Hello friends! Thanks for stopping by today - I just realized that I totally forgot to post the second half of my me-mades for the month of May. So many #selfies - ugh! But before I get to that, here's some thinks I've been thinking lately about the role of sewing in my life...

I sew because.... I really enjoy creating a unique piece of clothing that fits great, is a favorite print or color, and will get worn often. The thrill of pairing the perfect pattern with fabric or replicating a super expensive garment I love on the cheaps is awesome! That said...

I don't sew because.... it is my be-all, end-all passion in life. Because I am a budding designer. Because my dream career is to sew for others. Because I want my entire wardrobe to be handmade.

Okay let's face it - I love sewing, as long as sewing is my hobby. There have been a couple of times that I have sewn something for someone else for money, or made something for myself as part of a blog tour / promotion, etc, and can really suck the fun out of the whole process. In fact, the more required the sewing is, the more I avoid it - LOL. I'm not one of those people who lives to sew - I just really enjoy it. And please don't think I'm downplaying those whose super passion is sewing - like Andrea, for instance, who just became a seamstress full time! - I think that is amazing and inspiring, but it just isn't for me. My passion is for teaching music, and I already have my dream job :) For me, sewing is a side hobby. Funny enough, Mary at Idle Fancy just wrote a great post that hits on this topic - you should check it out :)

Top Row: limone peplum tank, red ponte lady skater, floral bomber jacket
Bottom Row: yellow chevron knit tee, blue floral lounge shorts, coral triangles plantain, striped knit scout tee
In addition to the realization that I only want to sew for fun, I also realized I still really enjoy shopping for clothes. I feel like sewing has given me a better eye and appreciation for a well-made garment. Sometimes in the sewing world  it's as if RTW (ready to wear) becomes bad or evil and I'm just not about that. I love having a workable wardrobe where I can mix and match my handmades in with everything else. Again, sewing as a hobby means I am going to take the precious time I have to sew a hobby and make something fun, sew some "frosting" if you will, instead of trying to craft every piece of my wardrobe. If I can find an excellent fitting, well made pair of jeans in the store, I'm not going to spend time sewing them. Instead, I will make a dress with giraffes on it that I've never seen the likes of in stores :)

Top Row: blue giraffes anna dress, ikat summer hi-lo dress, floral belladone dress
Bottom Row: striped plantain (unblogged), fuschia renfrew mini dress, refashioned tank, striped summer dress
I hope that bunch of rambling made sense - this has really been on my mind throughout Me Made May, where there is so much pressure to SEW AND WEAR ALL THE THINGS. I even saved me mades I don't like anymore to wear for MMM in case I ran out of other clothes. Haha, but really in the end I'm  proud of what I made and what I wore and most of them are things I love and wear often.... And that's why I sew!

Speaking of those me-mades that I don't wear / don't like / don't fit anymore - I am finally getting rid of them!!! That's right, my first handmade garments are going bye-bye. I would love to send them to a loving home, so if you're interested, check out THESE LISTINGS and then e-mail me - thequirkypeach{at}gmail{dot}com. It's name your price - I'm not out to make a profit, just cover cost of materials and such. And if no one wants anything, then I'm donating - no big deal! :)

SO I'm interested in your thoughts - what are your feelings about sewing as a hobby vs life? Do you make everything in your wardrobe, or mix and match with RTW? How did your MMM go? Have you ever sold/donated handmade garments? Thanks for reading!