeding, taking care of animals and washing eggs. So I can’t really wear cute sundresses and sandals all day. Luckily, I get three days a week in my sewing studio so sometimes I will dress up for work (just to sit at a sewing machine in my apartment). So my life and wardrobe are kind of all over the place right now.

Day 1: Band of Florals Tee

I started the month with a super comfy tee.

Day 2: Polka Dot & Floral Scarf

My favorite fabric combination is polka dot and floral together. When I used to work for Anthropologie, the store got in a new scarf almost every day and since we had to look like the brand, I figured I’d make a scarf instead of spending money on one. These fabrics are beautiful and I love how they look together!

Day 3: Cranberry Anorak

I made this last fall but it got so cold so fast that I was only able to wear it a few times! I happily pulled it out of my closet when the weather warmed up. I love this jacket. I love how it fits, love the color and the style.

Day 4: Active Leggings

Today was a sewing day and I decided to wear my leggings as I just wanted to be comfortable. I need to make more of these!

Day 5: Shorts for a Shorty

This day was a scorcher. My studio is in my apartments loft, which is at the top of the building, and as heat rises, that little room really heats up! I took out the first pair of shorts I made, two years ago. I have to wear a belt with these because I made them too big, but the outfit was cool and comfortable!

Day 6: Cynthia Rowley Grey Dress

This is the second dress I made from this Cynthia Rowley dress pattern and I am so in love with the fit. This was originally made for my Halloween costume but it’s simple enough to wear on a daily basis.

Day 7: Arizona Cardi

My favorite fabric of all time. Also my best looking photo shoot for a blog post. I made this last year to take on my trip in Arizona.

What I am starting to realize with Me Made May is that the patterns I’ve used, and the pieces I’ve made really do make me love my handmade wardrobe. I make clothing that I can’t find in a store. I make clothing that I believe my wardrobe needs and therefore, love the pieces even more. Some items I can make in an afternoon (like the leggings) but others take a few weeks of research to find the perfect pattern and fabric (my cranberry anorak) but each piece fills a void in my closet. This challenge is definitely encouraging me to make even more, which is very motivational!

I’ve also realized how far this little blog has come! I used to show apparel on my mannequin because I didn’t have a tripod, once I got my tripod, I was able to wear my garments in photos, but they were blurry. I finally got a new camera and started really working on my photos and I’m finally in a happy place with the look of my work. Next step is to get a remote so I don’t have to set my camera timer!