Me-made May 2025 (and 2021)

Another long gap with no blogging...

I decided to sign up for this again having not done so since 2021 - along with life and the world in general the contents of my wardrobe have changed quite a bit since then so I thought it would be interesting to see if what I would choose to wear had changed.

My pledge was to finish a skirt, make two more and one dress, plus get an ME2016 cut out, if not sewn up.  I also had a cardigan which I'd started knitting in December 2023 and wanted to get finished.

I took outfit photos on the days when I wore something me-made. 

Details here, here, here, here, here & here

Details here, here, here, here & here

Details here, here & here

Details here, here, here & here

Details here, here, here & here

I actually ended up making four skirts and three dresses and did finish the cardigan (I've written about them here).  However I didn't cut out the ME2016 (still haven't, hoping to get that made this year).  By the end of it I thought I would make some more fit and flare dresses although that hasn't happened (yet).  In fact I haven't sewn anything since.

And looking at the above photos there isn't really much change in the style of what I wore in 2025 from what I wore in 2021 - which I can see I didn't write about here at the time, but did record on instagram, so here is a quick summary.  I pledged to make three dresses (only made two, but did cut out the third and finished it in June) and to wear something me-made on every working day - only 13 days due to bank holidays and taking annual leave.  Some dresses which I wore in 2021 I wore again in 2025, some I've since passed on.  And May 2021 was clearly colder than May 2025 because there are a few handknits here (and a couple of rtw dresses - the first two in the batch of four photos).

Details here & here

Details here, here, here & here

Details here, here, here & here

Details here, here, here, here & here

Another Know Me ME2016

I had intended to make two more of these before putting the pattern away, but time ran away with me and the next one is on the spring sewing schedule now. 

This version is made from Broderie Anglaise which I bought in Coupons Merveilles in Paris earlier in the year.  It was a 3m coupon, but after washing and drying it measured 2.85m, so again I made a gathered skirt with inseam pockets, not the version in the pattern.  I also lined the skirt and bodice and lowered the neckline - I used plain red cotton voile for the lining.  The sleeves are slightly shorter than given in the pattern, to lend that fabric to the skirt length.

I'm very happy with how it's turned out.  I don't have much red in my wardrobe, so this is a welcome addition.

Two Liberty Tana Lawn Know Me ME2016 dresses

I finally succumbed to buying this pattern after seeing so many versions on Instagram of it that I liked - there was a bit of a palaver with the purchase though.  I bought it from Sew Direct earlier in the year and when I took the pattern tissue out of the envelope to lay on the fabric ready to cut out I noticed several of the pieces had bits of printing missing - both grainlines and cutting lines.  I have never had this happen with any pattern I have ever bought over decades of pattern buying.  So I emailed Sew Direct to ask for a replacement and had to wait a while for one to arrive from the USA, because it turned out that all their UK stock had the same problem.

Both are made from 3m lengths of Tana Lawn which I had in my stash.  This wasn't enough fabric to make the skirt supplied with the pattern, so they have two full widths of fabric gathered, and inseam pockets.

The first dress I made was a straight size 14 and it's a bit on the roomy side, although the pattern is so busy that it doesn't really notice.  As well as changing the skirt, I cuffed the sleeves rather than use elastic - I find that elasticated short sleeves don't stay put when I move my arms and that bugs me, so I used the sleeve cuff band from my copy of Fibremood Judy pattern instead and I'm happy with how the sleeves look and feel. 

For the second version I cut a size 12 and didn't bother to line the bodice.  I also cut the neckline a bit lower - partly because I bound it with bias binding so it didn't need a 5/8" seam allowance, but also to actually make it a bit lower - about an inch or so I think.

I love these dresses, partly because the fabric is so gorgeous to sew with and to wear, but also because I love the style.