Me Made May 23-29, or there and back again

Okay, yes, I quoted The Hobbit in my post title. What you gonna do about it? I do what I want! I gots adventures, my life is full of things! Not, you know, “save the world from a thinly veiled fascism metaphor” things, but, you know, THINGS. Like, um, trips to three separate Sephoras for this one kind of lip balm I really like. Hard stuff, people. Tough times. Buying elastic. Dodging shady salesmen in the garment district. Dodging crazy people on the subway. Dodging the fruit seller near my apartment who always tries to get me to buy things. I spend a lot of time in New York dodging stuff….

I have to say, I’m kind of happy that Me Made May is almost over. Make no mistake, I do like this month, and I’m totally participating next year, I will, but it’s been a bit exhausting to document daily, and I know I’m testing all the relationships in my life by constantly asking my friends to “take photos of me please, just one, okay, fifteen, because I don’t like any of these, so…..”, so I’m a bit ready for this thing to be done. Also, seriously, MAY IS SO LONG. Why is it so long? It’s been forever! Am I right?

Without further ado from my whiny complaining about this totally voluntary thing I vowed to do of my own free will which is truly no hardship and in fact pretty fun, the outfits!

Day 23, In which it is warm:

This photo is straight up off balance. Sometimes failure is inevitable….This is a skirt I made two years ago and never documented, as it was pre-blog, and a recent Renfrew. That smile is so fake a plastic surgeon could have made it.

Day 24, in which it is cold.

It was COLD this day! I went to see a play in the evening and got gussied up. Cadfael had tired of the photo sessions, but I got him in this one…

The skirt is my My Kind Of Staple skirt. The shirt is store bought.

Day 25, in which I go to New Haven

Denim Clovers and my first ever Renfrew from so long ago! Ah, memories.

This is actually the reason for the post title, I went to New Haven with my friend Becca (hi, Becca!) for the first time in 4 years. It was so weird to be back on my college campus, but also really fantastic, and we saw the Yale University Art Gallery, which has recently re-opened after years of renovations. It’s GORGEOUS and we had the best day walking around the museum and then the cold, wet, windy campus, which really reflected much of my college experience, wandering around miserable New Haven. It couldn’t have been more appropriate.

Becca took a photo of me in front of my residential college, Trumbull. Isn’t it pretty? It’s like Disney-world Oxford. Yale knows how to have a good time.

Day 26, in which I fail.

I didn’t take a photo this day. I wore my denim capri clovers and a vintage shirt, I promise! I worked at my new summer job and then stuffed myself with Indian food and wine with my friend Andrew (hi, Andrew!) and Becca (hi again, Becca!) and her boyfriend and their friends in their wonderful apartment in Greenpoint. Sometimes you just have to give up, drink a lot of wine and let the day go. It happens.

Day 27, in which it is a holiday to totally forgot was happening.

I really forgot Memorial Day was a thing. Does that ever happen to you? But luckily I have lovely friends who DID remember and we got brunch and then wrote together and then I saw a movie. So that was a pretty lovely holiday that I did not see coming. And, rather appropriately, I wore my Don’t Ask Me Why Dress. Universe, you’ve done it again!

Day 28, in which I work all day and then see Joss Whedon speak at the Soho Apple Store

Joss Whedon is awesome. But we all knew that, right? My face here communicates how much I love Joss Whedon. I even liked Dollhouse. FOR. REALS. His Much Ado About Nothing comes out soon. Who’s in? These are denim capri clovers and my Thrice as Nice Shirt.

Day 29, in which we have a roommate dinner

My roommate Jenny, who I love, is leaving us. But our new roommate, Jordan, I also love! It’s a win-lose love all around situation. So we made dinner and got together and it was all love.

This is a grey Renfrew, my Adventurz skirt, which I made LAST me made May, and an apron I also made! A trifecta of creations.

And there we go. Two more days, two brand new outfits, it’s going to be amazing. Get excited. I know I am…

Me Made May Days 12 through 22 or, 10 days is a lot to document…

I kept meaning to do this post earlier and then, well, struggle ensued. LIKE IT ALWAYS DOES. So let me echo my lovely friend Sonya from Ginger Makes and let you all know that this Me Made May has been a little, um, rough. Let’s just say rough and leave it at that. But given that I have never left anything at anything in my adult life, let me tell you that while I haven’t had trouble wearing stuff I made ever, but I have had trouble documenting it (my normal problem) and also, being creative with outfits! I am boring. I am a boring sewer. My shameful secret it out. I’ve been making jeans and knit tops and full skirts. I really gotta branch out, guys….this summer, it’s all about something weird. Let’s get weird! Who is with me? Any takers? (The search results for this blog are about to get awkward, aren’t they?)

Without further ado, the outfits!

Day 12, In which my ponytail grows an extension:

Wow, I very much need to clean this mirror. AND I STILL HAVEN’T. What is my deal, I ask myself over and over again, searching for an answer….this is a grey renfrew and ankle length denim clovers, with a vintage hair scarf. I’m an independent pattern billboard here in the most boring way possible…

Day 13, in which is is cold for May:

What can I say, this was a cold day. Me Made Clovers and Cation’s dolman sleeve shirt. And sadness.

Day 14, in which the struggle, as always, continues:

Like, seriously need to clean this. I have glass cleaner. WHAT THE HELL. Me Made Clovers, of which I have THREE pairs in denim now, and a Dixie DIY mixed-knit top. And a sweater from Forever 21, in case you are wondering.

Day 15, in which I can’t even try anymore:

It was in this photo that I ALSO realized I need to just move my towel when I take these photos. I have a tripod, just so everyone knows. THIS IS THE EXTENT OF MY LAZINESS. Be aware. A Simplicity 3866 top I made for the 40’s challenge with denim clovers. There you go.

Day 16, a blank page.

I didn’t get to take a photo of on day 16. It’s because I went out all night dancing. That is a real fact. Sorry! It’s a cute dress, though, I need to document it, OF COURSE. Stay tuned.

Day 17, in which I travel in style:

A grey renfrew, and a printed half circle skirt. I went home for the night to see my friend’s amazing dance show, so hence the change in mirrors. This one is much cleaner, because my parents are real people.

Day 18, in which I get involved in a scavenger hunt:

That’s a true story. I got involved in this amazing cross-city cross-boro scavenger hunt. It was amazing. I can’t even deal with it. Here is what I wore:

A blazer I made, a simple lace top I made the other day (not worth a post, basic as hell) and clovers. And alcohol. I can’t state that enough.

Day 19, in which I recover.

WHICH IS NOT AN EASY TASK.

Oh my god, clearly not even trying. My first clovers, a store bought shirt, a body that just wants crackers and naps.

Day 20, in which life goes on, as it must:

My new swishy skirt, and a blouse from my Halloween costume. This may or may not look like I’m wearing a uniform but hey, is what it is.

Day 21, in which the weather continues fair, or rather, hot:

A blue renfrew and my second Simplicity 3866 skirt. Love this. As you can see. Someone recently told me that I smile with too much teeth in photos, but that person can die screaming, my parents didn’t spend a year of Sarah Lawrence College worth of money on my braces for me to NOT smile…

Day 22, in which I enjoy a refashion:

A refashioned dress at a fashion exhibit. More on that later, I promise, it was pretty cool!

So there you go, 9 days of outfits and one apology, but honestly, you just should trust me, I made something I wore and a ton of drunk business guys saw me in it, ask any of them (P.S.: gentleman and ladies of Wall Street, why were you at a country bar in Chelsea at 1am on a Thursday? I know why I was there, um, did I mention GRADUATE SCHOOL!? If you aren’t drinking, you probably aren’t doing it right…)

Me Made May Days 8 through 11 including the Swing Swish Dance Outfit

Ah, life, how it goes. And yet we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. I did not write that. It’s from The Great Gatsby, which is a fun book, and, in my personal opinion, a fairly meh movie. And I’m not the only one…read this, if you don’t believe me. I just feel like this is not a book that lends itself well to drama, which is interesting, because there have been SIX movie adaptations of this! Also, real talk, I’m not a romantic, and Baz Lurhmann is not my best friend forever (ahem, Moulin-Rouge-is-a-trainwreck, ahem…)  The costumes are pretty wonderful, though, if almost unbearably anachronistic…

But that’s not what this is about! I’m not here to tell you that I saw The Great Gatsby, I’m here to tell you about the clothing I made that I wore! And so I shall…

Day 8, in which I emerge from the sickroom and back into the world

These are new pants and a new t-shirt, but though my wonderful friend Allie (hey, Allie!) snapped some good shots of me, I realized afterwards that I really needed more detail shots to do a true outfit post, so I’m just giving you this, more explanation on the pants to follow, and expect a post about the shirt soon. Oh, and I made that jacket.

And Cadfael:

Yep. Seems about right.

Day 9, or, The Swing Swish Dance Outfit:

Okay, so, the pants! These are Clovers, of course, as always, I need to send Sarai a fruit basket or some wine, seriously. I shortened them about 2 inches, but altered them not at all otherwise. I’ve worn them probably 5 times since I made them. I LOVE THEM. Perfect spring pants…

See? See how happy they make me?

A bit more of a close up. I took these photos with a tripod and kept cutting off my feet, sigh. Just accept that I have feet, okay? They exist. I promise.

A little rear view for you. I did flat felled seams for most of the seams on these. and the inner waistband is a quilters cotton. it’s the little details that make things fun to wear…I gotta say, the curved waistband on this thing is excellent for girls with, um, curves…

And the shirt, I love the shirt! Oh, I love this outfit, is that weird to declare? But hey, I flipping DO, what’s wrong with loving what you’ve made? It’s better than hating it….

The shirt is Dixie DIY’s swing shirt, which I’ve made seriously 7 times now…I lengthened it by 4 inches, always having wanted it to be longer, and I gotta say, I don’t hate it…

The fabric is from Paron’s, and I’ve made a dress about it that I still need to blog, sigh, But I still have some left, even from these two projects! I think another dress, something sleeveless, thoughts? I love this fabric, the drape is great and the graphic pattern is really fun.

Did I mention the drape? Because it’s swishy and swingy and I love it…

I love this photo. Look at my hair! It’s almost perpendicular to my head! What the what!

And there we have Cadfael.

Day 10, in which I wear another unblogged dress WHAT IS MY PROBLEM:

Yeah. I went to see this amazing show and the look on my face pretty much communicates how I felt about it. I really need to take more photos of this dress, I adore it…

And Cadfael:

Day 11, in which I don’t leave Brooklyn:

The days I don’t have to leave Brooklyn are the best days…

The my new denim Clovers, LOVE, and a blouse I had made for my Halloween costume this past year. It’s a bit big but I still like it.

And Cadfael:

There we go! All caught up. How is YOUR Me Made May going? And if you saw Gatsby, what did YOU think?

Me Made May Days 3 to 7

Just a heads up for you all, these are some pathetic photos. Well, the ones that I forced friends to take are pretty lovely, but the ones I took of myself are some struggle, and I just want you know that, going in. Forwarned is forarmed. Though, honestly, how many of us are checking out sewing blogs armed?

So without further existential questioning, I give you, days 3 through 7!

Day 3, or, in which I impersonate a soccer mom:

This is meh. What, I made it, I wore it, I can say it! The blouse is my Mirror Image Blouse,  and the jeans were my first ever denim clovers, my Never Have I Ever pants. The sweater is from Forever 21, from years ago, and the goofy smile, I’m pretty sure I was born with that.

And Cadfael wore:

Yeah. I DID make that quilt in the background…

Day 4, or, in which I pretend jeans and a knit top is a real outfit

Yeah. It’s not. Same jeans as the day before (what, you’ve totally done that, don’t judge!) and a knit top I made in the fall. Coffee from Lincoln Station, and if you live near Prospect Heights in Brooklyn, you should check it out! Great coffee and it’s a wonderful place to write.

And Cadfael took advantage of my roommate Emily being out of town to do this:

Day 5, or, the day the photos begin to fail:

The Wildcard pants, with a plain Banana Republic T-shirt (thrifted). I realized on my way to see a play that I needed a photo so I just quickly snapped one of myself, and one of my compatriot:

Day 6, or, in which I begin to get sick:

So, yeah, I got sick. Which is the worst. And while I did got to class on Monday, I was so tired and ill when I got home that I just showered and changed, forgetting to take my daily photo! Oh, curses, all was lost, EXCEPT, I made my pajamas, TOO! What the WHAT?

Made the pants, no post, and the top. The top is a bit of a struggle, which is why I only sleep in it, really.

And Cadfael, in sympathy to my exhaustion:

I know the photo is blurry but the face was just too precious.

Day 7, in which I recover and break my MMM13 vow

I know I said I wouldn’t repeat an outfit, but given that I spent Tuesday in pajamas, well, I kind of had to….I’m sorry! It will never happen again, I promise! Don’t hate me!

This is me when I’m sick. I do not wear my contacts. I do not put on real pants. I do not eat anything but soup. Works for me…

I did, however, watch Arrested Development episodes for the 1000th time. Cadfael is SUCH a Bluth, now that I think about it, no wonder he wanted to get close to the screen….

Me Made May Days 1 and 2 (The School Ties Outfit)

Hello, gentle readers, and welcome to Me Made May, 2013 edition! I for one am more then a little excited. I hadn’t actually thought too much about it, but then I was explaining it to friends of mine and all of a sudden I thought, man, I love Me Made May, I really do! I love seeing other people’s outfits, I love planning my own, I love being inspired by new combinations of clothing, the only thing I don’t love so much is the daily photo session, sigh. Oh, well, the sad consequences of having a sewing blog, poor me, boohoo.

So without futher ado, because I have an outfit AND two new garments to display, Day 1!

Here I am in my Indiophile Tunic and my Too Practical for Words jeans. I easily wear these jeans once a week, they were a clutch move. I forced my friend Rohan (thanks, Rohan!) to take this photo of me yesterday. I forsee a lot of my friends getting over Me Made May REAL quick, but I don’t even care, they shall take my photo and do my bidding! Bahahaha!

Oh, and I figured, if I have to do a photo a day, at least, so does Cadfael:

He made zero things.

And then Day 2, a brand new outfit!

I’m calling this my School Ties outfit for several reasons. Number one, unintentionally, I made this shirt and skirt to go together and didn’t think about the fact that grey and blue are my high school’s colors. Weird. We even had this game day, blue and grey day. It must have sunk itself into my consciousness somewhere along the line…

The shirt is a Renfrew, made from Jersey from the Pennsylvania Fabric outlet, the same as I used for this dress. I still have some left, not enough for another shirt, but maybe for some underwear and color blocking? We shall see…

I cut the back in two pieces, as you can see here.

The skirt is self-drafted, just a simple pleated affair, and I made it from fabric my lovely roommate Emily had given me for Hanukkah. Thanks, Emily!

The OTHER reason I’m calling this the School Ties outfit, is because my friend Andrew (thanks, Andrew!) took these photos. Andrew just moved to New York and as we met in college, this outfit is just a conflation of my educational experiences up to this point. OH, and we took them two blocks from my building at NYU! It’s all coming together…

This fits all my requirements for a spring/summer skirt, and by that I mean it’s good for twirling and jumping. That’s the big one for me, right there.

And obviously I did not let the fact that I was in a public place stop me from doing either of those two things for the camera. To be fair, this was Washington Square Park, so I was probably the most normal person around…

Another day, another outfit, and yet Cadfael is in the exact same position as before…He leads a really hard life, guys.

And there we have it, the first two days of the month are over, onward into outfits of the future!