Me Made May 2019: celebrating your handmade wardrobe

"If you're interested in improving your relationship with your handmade wardrobe..." consider making a Me Made May 2019 pledge. I did.

May 5: Lolita knit vest and knit top. Celebrating Me Made May 2019.

For the 10th year, Zoe from the So, Zo... what do you know? sewing blog, is encouraging sewists and makers to renew their friendship with garments and wearables that they've made... by wearing them during the month of May.

Take a look at her Me Made May 2019 post to see what this Challenge is about (and not about) and how embarking on the Challenge—for just a month—could benefit you and your wardrobe-making skills and time.

On her blog, you can post your pledge. (It's easy. She's got a script and all you do is fill in the blank.) Here is mine:

I, Veronica @veronica.fiberantics, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May 2019. I endeavor to enjoy wearing MeMade garments daily, explore new combinations, shop my stash first, and finish a yarn-dyed woven patchwork jacket that has been on the UFO pile way too long, during May 2019.

The participants list various reasons for participating: look for gaps in their wardrobes, alter items they aren't satisfied with, get back into sewing/knitting/etc., make a sewing plan, assess their wardrobe and make more meaningful items, etc.

Starting a month of wearing handmade
I started on May 1 wearing one of my favorite shirts—the Siena Shirt—that I made last summer with two red Australian aboriginal prints from M&S Textiles Australia.

May 1: Siena Shirt made with Australian aboriginal fabric prints.
Celebrating Me Made May 2019.

On May 2, I wore a knit tee I made from a self-drafted pattern using a knit fabric from Art Gallery Fabrics. The jacket was Me-Made, but the weather was too warm to actually wear it.

May 2: knit tee and yarn-dyed woven jacket.
Celebrating Me Made May 2019.

Today, May 5, I put on my Lolita knit vest, the third of my Make Nine Challenge finishes, over another knit top from my self-drafted T-shirt pattern.

May 5: Lolita vest and long sleeve knit tee.

Lolita vest back view.

As the month progresses, I'm sure I'll realize how many pieces in my wardrobe were actually made by me... and perhaps purge a few fast fashion items that I no longer need. I'm looking forward to seeing what others have made and to discover some new or interesting sewing patterns. Inspiration will also come from how people are styling their handmade garments.

For more frequent Me Made May posts, follow me on Instagram @veronica.fiberantics. And maybe I'll get better at taking selfies.

Lolita vest: third finish in the Make Nine Challenge

The third finish in my Make Nine Challenge is Lolita, a side-to-side knit vest with lace patterning. The pattern is by Jamie Thomas for Imagine Knits. This finish also moves one long-time project off the knitting UFO list. A good feeling!

Lolita vest. Completed March 2019.

I purchased the Lolita vest pattern at the Stitches South expo in 2012 or 2013. The piece finally came off the needles in 2019 and was blocked the weekend of St. Patrick’s and St. Joseph’s Days, this past March.

After a 6-7 year time span, Lolita came off the needles in March 2019.

Once off the needles, I could definitely tell my tension was different (a bit more relaxed) in 2019 from when I started the vest 6 - 7 years ago. Blocking helped even out the knitting somewhat.

Blocking the Lolita vest.

I need more practice with seaming lace patterns. (The shoulder joins were evidence of this!) But I enjoyed getting back into knitting. The Louisa Harding 50% Merino wool/50% silk yarn was lovely—during the process and in the end result. And I am happy to have completed another piece to add to a handmade, MeMade wardrobe. 

Lolita vest. Back view.

I have about 160 yards of this yarn remaining. Maybe fingerless mitts are in my knitting future???

Make Nine sketchbook and remaining yarn from Lolita knit vest.

Knitting begets knitting
Dusting off the knitting needles for this project has also rekindled my fondness for knitting—and the mindfulness of the process. So I rummaged my yarn stash and have started a new vest—Juzu, by rie vive. You can see the ball and needles in my hands in the top photo. I've made good progress in a month's time.

Juzu knit vest in progress.

Knitting begets more knitting! 

Make Nine Challenge 2019: progress check

About a month ago, I pledged the Make Nine Challenge. This is the progress on two of my projects—a knitted vest and a jacket.

Lolita Vest. Make Nine Challenge 2019.

Lolita Knitted Vest
After a setback on the Lolita Vest (I was photographing it and found a mistake; decided to frog 3-4 inches), I've gotten past the second armhole, and the neck and shoulder shaping. Knitting the left front remains.

Yarn-dyed woven Jacket
Another Make Nine project is a jacket made with yarn-dyed wovens from Diamond Textiles. I'm incorporating leftover bits (the 4-patch diamonds) into this piece to fulfill the recycle and repurpose goal I've set.

Yarn-dyed woven Jacket back. Make Nine Challenge 2019.

These are the two jacket fronts. For the pockets, I'm thinking side seam pockets is a better option over patch pockets.

Yarn-dyed woven Jacket front. Make Nine Challenge 2019.

I've seen a few beautiful finishes from others participating in the Make Nine Challenge and was feeling behind. But stepping back and evaluating these two projects, I feel good about my progress. These pieces were both UFOs [unfinished objects] and they've been revitalized and are now back on track.