So ... about Me-Made-June

According to Tasia, the sewaholic who just designed a gorgeous *new* dress, the Canadian postmen are delivering! Canadians & Everyone Else, you can still enter to win a handmade, sultry collarette from RococoNouveau by clicking here. Ends July 4!

On the final day of Me-Made-June, I present photographic proof that I actually participated!

I finally realized that a good tripod can go a long way in easing what is frequently my photography woes, my least favorite part of blogging (the lighting's not right OR my face looks funny OR the hem's not crooked, it's just the way I'm standing, really). Though I've waffled on being regular about it, here's 10 photos I managed to capture, in no particular order.

Me-Made: Knit dress using the Sew U Homestretch dress pattern. I made this last year, but finally chopped off the gathered sleeves. They made me way too Imelda with the heavy fabric

Fabric: Thrifted green knit with white stubs. Sweatshirt weight.

Others: Second-hand cardi, thrifted shoes

Me-Made: Lisette Passport Dress, Simplicity 2209

Fabric: Cotton received as a gift from family, from the Philippines

Others: Thrifted cardi and flats

Me-Made: Colette Rooibos, reimagined

Fabric: Oversized knit striped top, broadcloth from an old muumuu

Others: Clarks flats, second-hand

Me-Made: Colette Rooibos, the mini version (can't wait til it's hot enough to wear this again!)

Fabric: Denim, from stash

Others: Clarks, second hand

Me-Made: 1960s wrap skirt, McCalls 7468

Fabric: Mystery thrifted fabric, definitely polyester

Others: Second hand cardi and top, chopped from my sister's tunic

Me-Made: Sweet and Sassy Skirt from SESA'10, McCalls 5803 (those pleats needs an iron!), ivory blouse using blouse block

Fabric: Both thrifted, the skirt is medium-weight (cotton?), the blouse was made with an oversized polyester blouse.

Others: Thrifted jacket

Me-Made: Knit top using 1950s Simplicity 3263 from SESA '10, and knit cigarette pants from self-drafted pants pattern

Fabric: The knit top was made using a 1980s top I found in my aunt's garage with the tags still on and linebacker shoulder pads, the pants from oversized thrifted pants.

Others: Gray cardi, flats

Me-Made: Khakis using self-drafted pants pattern. I chopped these to capri length since this photo

Fabric: Oversized khakis, thrifted

Others: Second hand cardi and flats

Me-Made: Knit dress, as above. It was a cold morning.

Others: Second hand cardi and scarf

Me-Made: Black blouse with peter pan collar, using blouse block and 1950s Simplicity 3263

Fabric: An oversized Eileen Fisher, Italian linen

Others: Thrifted jeans

I do love this challenge, it forces us to wear our me-made garments: both forgiving them and showing them off. I didn't love all of these outfits, but they each taught me something about sewing and style. I admit to slipping on a few days, June was a rough month in other matters and those days I spent all day sewing, which I think is just as good since I often sew in my underwears (oh, to have a dress form ...)

But two quick observations:

1) Almost everything I wore and sewed with was second-hand, both sourcing my fabrics from discarded clothes or stashes and my non-me-mades from thrift stores, garage sales, or as hand-me-downs. How's that for sustainability?

2) I used several patterns multiple times, which just bolsters my desire to get a set of blocks—or tried and true patterns—that I can really refine and then go wild with. The Blouse Block appears in these 10 photos twice, some variation of Simplicity 3263 three times, the self-drafted pants pattern twice, and the Colette Rooibos twice.

And finally, there's nothing like a month of me-made wearing to realize how much of the closet I actually wear. I've culled a big garbage bag of clothing that will either be donated or reused in a creative way. It feels good; I feel like I can focus when I'm in my closet.

How was your Me-Made-June??

Happy sewing!