4.30.2013

the true monster in my closet



but hell if it isn't still in my closet, five years after making it.  cause, you know, i made it.



yes, damn it all to hell, i'm throwing my hat in the me made ring.  why must i proclaim it in such an irritable fashion?  because i need a kick in the ass to get my closet straight, it has been weighing on me forever, I DO NOT WANT TO FACE MY CLOSET, and zo's MMM is the perfect way to make  this mountain of an activity happen in a fun way.  as much as i need to cull the RTW stuff, there are some me mades that just don't get worn as well.  so, here go the pledge:

 'i, oonaballoona of www.oonaballoona.com, sign up as a participant of me-made-may '13.  i endeavour to take control of my beast of a closet, taking out the filler and leaving it filled only with things that i will actually wear/look good on me.  by the end of may, i hope to end up with a closet that's 40% "me", 60% "them", with an end-of-the-year goal being a closet that's 80% me.  i will wear a piece of "me" three times a week for the duration of may 2013, more if possible.'

so yeah, i haven't amped up my personal challenge wearing-wise, but the closet challenge is really going to be troublesome.  i sense much gnashing of teeth in my future.  mais, ruggy has a pitiful amount of space, and i've heard tell it's easier to dress when everything in front of me is a winner.  i'm not sure how i'll document my participation, but it will probably have something to do with alcohol.  maybe cocktail closet hour.  YEAH THAT OUGHTA DO IT.  game on, baby.

44 comments:

  1. I'm ruthless when it comes to culling RTW (which I generally do with wine in hand), but I don't think I've gotten rid of a single thing I've made. Ever. Even my very first project, a cotton A-line elastic waist skirt is still hidden in the back of a drawer. But you are right - I do much better dressing myself when everything in my wardrobe is a winner.

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    1. my first go is still hanging around too! maybe we should dust them off and revisit our handiwork...

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  2. I have been coming up with the best outfits this spring and now I just need to figure out which items need to stay and which one need to go in order to keep up this trend because I have to tell you...I have included some items like a jacket I have not worn in like 10 years that I bought at J.Crew, but it has become an absolute fave this year. I am usually so good at getting rid of stuff, but this year it seems difficult and getting rid of stuff I've made is almost impossible because they are so hard to let go :)

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  3. I've culled early me makes. But there is a ton of stuff in there that I haven't worn in years. I may have to take a leaf from your book and closet cull!

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  4. I love your feisty pledge. I'm going to be doing MMM too! First time! I'm really excited!

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  5. You'll be fine! Once you get started. Think of them as children - or better, a litter of really annoying but cute kittens your cat had in your closet. Adorable and lovable yes, but just too mewy and crazy horading lady to keep. The relief will set in fast. I reckon the real challenge will be to know when to stop once you get going!

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  6. Hahaha I love that your pledge sounds like you not giving up without a fight! FIGHT THAT BEAST OONA! Fight it hard :)

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    1. it does sound more like i'm going into a heavyweight bout, doesn't it?

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  7. I should send you a bullwhip so you can Tame that Monster.

    You have been weighing heavy on my mind lately. I hope everything is good in OonaWorld. I need to send you an email soon, since I just purchase my tickets to come back home for a visit.
    :)

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    1. i was literally looking at pictures of us right before you sent this!

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  8. I am RUTHLESS with my me-mades (probably helps that I've lived in 4 cities in the last year... and will be moving again at the end of the summer). Really the only things exempt from my relentless closet-cullings are family heirloom vintage items. We're always growing (literally and figuratively) so there's no guarantee that what we make will still be worn a year or two down the line, and my skills have improved so much since I started too! It does feel wasteful, though, so I try to refashion things when I can.

    I guess what I'm trying to say here is, YOU CAN DO IT. Slay the closet monster, drink booze, live a better life!

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    1. " Slay the closet monster, drink booze, live a better life!"

      i might put that above my closet.

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  9. When I spring clean my wardrobe everything it's fair game and I love the mm may helps me decide

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  10. I am totally guilty of allowing ugly mm items to linger in my closet and worse yet, I'll even wear them because they're mm. I hope to be inspired by your closet taming!

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  11. Every time I have met up with you, you look damn good, and I say that in every sense of being platonic. But hey, if you want to jump on the bandwagon, go ahead! I'd sign up too but that would mean that I'd be wearing ball gowns at least 3 times a week. Even Urban Outfitters doesn't think that's fashionable.

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  12. Clearly you should sell the things you're not wearing at action, since you're such the sewing celebrity. Then buy more fabric.
    I've kept all mine in a plastic bin, if that tells you how often they get worn (almost never). Pitiful.

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  13. When in doubt, have another glass of wine. You have made some AMAZING things so don't let the flops and meh projects hold you back from your awesomeness.

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  14. Haha, YES! to everything you just said :D
    I need to be far more ruthless, that is unless I want my house to become overrun by my clothes which may fantastically come alive and smother us in the night... but why would you think about getting rid of that cute and cheerful little sundress? It would look awesome on you for your upcoming summer

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  15. Maybe you can do a fun giveaway out of your closet! I'll bet there are lots of people who might dig on some of your prunings!

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    1. see, that would be awesome, but i'm STILL wrangling the shipping from toolin around. i am post office challenged.

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  16. I know what you're saying with the closet, I have a similar problem (and I haven't even taken out my summer wardrobe yet!)

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  17. When we catch up, can we make it a MMM day? (I'm not doing any days of MMM but maybe I'll make it just the day I see you)

    OMG TO SEEING YOU! xoxo

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  18. I threw out some of my first makings, if not all the items made in my first year of sewing class. I sometimes regret it, but I know I wouldn't have worn them anyway. I still have some me-made things that I don't wear and a lot of RTW-crap lingering in my closet, but since I'm moving soon, I'm sure I'll get some sorting out done...
    I'm also participating in MMM for the very first time, and I am really looking forward to it, super excited...
    Good luck with reaching your 80-20% goal!

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  19. I'm pretty good about farming me mades off to Goodwill if they were real bombs, but I'll wear them until they flutter off of me like dandelion fluff if I'm proud of them!

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  20. Great post... pruning is hard... but it's worth doing isn't?! TFS!

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  21. I'm not ready to do a major closet dump now. The last time I did this, my husband asked me if I was leaving!

    However, I love when people who know that I sew ask me if I made the item that I am wearing, and they are wrong. It is fun to keep them guessing, and having a lot of RTW while only wearing the best me made is key.

    So I imagine that I will be bringing out the SPACE BAGS, since our American Sewing Guild Neighborhood Group will be making one me made per month...

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    1. oh that first sentence made me snicker. i love it.

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    2. BWAHAHAHA! My uncle did a "major closet dump" one time after coming home from the bar and losing his bearings in the house-- eek!

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  22. It's a good challenge. I somehow have a closet with lots of clothing and nothing to wear. A sign some things need to go...

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  23. Urgh, it's just too scary to face my closet...I definitely have early me-mades in there that are just taking up space, like Occupy Cation's Closet to protest that they're not in the 1% that gets worn all the time. Thanks for the example that we can follow. Although possibly I may just follow the cocktail part.

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  24. Sounds like a great challenge, but oh how cute that striped romper is!! I just want to eat it up it's so darling!!

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  25. That is such a cute dress! (or it is secret shorts?) :O It reminds me of a Barbie I used to have that wore some amazing green striped dungarees (which I plan to emulate as soon as my life stops trying to beat me to death with exams). Also, I have at least 2 catsuits from fancy dress outfits I've made - one of which is a big purple dragon (Spyro, to be exact) and I know I'm probably never gonna wear them again but I'm just so proud you know! My lil textile babies!

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  26. After having played Roller Derby I can tell you I would skate my ass off in that awesome little number.

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  27. HUZZAH!! So glad to hear you are throwing your hat in the ring!!!

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  28. Good on ya! This is a noble pledge! I just did a major closet cull and gave away some me-made stuff that just doesn't work, mainly because I was afraid I would end up forced to wear it during MMM! It's like your undies drawer-- you gotta go through that stuff and through out the saggy, baggy, holey stuff or you'll end up procrastinating on laundry and wearing terrible undies one day, crossing your fingers the whole day through that you don't have to go to the hospital and reveal the horror beneath your pants!

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  29. I love that you are doing a wardrobe cull because it's something my own wardrobe needs! A few of the me-made-pieces also need a little touch up which I have been way too lazy to do. Also, I'm sad that you don't wear a rainbow pinafore because that's something that I need in my life.

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  30. I'm right there with you! I started listing some of my gorgeous, expensive free people, antrho etc clothes that I love but just DON'T work for me and I have never worn them. I decided, now that I am sewing that these "can't make it work" clothes have to go. Good luck on your venture!

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i thankya truly for taking the time to comment, i love a good conversation-- and hope you know my thanks are always implied, if not always written!