Tuesday, March 08, 2016

Me-Made Garments in Everyday Life

Okay so I promised you pictures of how I typically wear some of my made garments when I was in Vancouver (for those who missed it - I realized while unpacking that I'd included two me-made garments without really thinking of them as me-mades - just normal clothing).  I took some shoddy mirror pictures of the outfits I'd put together for the last two days of meetings, as I normally wear them.  Both involve the same boring grey leggings and my black cowboy boots, but they're difficult to see in these pictures.

How I wear my Cardboard Cafe Cardigan
Here's how I normally wear my Cardboard Cafe cardigan.  I'll sometimes pair them with a black or grey t-shirt and jeans, but this is my favourite.  In fact, it's my favourite outfit period, and I'm considering replicating this tank dress in black (and other colours?) if I can.  It's probably the most wearable garment I own, and I feel awesome in it (especially with this cardigan.

How I wear my Cardboard Cafe Cardigan
It's uh, grown even more since I finished it last summer.  A lesson well learned about just how well alpaca grows!

fo: Woven Linden Tunic
Here's that unblogged tunic I mentioned before.  I was dicking around in my sewing room one day, wanting to make a woven tunic but not having any patterns I really wanted to sew.  So I pulled out my Linden pattern, did a few mods (lengthen the bodice, add some width to the hips and a bit in the bust, cut a larger sized sleeve, and did a split "waistband") and threw this together.

fo: Woven Linden Tunic
I ADORE the top, but there's a few issues.  I could use a bit more room at the hips, mostly for the ease of sitting, and the sleeves are still a bit tight at the bicep.  I also think I need to add a gusset to the armpit - I can get into the top just fine and there's a good range of motion while wearing it, but I have to do some serious wiggling to get out of the damn thing let me tell you!

A Wild Henri
And just for fun, here's me wearing my Amethyst Henri at Rendezvous (our winter festival) the last weekend of February, nomming on a bannock doughnut.  It was an incredibly mild day, so I rocked the sweater with a long-sleeve t-shirt underneath and my trusty Hampton toque.  I wear this sweater probably more often than I should, usually just with jeans and a necklace or black scarf.

Do you have any you-made garments that you don't really think of as anything but normal parts of your wardrobe?  I remember when I'd deliberately wearing garments I'd made because I'd made them (no matter how poorly they fit or the suited my tastes.  I guess this means that the New Years goal I set last year about only making things I'd love and wear has really paid off!

8 comments:

  1. As a thin-blooded Mid-Atlantic American, I have no idea how you can be outside with snow on the ground and no coat. You'd be lucky to see much more than my eyes and the bridge of my nose--so jealous that you're hardy enough to be showing off a great sweater in the depths of winter! I also love the tank dress and cardigan combo because it looks so darn comfy and yet still pulled together.

    The only me-mades I have that feel like "regular clothes" are my knitted hats and scarves and some leggings I recently stitched up. I'm hoping to get there with t-shirts, knit dresses, and handknit sweaters next, since those are the kinds of things I love to wear. Since they're not hard to sew, I'm really picky about fit. It's so hard to accept that it takes practice get good fit and finish even on simple garments!

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    1. Eh, it was +2C (don't know what that is in American, but it's above freezing) and sunny, so I was plenty warm enough. That is a honkin' big alpaca and wool sweater!

      Way to go, making your own leggings! I need to get back to that. :) I have some great knit fabric that looks like denim that I want to sew up as leggings, but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

      Try a few different patterns - you might find one that fits perfectly without much fussing. There's several free or nearly-free t-shirt patterns out there that's worth playing around with to find the right one. :)

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  2. Way to wear your makes! I love these outfits so much, and it's so great that you're so happy with them that they integrate into your wardrobe so well :D

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    1. Thanks! Now that I'm getting a better feel of what I'll wear vs what I'd like to wear but probably never will, I'm starting to get some thoughts in my head about a complete wardrobe purge. As in, toss out everything EVERYTHING that I don't wear (including the "well maybe someday" garments) and build a wardrobe filled with what I really want. Largely by sewing and knitting.

      It's a scary thought. :D

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  3. I wear only me made scrubs to work every day, I don't even own scrub tops that I haven't made, so I guess for me they are just clothes. I make all my husbands scrub tops as well. I am slowly making more and more of my wardrobe. As I have been losing weight, I haven't tried more complicated stuff yet (jeans, tailored and/or fitted clothes), but will one day.

    BTW-I was so jealous reading about your shopping trip to Dressew. LOVE THAT PLACE.

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    1. Oh man, I had a boyfriend once who worked at a Health Care Facility, and I was constantly stealing his (washed) scrub tops because they are so damn comfy! I love that you make all of your own and your husbands! :D

      And ye gods, Dressew is DANGEROUS. I need to get back there again!

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  4. It's great to have a sort of uniform to wear - makes it so much easier to get dressed. Knowing what you like and wear ...no good making extravagant glories. It's a lovely cardigan, and yes, Alpaca does stretch...still looks okay though.

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    1. I think I need to figure out my "uniform". Most days (especially later on in the week when I've already worn my favourite easy outfits) I'm floundering trying to figure out what to wear.

      I'm loving the dress or tunic and cardigan thing though, and pants (NOT JUST JEANS or awful plain black "dressy" pants - hate those on me) with a sweater. My wardrobe needs a serious overhaul, and I think I need to explore this uniform idea. :)

      Thanks! And I love the alpaca even more at this length, if I'm honest.

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