Busy hands | Disquiet mind

Another MeMadeMay has come and gone. It was an especially hot May around here. I usually prefer clothing for layering, and when I have to not do that I find it difficult to convey personality with a minimal number of items. I did at least try to incorporate more of my makes, trying new combinations, styles. To variable success. But I'm skipping ahead, first the pledge;

"I, chebe, pledge to wear at least one me-made/-repaired/-altered item each day throughout May 2025.
I also pledge to prioritise finishing my in-progress alterations and repairs."

Previous years; 2021, 2023, 2024.

( 1st - 4th )

( 5th - 11th )

( 12th - 18th )

( 19th - 25th )

( 26th - 31st )

Conclusions? I managed all but two days this year. These were days when I just couldn't anything. I'll forgive myself. Let's analyse.

( data )

So I need to make more short sleeve t-shirts, joggers, trousers, and vest tops. Also felt a lack of layering pieces by way of loose shirts and light cardigans (smart and casual), and I just want jeans (still working up to it). I also seem to have worked my way back to preferring slightly more fitted clothing again. Tenting t-shirts and tops will no longer be tolerated. Which is an issue with my Seamwork loyalty. Their style tends to be more 'modern' with a-line tops. And it just doesn't work well for me. But some of this can be mitigated by favouring fabrics with more drape.

On the other side, I got through about half my mending backlog, and all my non-t-shirt alterations (including some for relatives). And I only made two new items this month, which have been on the to-do list for a while. All in all, calling this a success.

As we stand by the window, watching things collapse, I turn to MeMadeMay and say, "You met me at a very strange time in my life."

I first took part in MeMadeMay back in 2021. I needed to force myself to remember what outside clothes were. I skipped out on 2022, due to just not being able to get my head into that space. But this year I was keen to get back on the bandwagon.

I even had a plan. With the world deciding to pretend some things didn't exist anymore, I was needing to go to the office more and more. I hadn't needed office clothes in four years, and what wear and tear didn't take away, fit issues did. So I wanted to make more clothing suitable for the office, but also suitable for brunches, garden parties, and funerals. You know, smart clothes. So I steered my intentions in that direction, selected the patterns, gathered the fabrics and notions, and got stuck in. (This may explain why this blog has been so weighted towards sewing projects for a while now.) The world wanted to get moving again, and I needed to be able to participate.

I made the pledge over on mastodon - "I, chebe, pledge to wear items I have made, modified, or repaired, each day throughout May 2023." It was all going so well.

Until. Work informed us they would be closing the physical office. My need for office-suitable clothing evaporated. This was followed by more lay-offs. I escaped, but work-friends weren't so lucky. May became a month of hard feelings, commiserating, leaving drinks, hang-overs, and capitalistic (as distinct from existential) dread. This has impacted the clothes I chose to wear each and every day. I apologise for not providing a more exciting spread, but I was wallowing. (I'm surprised I managed as well as I did.)

( 1st - 7th )

( 8th - 14th )

( 15th - 21st )

( 22nd - 28th )

( 29th - 31st )


Note; Throughout the month I also wore some of the underwear I've made over the years, and tended to end up in a pair of joggers and/or hoodie most evenings, even if I didn't start out that way. The as yet unblogged black Paranoid flannel shirt was also in my bag whenever I left the house.

Conclusions? I think I have the joggers situation sorted. I also have sufficient hoodies / jumpers for this time of year. This time of year has better weather than most of the year here. I can't get by with layering pieces, I need foundational pieces. If I really want to fill out a Me-Made wardrobe I need to make t-shirts, trousers, and jeans. But not giving up on the smart tops and shirts kick either. Maybe even a suit?