The Dandelion PJ's...

These wee pj pants, along with my Maternity Bronte top, were the last things I managed to stitch up before Oscar was born - and thank goodness for that since I've literally spent the majority of the last 9 weeks in pj's. 

I figure if I'm not leaving the house that day, since I'm spending most of the time either breast feeding or catching up on sleep, getting dressed in anything but pj pants is a waste of any precious spare time. Add to that the fact that one of my RTW pairs has officially bit the dust (think big ol' hole in your pj butt - does that mean I spend too long sitting down?) means that these cute jammies were a good investment in pre-Oscar sewing time and they've been getting a tonne of wear ever since.

They are technically a wearable muslin since I drafted them up really quickly and then cut straight into my fabric. Normally I'd do a bunch of testing before cutting into my actual fabric, but at the time, I just wanted a new pair of pj bottoms and since I was quite pregnant, any time spent fitting them to me would have been a bit of a waste considering my shape was vastly different to what it is without a baby. Plus, I was at that stage where I just had to sew when I had the energy, otherwise I'd end up doing nothing.

For a quick draft, I think they're pretty spot on. I really liked the fit around the back when I was pregnant and knew that if I hadn't had to wear them so low at the front due to my bump, they would probably fit nicely there as well since they looked similar to how my RTW pairs looked at that stage. Now that I am post bump, I'm happy to report that they look pretty good at the front now too :)

I did end up having to stitch an extra wedge onto the top of the waist band, mainly at the back because I hadn't made them quite big enough there, but the fabric is forgiving with it's print and since it's gathered with elastic, I don't really notice it much at all. 

They are made from a lovely soft flannel fabric, and while I did pre-wash it, it's not at that buttery soft stage flannel pj's tend to get after a little bit of wearing and washing in, but they will hopefully only get better as time goes on.

I have some more fun flannel with little bunnies on it that I'm going to make another pair from now that the bump has gone and I can see that there are no major fit issues to get around. I added piping to the bottoms using this tutorial I posted an age ago and will do the same with the next lot. I'm also thinking I might pop in a faux fly-front, just because I can and possibly pockets. Pockets on everything!

Right, off to snuggle my baby in my snuggly pj pants on this cold blustery winter day. Hope you're staying warm (or cool if you're basking in some summer time warmth!).

xx
J

Making the Most of Your Handmade Wardrobe...

Now that we're well into Me Made May, some of you may already be starting to feel the need to panic sew as you try to keep up with your challenge pledge. Remember, Me Made May does not endorse panic sewing!

So, what can you do to make the most of your current me made wardrobe to see you through the rest of May?

Use it as an opportunity to find out what gaps are missing

First off, don't think that your need to panic sew is a bad thing, use it as a stepping stone to really drill down to what it is exactly that you need to fill those glaring gaps in your wardrobe. What is it that you need to panic sew? Is it skirts or basic tops? Underwear or dresses?

Once you stop to think about why you're struggling with your pledge, it will really help you focus on making things that you do need in your wardrobe.

I know I struggled with my previous me made wardrobe because I kept making fancy things that I needed an occasion to wear. Personally, I love making basics now because I know I'll wear them often and for me, the whole point of sewing garments is so I can wear them every day.

I always find it a strange thing that we aren't happy to sew basics that we know we'll wear all the time in favour of making pretty things that may get worn once (if we're lucky). So, why not change the mind set of 'making something pretty to post on my blog' into 'if I make this basic skirt, I know I'll be able to wear it everyday this week because it mixes and matches with 10 other things in my current wardrobe'.

Update, remake or finish unworn me mades

Do you have UFO's or me mades that are unwearable because you only have to hem them or re-sew on a button? Why not make some time tonight, while watching your evening movie, to do a bit of hand sewing. It's so nice when you can get all those little jobs done (that don't actually take that long to do) that then mean you can add a new item into your me made rotation

Alternatively, if you have a lot of unworn me made garments, why not figure out why you aren't wearing them (I have a helpful post here) and then do something about it. Are they ill fitting? Are they made from a crappy fabric? Does the colour not work for you? Make note of these issues so that future me mades can and will get worn.

And why not check if some of your existing unwearable me mades may be salvageable. Why not try dyeing them a different colour if that was an issue, or try re-fitting them if the fit was a little off? You never know, after a little re-jigging, they might become a me made staple.

Try out a new skill to fill wardrobe gaps

While Me Made May is all about wearing your current me made garments, why not think about other me made garments that you could add in the future?

I personally love cardigans, mostly the cropped, vintage style ones and I have a nice selection to choose from, but since I've made the pledge not to buy any new clothes this year (and I haven't had one single urge to buy anything new!) I've realised that I'll actually need to make my own cardigans.

I finished my first knitted garment early this year and have already worn it a tonne (and twice already this May, though I could have worn it almost everyday). I've now started knitting a ruby red Aiken jumper, and while I was hoping to have it done for the end of May, I think I might have to admit defeat on that one. However, why not think outside the Me Made box and try your hand at creating something a bit different that may not necessarily be a sewn garment?

It all counts and you never know, you may just find a new creative love!

Accessorise and Layer

This is probably the most obvious and perhaps the easiest thing you could do, but to mix things up a little, have you ever thought about making your own accessories? Bags, scarves and belts are all things that are easy to make and that can completely change up an outfit. I also find that my accessories probably get worn more often than most of my me mades because one great accessory can go with a multitude of different outfits.

When considering layering in your outfits, why not think outside the box a little. Try choosing a few pairs of different coloured tights that match one of your me made skirts or think about new pairings of me made/RTW garments that you haven't tried in the past. You'll be surprised at how much simple things like that can change up a go-to outfit and make it completely different.

I hope these little tips help a bit as we near the pointy end of May. But if you have any more tips to help fellow Me Made May-ers with their pledges, I'm sure we'd all love to hear them!

Until next time,

xx
J

My Pledge, Me Made May '14

Well people, May starts tomorrow (for me!) and it's high time I wrote my pledge. I've taken a bit more time over it mostly because I wanted something that was achievable for me.

'I, Jen from Jennifer Lauren Vintage, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '14.  I endeavour to wear at least one me made garment each day for the duration of May 2014 with a round up of outfits each week'

Yep, my pledge is exactly the same as it was last year (as well as the photo!). Zoe talks a lot about how our pledges should be a challenge for us, as that's kind of the whole point, so I wracked my brain about what I could do that was challenging and different from last year. I slowly realised that May is going to be one heck of a busy month for me, and that actually, my pledge from last year is going to be just as challenging this year, but in different ways.

Since May last year, I've worked hard on sewing items that I enjoy wearing and that actually get worn. They mix in with the wardrobe I already have and I'm actually really proud of my wearable hand-made wardrobe (plus I've been working on my second, third and fourth patterns that hopefully fit in with this theme of a wearable hand-made wardrobe for everyone! Watch this space for a few sneaky peeks of my test garments during May).

So, have you made your pledge for this year? Remember to sign up on Zoe's blog and join the Flickr group and the Pinterest group*.

xx
J

* If you already followed me on Pinterest before the Me Made May '14 board was created and you want access to pin to it, please send me an email (jenniferlauren.is@gmail.com) with a link to your pinterest profile. I had a number of followers before that board was created, and I don't really have any way of knowing who of those initial followers want to participate. So, it's a bit easier if you email me to let me know you'd like access. Ta!

Building & Wearing a Hand-Made Wardrobe - Back to Basics

I'm so glad so many of you enjoyed my first post in this series of Building & Wearing a 

Hand-made Wardrobe!

Today I wanted to talk about going back to basics in our hand-made wardrobes, to talk about those items that we can make in a few hours that can form a base for several hand-made outfits.

Basics are pretty amazing things when you actually think about them. They take very little of our precious sewing time to make up, but open up a whole host of different hand-made outfits that can then be worn because of them.

Today I'm wearing a Colette Patterns Sorbetto (free to download!) that I've turned into a little peplum blouse. There are so many free basic patterns out there that are easy to sew up, to adapt and that can provide the means to wear some of the more outrageous items in our hand-made wardrobes that may otherwise never get worn because nothing else goes with them. 

As I discussed in my first post in this series, sewing basics doesn't have to be boring or mean doing the same techniques over and over. Basics provide the amazing opportunity of interpretation, customisation and personalisation of a garment. They also provide the perfect platform to try more complicated construction techniques and to test out different design ideas, while also letting you try out new styles without too much heartbreak if they just don't work out.

This little Sorbetto took me about 3 hours to make all up (if that), has french seams and the obvious addition of the peplum. I can wear the peplum out as I've done here or tucked in (and I've found that tucking in the peplum means I have a perfect distribution of 'pouff' out of the top of my skirt, which means I'm not forever adjusting my blouse). This little blouse also goes with so many things in my hand-made wardrobe and is the perfect summer staple being made up in a navy gingham cotton which is both affordable and easy to wash and wear.

Throughout the year I'm going to be showing you a few different things you can do to jazz up basics, including how to make your very own Peplum Sorbetto coming next week (it is so easy)!

So, if you're one of those people who loves sewing bright, complicated garments that never get worn, then maybe try sewing up a basic to go with it! You never know, it might get worn a whole lot more and become a staple go-to outfit.

xx

Jen

Building & Wearing A Hand-made Wardrobe - Why We Don't Wear Our Hand-mades...

Welcome to the first post in my new series on how to build and wear a hand-made wardrobe. I wanted to start out by discussing what I think are the two main reasons why we don't necessarily already wear our hand-mades.

These two simple reasons ring very true for me and perhaps, once you give them some thought, they'll ring true for you as well -

• What you make doesn't fit into your everyday uniform
• They are uncomfortable to wear

Your Everyday Uniform

Everyone has their go to wardrobe staples. Whether it's jeans and t-shirts or dresses, your uniform is simply what you like to wear most often. It's probably your most comfortable outfit and you tend to have several colour ways and styles within your uniform. These colours and styles will also generally mix and match well so that you can create several different variations of your uniform for each day of the week. They are what probably makes up what you would consider your Wardrobe Basics.

Some beloved hand-made wardrobe basics worn during Me Made May 2013
- 60s Pink Wool Skirt - Red Circle Skirt - Blue Circle Skirt -

When I think about my personal uniform, it consists of skirts, dresses, cardigans and flats. Even though I have pants, I don't really wear them (in fact, I wore jeans for the first time in several years at Christmas when we spent the night on a boat in Doubtful Sound, NZ).

I also prefer relatively simple styles and designs in my uniform. While I'm happy to have a bright or patterned fabric, I like clean design lines and nothing too fussy. High waisted me-made circle skirts will always be a favourite - I wear one of these at least once a week and have 4 on regular rotation. They are easy to wash and wear, go with a host of different tops and they make me feel like I've made an effort to get dressed, even though I really haven't.

Your everyday uniform can also be different from your style. Personally, my everyday uniform and my style really do go hand in hand. But for others, while they may love the thought of wearing a full skirted 50's dress everyday, in reality, what they may wear from day to day is drastically different due to any number of reasons. What they do for a job, the climate they live in, whether they are running around after children etc. Practicality has to play a role in everybody's wardrobe.

More beloved hand-mades worn during Me Made May 2013
- Polkadot Billie Jean - Red Circle Skirt - Black Circle Skirt -

Also, while it's great to have special occasion pieces, if that's all you're sewing, then the reality is that most of what you make, you won't actually end up wearing. I wrote a little piece last year about my love for sewing the basics (or cake, as Tasia so lovingly put it). I love sewing them because it means I'll most certainly wear them. It means I've made good use of my sewing time.

Uncomfortable Hand-mades

Going back to my first Me Made May last year, like many people, towards the end it got quite hard as I was forced to pull out and wear those things that had sat in my wardrobe ever since I had finished making them. While I would have loved to wear circle skirts for most of the month (like usual), since I was photographing my outfit everyday, that would have got a tad boring don't you think?

So, I'd pull out a garment, wonder why on earth I hadn't worn it since it was made, put it on and then remember why it had been relegated to the 'not easily accessible' bit of our tiny wardrobe. Almost every single time, that garment was uncomfortable.

A garment can be 'uncomfortable' for many reasons, the most common are bad fit, an unflattering shape, bad fabric choice (or cheap crappy fabric) or all of the above. And I don't know about you, but I really don't have much time for wearing uncomfortable things! (Though funnily enough, I just don't have the heart to get rid of them yet!).

A few hand-mades that don't get worn much (for varying reasons) from Me Made May 2013

When I am wearing uncomfortable clothing, I tend to be extremely self conscious. I am so aware of myself that I spend far too much time wondering if people are staring at me while I fiddle with x, y & z on my garment. To be fair, most of the time people are far too fixated on what is going on in their own lives to notice the gaping on the front of my dress, or the wrinkles that just wouldn't iron out because of the crappy fabric I used, but it doesn't matter, I'm still uncomfortable.

Perhaps I care a little too much about what the stranger in the bus thinks about me, but if I'm feeling that uncomfortable in a garment, then I'm not going to wear it. After all, what you wear can have a huge impact on how you are feeling from day to day. If you're having a bad day but wearing something that makes you feel amazing, that bad day perhaps won't have as much an impact as it might have if you were also wearing something that made you feel frumpy, itchy, confined (or not confined enough!) and down right uncomfortable.

If you're one of those people who hates sewing uniform basics, I hope you'll look at them in a different light. And if you don't sew the basics because they aren't challenging to you anymore, then why not take them up a notch? Sew them with French Seams, try out a rolled hem, use a different fabric or put your zipper in using a different technique than you usually would. This way, not only are you up-skilling in the sewing department, but you'll have started to build a wearable hand-made wardrobe in no time!

So folks, let's go forth and start planning our comfy and wearable Hand-made Wardrobes! Yay!

Are there any other reasons why you don't wear your current hand-mades?

xx
Jen