Me-Made-May is a way for sewists to celebrate, expand, and strengthen their understanding of their handmade wardrobes. I have new shorts and shirt to wear!

Me-Made-May was started by Zoe of So, Zo…What Do You Know? From Zoe’s blog it is “a challenge designed to encourage people who make their own clothes to develop a better relationship with their handmade wardrobe.” While I am not ready to set my own challenge, I have been stitching a few pieces of apparel and have a lifetime goal of making more of my own clothing.

Making apparel is not a hobby for me. I don’t want to do it just to do it, no matter how many clothes I already have. (In contrast, I’ll make a quilt regardless of whether I need it or have someone to give it to!) Sewing clothing is more about aspiring to have a wardrobe that is well-intentioned—one that is filled with quality, versatile, and timeless pieces. I say “aspiring” because I am far from achieving this goal. I think I’m still figuring out “my style” and what works for my body shape and lifestyle. 

Because I needed a palate-cleanser between finishing quilts, I bought some patterns and ordered some fabric while also digging out a pattern and fabric and already owned.

First, I made this pair of Avalon Shorts by Peach Patterns. The instructions are simple and I learned how to make a semi-circular side pocket. The pocket was so easy that I’m thinking maybe I could hack this kind of pocket into a pattern that doesn’t have them. Hmmm…. 

I tried to hack in a real drawstring, but, ah, I was way off with my buttonhole placement. Oops! Oh well! At least it’s on the inside of the waistband and now I know how to do buttonholes on my current sewing machine (I had never done them on this machine!).

The fabric is a linen-rayon blend and so the shorts have some swing to them. I’m excited to wear these shorts in the summer and see how I like them. Our spring has been stubborn—I feel like the warmer temperatures won’t stick around. The pattern is so simple that making more shorts would be easy.

Next, I had a fail. I bought this aqua linen-cotton blend because I love the color (it’s pretty much the background color for my Down the Rabbit Hole Quilt). I also have a couple of shirts in this kind of color and I like them. I ended up cutting the pattern a size or two too big. Once I had the side seams together, I tried it on and realized it was too big. And, the color makes it look like a medical scrub shirt. I don’t know enough to make adjustments to make it fit. And because I can’t get “scrub” out of my mind, I decided that I was not going to take the time to deconstruct it and re-cut a smaller size. Waaah!

I’m not going to tell you the pattern because I don’t want anyone thinking it was the pattern’s fault. It’s a good pattern! It was easy to follow! It is all my fault! But! All is not lost! I learned to sew a dart AND flat felled seams! Which, are two skills I’m happy to now have. Maybe once I have some time away from it, I’ll find better fabric, cut the right size, and have success.

Finally, I made my second Grainline Studio Scout Tee. I’ve made one before and liked not only the pattern, but the fit of the shirt. A couple of years ago, I thrifted this Old Navy XL rayon/viscose dress figuring I could use it to make something new. A Scout Tee was the perfect project for it and it worked! I’ll write up the details in a future post.

This is how sewing and making goes: you win some; you lose some. Without a few mistakes here and there and some wasted fabric, you just aren’t going to get better at sewing.

Tell me about the me-made pieces you’re wearing or what pieces you’re currently making!