Me-Made-May: Special Edition TWO

Obviously I made this skirt but I also made this vest! When I was getting dressed I was feeling really blah about my clothes so I cut up my unused jersey pillowcase and created this monster. I actually quite like it, it's comfortable and I like the asymmetrical cut of the front. I don't know if it quite counts as Me-Made though as all I did was cut off the seams and then slash two armholes. But I am counting it towards my 'outfit in which two main elements are me-made' because I did actually make it. 

Also that is a bug bite on the back of my leg, I am not covered in boils like some sort of diseased serf or anything like that. 

Me-Made-May: Week 3

Ze First Outfit: 

 I actually forgot that I had this skirt, which is why it wasn't in my Me-Made-May preview post. I made it ages ago (back when I knew nothing about sewing, so all the pieces are on a different grainline and the seams are just pathetic) and for some reason I packed it away with the clothes I never wear. 

But I do wear this skirt! Because it is awesome. It's ultra comfy and since the fabric is so lightweight it's really nice for summer. I really like wearing long skirts like this; its hard to explain but they make me feel like some sort of really awesome warrior princess. (I had just watched about five episodes of Merlin the day before I wore this outfit, so that probably influenced the sort of urban-witch vibe.) I also made this hat; it's on Ravelry here.

Sadly these photos don't quite capture the true awesomeness of this outfit, which I assure you was very awesome. Mostly because of the hat.

Ze Second Outfit: 

When I wore this I was not having the best day so I did what I usually do, which is swaddle myself in warm all-encompassing blanket-like clothing and watch British television until I either feel better because I've just watched ten episodes of Rev. or feel so utterly desolate and literally unable to continue living a normal life that I just crawl into my bed and sleep, which usually occurs because I've been watching Merlin and it has ripped my heart out of my chest, stomped on it, soaked it with my own tears and ground it into the dirt. That show, seriously. 

Anyway I had just finished knitting this vest-thing and as you can see had not yet bothered to weave in the ends. (Actually, I still haven't done that.) 

Ze Third Outfit:

As illustrated here by my posting two nearly-identical photos in which I feel pretty comfortable with the way I look, my vanity is not small. I did crop my knees out of these photos but they actually didn't look that bad, really, which was a pleasant surprise and a nice way to start the day.
Spring is a magical season in which one can actually wear a sweater and a pair of shorts and feel perfectly comfortable temperature-wise, so I feel obliged to exploit that fleeting window of opportunity as much as I can. Therefore I will probably be wearing this on more than one occasion during the next week, though if you want me to I'll lie and say that I never repeat outfits.

It's weird to think, but Me-Made-May is over fifty percent finished! There are still two weeks left in the month, though, so I better start sewing. I'm running out of clothes.

TOAST A/W 12

I was just going through my inspiration folder on my computer and I realized I haven't done a TOAST post in aaages, so I thought I'd put up these Autumn/Winter 2012 photos. Even though its spring I still am really feeling the winter vibes. I don't know, I'm just totally ready for like three more months of snow. 

Anyway there's something I just love about these TOAST photos; the clothes themselves are not really my style at all (thought I would *totes* wear that blue cabled sweater) but they have this vibe that I think really gels with my style philosophy, so to speak. 

That sounds like wubbish but whatever. All of these photos are from http://www.toast.co.uk 

Me-Made-May 2013: Special Edition

OK, hip-less Kelsey no longer exists, apparently. 

This is what I wore for my once-weekly 'outfit in which two main elements are me-made'. 

Here I am wearing my reversible skirt with the black side out, and my Margot sweater. 

Honestly, I am so proud of this sweater. I did a lot of frogging and reknitting on it, and it took me about six months but I finally produced a sweater that I really love and which looks totally awesome. I also washed and blocked my gauge swatch for this sweater, which I'd never done before, and I dyed the neon-green yarn myself. 

The main yarn is recycled from an sweater that I bought and never wore, and the neon is Cascade 220 sport. I did think, while I was knitting it and trying it on, that the yarn was a little too 'hairy' and I would find it uncomfortable to wear but that is actually not the case. I've just worn a white tank top underneath and the yarn didn't bother me at all. The Cascade 220 on the sleeves is a little bit – not coarse, but sort of rough feeling, though not itchy, but I think it'll soften up a bit with wear. Already by the end of the day I had noticed that I was really comfortable in the sweater and wasn't experiencing any yarn-related discomfort. So, yay. 

I'm actually really glad that I pledged to wear one outfit per week that included multiple me-mades, because there's this feeling you get when you wear (or, I suppose, eat or sit on or in any way use) something that you've made yourself. I can't even describe it but I love it. And when you wear a bunch of things you made yourself it's all those feelings times ten. 

I will say that Me-Made-May has definitely made me want to make more of my things myself. In the future I'd like to make most of my clothes, and not just clothes but things for the house and foods and anything that I can make. I've always wanted to do these things, ever since I was little, but Me-Made-May really brings all of this to the forefront. I don't know why exactly but self-sufficiency has always been something that I longed for. (Probably reading the Little House on the Prairie books too much. And I've been reading Back to Basics about twice a year for as long as I can remember, so I'm sure that has something to do with it.)  And right now, while I'm still living at home with not much to occupy my hours, is the perfect time to get started. 

Anyway I've rambled on long enough, so I'll leave you now. Best of luck to you and yours. 

Me-Made-May 2013: Week 2

First Outfit: 

Wearing my McCalls 6288 shirt, with some black jeans and boots. My apologies if you are seeing more of my bra than you planned to today; I couldn't find my lighter-colored one. In these photos the slight red patch you can see just under my collarbone is the sunburn I got while I was sitting in the front yard knitting socks at 5:30 PM. I had a blanket wrapped around my shoulders (like a grandmother, yes) and apparently some of my skin was exposed because it promptly got fried. As did my nose. (at 5:30!! what is up with that?!?)

 I had a little bit of a fat day while I was wearing this and I still can't decide if I really did look fat or it was just my head messing with me. 

Also, having worn this shirt for a whole day, I can say with certainty that it is very useful for ventilation purposes. 

Second Outfit:

 I don't what it is about the angle I take my pictures at, but I look totally hip-less in these pictures and that is NOT the case in real life. I have hips, guys. Pretty large ones. I also have a waist, a pretty small one, which you can't really see here. I look like a tube!!
It was overcast and rainy on this day, so the photos are especially crap. Anyway, this is my reversible skirt (and again I am sorry about the bra situation). I'm also wearing my mom's ankle boots that I love a lot but don't usually wear because they're brown and I typically wear only black, all the time. I'm not quite sure how good they look with this outfit, though I do think they look better in real life, but I decided to wear them anyway because I am nothing if not a risk-taker. (That is a total lie; I am so not a risk-taker.)

As you can see I was not lying about my weird knees. I tried to flex various leg muscles in hopes of making them look a bit more normal, but to no avail. I'm stuck with these knees.

Third Outfit:

The me-made item here is my Cloud tee, which you can read all about on Ravelry here. This was actually the first real sweater I ever made.

I like this outfit because I think it makes me look like a Power Ranger or an off-duty Avenger or something (though of course you may not feel the same).
Please excuse my extreme awkwardness in the photos and also the view of my shoe collection and bed.


Anyway I am very pleased with this week of Me-Made-May and I am actually working on some new projects so perhaps next week I shall have some new clothes to wear (fingers crossed)!