Michelle, ma belle... tres bien ensemble
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Michelle ma belle, sont des mots qui vont très bien ensemble,

Tres bien ensemble

Me-Made Vaca(tion).

3/3/2013

11 Comments

 
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Last week, Mike and I slipped away from Chicago, winter and the grey that promises to consume the city until spring arrives. We boarded a plane flying south. Destination: Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. This isn't a travel blog. I do my best to keep subject matter limited to the things I make; primarily knitting & sewing and related content (fabric, yarn, patterns, etc....). But, sometimes, there's overlap. For instance, I like to find yarn shops and fabric stores whenever I stop in a new city. And, sometimes, I sew a vacation wardrobe to wear during my trip.... OK. That's a  first, actually. 
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As part of my  New Year Resolution to build a better and more purposeful self-stitched wardrobe, I set mini-goals to keep me motivated and on track. One way I thought I could assure success was to pledge participation in Me-Made monthly challenges (March, May, September), and I added the proposition of applying the same concept towards vacation. After all, if the goal is to have a wardrobe of clothes I made myself, I need to wear the things I make. 

As soon as Mike and I agreed we were going to take this trip, I started planning the things I wanted to sew.  I pulled out patterns for really adorable 50's sundresses, skirts, coordinating blouses, and vintage play suits. I rummaged through my stash and started matching fabric with patterns. I gave each of my projects a level of priority and decided in which order I would sew them. I planned A LOT. And, then, it was a week before we were scheduled to leave, and I hadn't sewn a single stitch. 
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I started to re-evaluate my situation. I dove headfirst into this resolution at the beginning of the year; I cleared my closet of every item of clothing I didn't deem essential. And, trust me, in January, in Chicago, summer clothes are not essential. Consequently, I have almost no store-bought warm weather clothing. I started to panic. I briefly considered running out to purchase all new attire. But, the thought of doing that was so incredibly contrary to the plan I had set for myself, I couldn't do it without conceding failure. 

I considered packing some of the spring/summer dresses I made in years prior. That's when it occurred to me. The types of clothes I wear during summer in the Midwest, aren't the type of clothes I want to to wear while I'm near the beach.  Tailored, fitted dresses with frilly details and full skirts are marvelous in Illinois; lots of seams, buttons and zippers aren't much of a burden when you spend most of your time in a temperature controlled building. But when you apply those elements to sand and sun, the narrative changes. 

Words that come to mind when I think vacation clothes: breezy, nonrestrictive, comfortable, easy. Using my new template, I returned to my patterns and chose designs that fell within these  parameters. Fortunately, I have a decent number of patterns that fit the bill and I was able to get to work immediately. When I finished my first dress in one sitting, my confidence and conviction were restored.   
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Excluding the play suits (which I am bummed I ran out of time to make), none of the original patterns I intended to sew for my trip would have been what I wanted to wear. I got so caught-up in the daydream of planning, I completely lost sight of practicality and reality, and I nearly needed to reroute to a nudist colony. This process has opened my eyes immensely. I can't wait to evaluate my daily attire in the upcoming month(s) and apply some similar concepts and lessons to future projects.

Since these are all new makes, I intend to give each outfit the proper post it deserves. But, before I got caught-up in the overall success of this endeavor, I wanted to start with an explanation of the whole process, how it nearly was a disaster, and how I needed to revamp my plans. I think it's important to share and document it for future reference. I hope you don't mind the photo tease. I have more where those came from and pattern information for you as the week progresses. 
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11 Comments
Marie link
3/2/2013 10:05:06 pm

Wow! Please don't tell me you sewed all of these beautiful dresses in one week!?! Your holiday snaps are lovely, can't wait to hear more about each gorgeous dress!,

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Elisabeth Andree link
3/2/2013 10:07:48 pm

You should be proud on yourself and confident. Great clothes, they look all stunning, the tension was not necessary at all:)
Ooo and the sunny and warm surroundings.... so lovely, it is still grey and cold here in Holland:(

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the quirky peach link
3/3/2013 01:09:58 am

This is an amazing idea! Sewing a mini wardrobe for a vacation :) Honestly, it seems a bit less daunting than making enough clothes for a me-made-month! I really love all these dresses, but especially that last maxi dress - soooo pretty! Can't wait to see the follow up posts on each one!

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Chris
3/3/2013 05:57:19 am

Everything looks awesome. Can't wait for more details. Hope you had a great time.

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Alicia link
3/3/2013 06:13:58 am

Your dresses are fabulous! I can't imagine sewing clothes for myself like that, they are wonderful.

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Joyatee link
3/3/2013 07:32:19 am

Oh my gosh! Everything is so beautiful!

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Monica link
3/3/2013 09:28:40 am

Impressive! The dresses are really cute and they fit you so well. Love the prints as well. Where do you usually get the fabric?

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Joelle link
3/3/2013 02:52:52 pm

Did you really sew all these fantastic dressed I one week!?!! You sewed up a storm! They all look great and I cannot wait to see more details. Also, I am very jealous of the beach ;)

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Jenn link
3/4/2013 02:34:52 am

You did a fantastic job! I especially love the floral dress and the black & white polka dot maxi dress. Very cute!

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katie metzroth link
3/6/2013 01:47:44 am

Oh, girl! You did all that in a week! The last one is my favorite, but they all look muy bonita!

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Megan link
3/7/2013 04:39:47 am

These are breezy, colorful, and fabulous! Perfect for a warm vacation away from Chicago :) Marvelous work, my friend! I think I like your long black maxi best - dress it up or down and still perfect for the beach. Cannot wait to hear all about it!

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