A wet beginning: MMM17 week 1

The first week of MMM was really rainy. As in, maybe we should be building an ark.

Pledgin' & plannin': Me-Made May '17

I, aem2 of PhysicsGirl on the Loose and @aem2_ on IG, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '17. I endeavour to wear 2 me-made/refashioned items each day for the duration of May 2017, repeating an item no more than once per week and without planning. I also pledge to sew at least one new item and finish one of my UFOs.

This is nearly the same pledge as last year, except that I am finally admitting my limitations and know that if I couldn't finish my sewing plans and UFOs last year when I had nothing but free time, there's no way I will finish all my UFOs and planned things to sew when I've barely had time to breathe this year. So, I'm only planning to sew one new thing and finish one UFO. I will also be taking pictures around the city using Fat Mum Slim's Photo-a-day prompts. There's no Flickr group this year, so I'll be doing my usually weekly round up here and possibly daily on IG.

I haven't sewn anything since last July, so this will be a bit of a challenge. I have many planned things to sew, too. Some of them are even cut out. Sadly, many of them are the same as last year's plans, which pretty much proves my point. I'm presenting them from most-likely to be finished to least-likely. I'm limiting my plans to things where I already have the fabric ready to go and where I can wear it in the next few months (so all that grey wool flannel will have to wait).

I cut out two Swoon cardigans last December: one in teal merino and another eked out of a grey sweater knit acquired from Andie. I'm actually hoping to sew both of these this month, but I'm leaving my options open. I don't know why I didn't include these in my #2017MakeNine -- had I managed to sew them in the first few days of January, I would have at least been able to check something off.

Moot point, anyway.

White Mathilde blouse. I cut this out a few weeks ago and I could easily sew this in increments, so this might be The One.

A McCall's 8789 sheath in tan check that I cut out 3 years ago.

I have one pair of viable jeans, my yet-to-blogged-but-when-I-do-it-will-be-back-dated Jalie pair. I need more pairs desperately and have the denim ready to go. The pattern needs to be modified at the waist. I'd love to be able to at least have these cut out before the end of the month.

Tiramisu in blue/green abstract knit that I bought in Montreal two summers ago. Realistically, this is probably a June project.

I have a pair of RTW black capris in swishy but sweaty polyester that I've been wanting to copy in a breathable linen. I bought the linen at Mood last June, so now all I have to do is make a pattern from the original. No biggie, right?

As for UFOs, they are legion, but I'd like to at least finish my glen laid Thurlow trousers. The waistband needs to be partially unpicked and the darts deepened.

I am also going to attempt one back-dated post per week; the jeans might finally get their day in the limelight.

Fingers crossed.

Lucky number 13: Errandonnées #11-13

My last three errands covered the rest of the categories and took place in more spring-like weather. But the wind, my friends. Nothing comes near to breaking my bike mojo like the wind.

Out like a seriously cranky lion: Errandonnées #6-10

The penultimate day of both March and the Errandonnée saw me go through 4 errands and 4 seasons. If one of the seasons was a really cold summer. I might be stretching the imagery a bit.

Sidelined: Errandonnées #4 & 5

I had to bail on some plan this weekend because 1) the restaurant was closed for a private party and 2) I couldn't go to K's for dinner because I got sick. Blah. Not half-done, and there are only four days left.

However, I did get to wear my wedding dress again and got new shoes, so there's that.

Springing forward: Errandonnées #1 - 3

It's the first day of spring, which means two things: Jour du Macaron and, this year, the Errandonnée. I got off to a good start. I posted the photos on IG, which means I actually documented my controls in real-time, while the blog posts will all be timey-wimey (this one, for example). My goal this year is to hit every category.

Errand the first: commuting. Category: work/volunteering. Distance: 6.1 km. Obs: seasonal temps... But for how long? #errandonnee #bikeTO

A post shared by Andrea M (@aem2_) on Mar 20, 2017 at 3:12pm PDT

I've been thinking I should make another bike-to-work video to the changes along my route (such as new lights and protected/separated bike lanes) this month.

It's baaaack: Errandonnée 2017

It is that time of year again. To see the month of March out, the chasing mailboxes biking challenge I usually manage to finish (if not to finish blogging): the Errandonnée.

There are rules, because rules make it more fun. I will probably be mainly Instagramming this one (did I mention of course I haven't mentioned because I haven't blogged in forever, so now I will say that I finally got a smartphone and an Instagram account. Not in that order.) Perhaps coincidentally, this year's Errandonnée begins on Jour du Macaron. Because that works out nicely.

As a pre-Errandonnée errand in the category of "You carried WHAT on your bike", I had to take Lucy to the vet because she's ... not well. I promise that the carrier was level when we were actually moving, and the tilt is only from getting the phone out of the purse after we got home.

I was framed. Framed, I tell ya! #sickkitty #youcarriedwhatonyourbike?

A post shared by Andrea M (@aem2_) on Mar 16, 2017 at 12:23pm PDT