Letters from Wetville

There is no logo down the side of my blog for me-made-May this year.  Last year I put one up and then realised, rather pitifully, that I hadn't nearly enough home sewn or knitted clothes for a month's worth of wearing. Nevertheless, I have entertained ideas of doing it anyway.  I've extended my home sewn wardrobe quite a bit in the last 12 months.  On the first day of May, I had my very favourite and certainly me-made polka dot skirt on by accident.  On the second day, which I think was when I realised that MMM had started, I was poorly and fragile and spent the entire time in my shop-bought jammies.  We are up to ten days of May, and I've jumbled through without much MMM design.  When I get ready dressed of a weekday morning, I'm thinking about the kids' lunches and what is coming up at work, not the provenance of my clothing.  I aim for clean, and anything else is a bonus. Today, after kitting Brighid out in hockey gear (something called funstick...

There are photos of today below, wearing some things I made (grey t-shirt with stars print on it plus aqua-blue cardigan which looks and feels rather like a short dressing gown).  My hair is not brushed.  Joining the Me Made May'12 challenge was a commitment to wearing home made clothes, not to brushing my hair on Saturday morning. Today's new adventure was making ginger compresses for Fionn's chest.  He does seem to be improving, and now I know why I bought such a large piece of ginger in the groceries.  Sometimes I get frustrated that my kids continue to get sick despite all my efforts to feed and water and clothe and shelter them to good health.  But it is timely at that point, I tell myself, to remember that on both sides of their genetic inheritance, relatives died young of asthma and breathing/chesty/lung complaints, so getting it down to a few bouts per year is a success. Also, I have and had a head cold.  I wouldn't describe that as an adventure...

Me Made May'12?  Probably designed for people who don't have sick kids.  No photo today, though I did use my home made bag and I wore the petticoat/slip which I bought for 50 cents at the Sallies and took the hem up myself.  You wouldn't be getting a photo of me in my undergarments even if my photographer wasn't too focused on breathing to take photos. Favourite Handyman took the day off to look after Fionn and I went to work.  When they were much smaller I preferred to always be the person home with them when they were sick, but now they are bigger it is good to share the load and not always cancel my work commitments.  I also feel like a grown up feminist who actually shares the child care on the tough days this way too.  I find that it is easy to end up focusing on other aspects of parenting or child wellness and be oblivious to something slipping until it is a bit late.  For us, that has been running out of flax seed oil and not keeping the ome...

 Ah yes, it's that cardigan again.  Unless my sewing machine comes back and I perform miracles of sewing productivity such as I've never achieved before, then many many many photos of this Me Made May'12 lark are going to involve my purple crossover cardy.  If I knitted it again now I would make the sleeve and shoulder size smaller and add more rows and stitches across the front to fit the boobs.  But I've gone off knitting at the moment. The kids are responsible for the state of the wallpaper.  FH and I are responsible for the training of aforementioned children into civilised and thoughtful human beings and respecters of wallpaper.  The hallway is not the finest moment of any four of us.  I haven't quite the hang of the head turned for photo pose.  I guess there are many more days this month to preactise.  Unless I can find someone else to take my photos, I expect Brighid will be in at least one every single day for May.  I rememb...

I made the cardigan/vest.  I took the sewing machine to the repair person today.  Given the colder weather, I now have two cardigans and one skirt which are home made and suitable for work and one long sleeved t shirt which is home made and fine for wearing in the weekend.  I also have a nightshirt and a bag.  Not quite enough for sustaining a month of daily wearing of home made clothing. Wednesday 2 May Breakfast : they had porridge and I had toast with avocado and salmon on it. Lunch : kids' usual items assembled at home; adults had quiche. Tea : nachos + broccoli. Book club tonight.  Sleep time now.

 Day One of the Me Made May'12.  I made the cardigan myself.  It took 18 months and at the end of it I wasn't even that wild about the fit, but it is cosy and warm.  And purple.  I also made the skirt, out of some needlecord from my late mother in law's cupboard.  I think it was once destined for FH's sister when she was about seven.  You might find it easier to look past the droopy tits and the tummy which could be pregnant but certainly isn't than I do, but that, it seems, is the nature of the female gaze. The punga raised bed, with kale, rocket, spinach, celery and (in spring) red poppies.  Lemon verbena.  Green succulent on our red red fence.  The kale which I finally planted this afternoon.  Planting is quick, but the weeding required to make a space for planting takes a bit longer.  Alyssum, geraniums, sugar snap peas, rocket, myrtle ugni, thyme, calendula and today's addition: wel...

I don't find it difficult to set goals for my performance review in my paid job.  There is a process by which these are set and someone evaluates whether I've met them and about 8000 pieces of paperwork are created for this purpose. I've got goals for my at home job as well, though only my family can assess whether they are being met and we tend to make decisions and responses about that together (without any paperwork).  My main goal relates to the health of my family.  As the weather turns markedly colder, I'm glad we've been supplementing with cod liver oil each day.  My dad has horrific memories of being made to drink this stuff, but a) the version we get from John Appleton's doesn't taste so bad and b) the vitamins A and D which it contains are totally worth any icky taste.  As the sniffles and snuffles announced themselves right on cue with the storm last night, I pulled out the zinc mixture and made it up with 'pink ink'.  Other people may...

Can I do it? I've followed previous self stitched or me made challenges before on other blogs with a significant degree of admiration. I've decided to have a go myself this time. I have this idea that it will push me to realise I can wear home made more often and to appreciate what I have managed to make. I've been making a mental list of my options: 1 knitted vest 1 knitted cardigan 1 sewn merino cardigan 2 t shirts 1 crossover top 2 dresses (assuming I hem my floral curtain dress this month) 3 skirts (though one will be too summery) Perhaps I will even sew some more items to wear before May. Any one else keen?