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The Basics What are yours?
sewmodest Advanced Beginner MD SAUDI ARABIA Member since 2/6/04 Posts: 223	Login to reply to this post 2 members like this. Date: 1/14/13 7:55 AM This question has been asked on other forums but could not find it here and wanted some more input. There are lots of books out there and some sewing experts that promote the idea of just having a few basic patterns and then from there you have can make your entire wardrobe. I know this will vary from person to person so what are yours? For me this would be: 1. Button down shirt fitted 2. T-shirt 3. A-line maxi skirt 4. Loose woven top with no closures think New Look 6086 5. Skinny pant 6. Empire waist dress 7. Fitted denim jacket that is seven for me, how about you? Edited clarity -- Edited on 1/14/13 12:07 PM -- ------ http://farhanasews.blogspot.com/ my general sewing blog http://ycmi.blogspot.com/ my learning to sew blog
gramma b Advanced USA Member since 7/25/08 Posts: 2271	Login to reply to this post 3 members like this. Date: 1/14/13 8:38 AM How about the coffee or wine, depending on time of day or how the project is going......?
EleanorSews   Advanced MI USA Member since 7/26/07 Posts: 3758 Board Moderator	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Date: 1/14/13 9:59 AM Interesting question always. Very often it is coupled with some fashion guru's list of what the fashion basics or must-haves are. Your list is based on what you need which makes much more sense. I'm working on a semi-fitted button down shirt pattern at the moment. If I get a decent fit, I will knock out 2 for the OPML contest. We'll see how timing works. In a perfect world, I would have the following TNT base: 1. T-shirt 2. woven pullover top 3. semi-fitted buttondown shirt 4. pencil skirt 5. gored skirt 6. princess seam (shoulder) jacket 7. denim jacket 8. Hepburn style slacks with side zip 9. casual pants with fly front, pockets (not jeans) 10. knit dress, empire style 11. woven sheath dress 12. a vest pattern that would work with fleece, corduroy or a lt wt quilted fabric (this would be an extra that would be ncie to have) Granted some of these build from one another, but if I had these 11 basic go-to patterns, I could whip up whatever I needed without much fuss. In fact, I am close to having the knit dress given my slapdash rush to throw together several knit dresses for our hotter than usual summer. This year I am committed to developing at least 4 TNTs. I do not sew as much for myself as I would like and fit is the reason. This is the year that changes. ------ "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." Anais Nin "Attitude is the difference between an adventure and an ordeal." unknown
westmoon   Advanced Beginner UNITED KINGDOM Member since 9/7/11 Posts: 275	Login to reply to this post In reply to sewmodest << 2 members like this. Date: 1/14/13 11:36 AM I actually recently went through a whole thought process about what I wear and how I could build my perfect wardrobe with 95% hand-made clothes. I kind of decided on an 80-20 rule overall for TNTs vs. one-off items. I can't imagine ever owning a wardrobe that was 100% based on 10 patterns, but I could imagine one where AT LEAST 80% of it was, with novelty coming only from use of colour, prints, texture/fabric and minor decorative details rather than fundamental pattern differences. The other 20% of my clothes I would expect to either buy because making them is expensive/complicated/annoying (e.g. swimwear, etc), or where I would want to have the option to play with lots of different patterns (e.g. evening wear or very trendy items that I fall in love with but will only want one of). So then I decided to work out what my 10 base patterns would be, and of course ended up with 11 sewing patterns and 4 knitwear patterns. 1. Semi-fitted woven blouse 2. Relaxed fit woven shirt 3. Basic jersey top 4. Bootcut tailored trousers 5. Bootcut jeans 6. Wide-legged trousers (that can also be cut as shorts) 7. A-line skirt 8. Straight skirt 9. Armhole princess single-breasted jacket (can be lengthened to coat) 10. Woven dress that can be worn as smart-casual to formal. 11. Jersey dress that can be worn as casual to smart-casual. And my TNT knitwear patterns would be: 1. Relaxed fit pullover 2. Form-fitting pullover 3. Cardigan 4. Shrug Then I produced a massive spreadsheet and sorted my whole existing wardrobe into two seasons (spring/summer, autumn/winter) and three colour co-ordinated collections, and then I made myself a plan for where my gaps are and what TNTs I most urgently need and what skills I need to learn to make my imaginary perfect 80:20 TNT:Novelty, 95%+ handmade wardrobe a reality. This year I really want to focus on tops because I get the WORST fit from RTW in tops due to my Boobs Of Immensitude. ... and that is more information than anyone ever needed about my clothes ------ http://sewingnovice.blogspot.co.uk/ One woman. One sewing machine. One giant stack of fabric. What could possibly go wrong?
tg33 Beginner IRELAND Member since 11/11/08 Posts: 956	Login to reply to this post In reply to westmoon << 1 member likes this. Date: 1/14/13 11:43 AM Quote: westmoon I actually recently went through a whole thought process about what I wear and how I could build my perfect wardrobe with 95% hand-made clothes. I kind of decided on an 80-20 rule overall for TNTs vs. one-off items. I can't imagine ever owning a wardrobe that was 100% based on 10 patterns, but I could imagine one where AT LEAST 80% of it was, with novelty coming only from use of colour, prints, texture/fabric and minor decorative details rather than fundamental pattern differences. The other 20% of my clothes I would expect to either buy because making them is expensive/complicated/annoying (e.g. swimwear, etc), or where I would want to have the option to play with lots of different patterns (e.g. evening wear or very trendy items that I fall in love with but will only want one of). So then I decided to work out what my 10 base patterns would be, and of course ended up with 11 sewing patterns and 4 knitwear patterns. 1. Semi-fitted woven blouse 2. Relaxed fit woven shirt 3. Basic jersey top 4. Bootcut tailored trousers 5. Bootcut jeans 6. Wide-legged trousers (that can also be cut as shorts) 7. A-line skirt 8. Straight skirt 9. Armhole princess single-breasted jacket (can be lengthened to coat) 10. Woven dress that can be worn as smart-casual to formal. 11. Jersey dress that can be worn as casual to smart-casual. And my TNT knitwear patterns would be: 1. Relaxed fit pullover 2. Form-fitting pullover 3. Cardigan 4. Shrug Then I produced a massive spreadsheet and sorted my whole existing wardrobe into two seasons (spring/summer, autumn/winter) and three colour co-ordinated collections, and then I made myself a plan for where my gaps are and what TNTs I most urgently need and what skills I need to learn to make my imaginary perfect 80:20 TNT:Novelty, 95%+ handmade wardrobe a reality. This year I really want to focus on tops because I get the WORST fit from RTW in tops due to my Boobs Of Immensitude. ... and that is more information than anyone ever needed about my clothes Actualy, that was useful, thanks! ------ Reading from Europe
LauraTS   Advanced Beginner CA USA Member since 7/10/06 Posts: 1954	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 1/14/13 12:24 PM I'm not yet to the point that I sew enough of my wardrobe to say re patterns - my skills are still lower than my desired projects. Based on what I wear, though, I'd say that the bulk of my clothing needs could be met by: basic knit top with sleeve and neckline variations cardigan and/or tunic/dress version of above basic button-front shirt and shirtdress pencil skirt classic straight-leg trousers jeans - straight-leg/bootcut slim pants - either for stretch denim skinny jeans or in ponte knit a couple knit dress styles - wrap or surplice bodice, maybe maybe a basic fitted woven dress 2-3 button blazer That probably describes 99% of the clothes I own, not counting sweaters/knitwear, PJs, workout wear, underpinnings, and coats. ------ I've moved! Visit my new sewing blog at http://chiralcraft.wordpress.com Do you sew from KnipMode? Join us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/knipmode_english/
galadriel45 Advanced MT USA Member since 10/24/03 Posts: 138	Login to reply to this post In reply to tg33 << 1 member likes this. Date: 1/15/13 0:53 AM What a great response. I would love to take the time and figure that out, and match pattern to stash, then prioritize the list!
SandiMacD   Intermediate FL USA Member since 2/8/09 Posts: 1050	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 1/15/13 4:12 AM I guess I get too excited about patterns. Only have a few and figure I can make stylistic changes to them. At my age it is too much trouble to make muslins- have more enjoyable ways to fill my day. So I am happiest using a pattern I tweaked (or cloned garment) and stylizing it. So perhaps I really am taken over by patterns because my dresser and closet are full of items just waiting to be cloned! ------ re-living my youth through sewing...
sewmodest Advanced Beginner MD SAUDI ARABIA Member since 2/6/04 Posts: 223	Login to reply to this post In reply to EleanorSews << 1 member likes this. Date: 1/15/13 5:58 AM Yes developing some TnTs based of this list is what I am planning to do. I'm just tired of using my precious sewing time on fitting and hit and misses ------ http://farhanasews.blogspot.com/ my general sewing blog http://ycmi.blogspot.com/ my learning to sew blog
sewmodest Advanced Beginner MD SAUDI ARABIA Member since 2/6/04 Posts: 223	Login to reply to this post In reply to westmoon << Like this post Date: 1/15/13 6:06 AM I am aiming for a wardrobe that is 99% sewn by me and like you said this is a process. For a while I had to keep reevaluating what do I like to wear, what flatters me the most and do I need to stay away from. It has taken me awhile since and I'm still working on it alone but I feel that one day I'll get there. ------ http://farhanasews.blogspot.com/ my general sewing blog http://ycmi.blogspot.com/ my learning to sew blog

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