Tag Archives: make your own basics

Make Your Own Basics: The shawl-collar cardigan

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Make Your Own Basics: The shawl-collar cardigan

In all honesty, Make Your Own Basics is my favorite series I’ve done so far on the blog. (Scroll through the whole collection here.) I have a deep and abiding love of basics, but I also increasingly find basics to be the most rewarding things to make. As proud as I am of my trophy sweaters, it makes me really happy to wear clothes so classic and hardworking that nobody would ever think to ask me if I made them. (The new black cardigan is the epitome.) My number one goal in life is to someday be wearing jeans and a grey t-shirt and have made them both.

I just wanted to say all of that at the outset of this installment because we’re in the midst of Slow Fashion October and I think it’s an important point! So with that said …

I’m of the mind that every good wardrobe requires a good shawl-collar cardigan, the coziest of garments and useful even for warm-climate people who find themselves at a beach bonfire on occasion. It’s just a thing you have to have! My love for big slouchy cable cardigans is well documented — my beloved Bellows, which I wear multiple times a week in my studio; the incomparable Channel Cardigan, which I’m currently knitting after more than two years of yarn deliberations for what I expect to be a lifelong companion; in fact, a whole raft of shawl-collar standouts from BT. But this is Basics, and so while I think you could argue that any of those would actually qualify, let’s talk about these simple stockinette gems today:

TOP: Georgetown by Hannah Fettig is equally appropriate at work or with pj’s in front of the fire

BOTTOM: Fredericton by Kiyomi Burgin, with it’s two-strand marl and contrast edge, has that classic professorial flair; leather buttons recommended!

See also the previously noted Fable and Killybegs.

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PREVIOUSLY in Make Your Own Basics: The sweater vest

Make Your Own Basics: The sweater vest

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Make Your Own Basics: The sweater vest

I’m not sure why they’re so controversial, but in my view a sweater vest is an absolute closet staple. As a lifelong fan of androgyny and tomboy style, I love a vest over a shirt, but love it even more over a sleeveless top or dress. But best of all is its ability to go both under and over things at the same time — it’s a layer-lover’s best friend, in other words. Obviously when it comes to patterns, I feel pretty good about my own Anna Vest (top), which evolved from a vintage British military-man’s pattern. (See my latest favorite FO here. Love how she styled it.) I’m also a fan of my friend Kate Gagnon Osborn’s stockinette Cadillac Mountain (middle) with garter rib edgings. And for a pullover that has that classic borrowed-from-the-boys feeling, I’m into Blacker Designs’ free pattern called simply V-Neck Sleeveless Tunic. Can’t go wrong with any of ’em.

I would even go so far as to argue that a fair isle vest is a wardrobe basic! Even though I’ve never owned on, it’s one of those items that always looks fascinating and timeless, no matter where the trends might take us. I like Ysolda Teague’s Bruntsfield, Mary Jane Mucklestone’s Voe Vest and Yoko Hatta’s #05 Fair Isle Vest, to name just a few.

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PREVIOUSLY in Make Your Own Basics: The t-shirt

Make Your Own Basics: The t-shirt

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Make Your Own Basics: The t-shirt

In our continuing quest for handmade basics, we’ve talked about tank top patterns and about that very specific tee that’s a category unto itself, the marinière (both knitted and sewn, for all of the above). Liesl Gibson’s Maritime Top pattern linked in the marinière post is an excellent option for any boatneck, three-quarter-sleeve tee you might want to make — navy striped or otherwise! For a trendier, more boxy tee, there’s Fancy Tiger’s Wanderlust. For a baseball-style tee there’s Named’s Geneva. But when it comes to the ultra-basic, timeless t-shirt and you want to sew your own, I don’t know of a better option than Grainline’s Lark Tee pattern — especially since the variety of neckline options (boat, V, crew, scoop) and sleeve lengths (cap, short, three-quarter, long) means you can make 16 different t-shirt styles with that one pattern! As you know, I just recently made my first t-shirt and it was a revelation. Store-bought tees are always way too long for my taste, so I’m on a mission to get good at sewing knits!

For good knitted tee patterns, see Moon Tee, Nauset Tee and Edie.

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PREVIOUSLY in Make Your Own Basics: The blue jeans

Make Your Own Basics: The blue jeans

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Make Your Own Basics: The blue jeans

Back-to-school season means dreaming of new jeans, right? Which have to be the holy grail of the handmade-wardrobe world. For anyone attempting to have a partially me-made wardrobe, we all pick and choose which things we can and will make for ourselves and which we’re content (or stuck) with buying. For those who sew, jeans are probably the hardest mental hurdle to get over, and I would argue also the hardest physical/technical hurdle. That is some serious sewing. But in the past couple of years, it’s become amazingly common to see intrepid sewers making their own jeans, largely due to Heather Lou of Closet Case Files’ wildly popular Ginger Jeans pattern (skinny jeans), which she followed up more recently with the Morgan Jeans (“boyfriend” jeans, or what I prefer to call jeans — just regular old jeans, people). In between which, there was a Ginger add-on for a flared leg. Heather Lou not only offers what are reputed to be very good patterns, but she also has an ebook and kits to help you over the hurdles.

It’s unimaginable to me, at this juncture — I’m in awe of all of you who’ve done it. But at the same time, just like I’m always saying if you can knit a mitt, you can knit a sweater, my friends who’ve sewn Gingers tell me it’s just sewing — there’s just more of it, and yeah, you deepen your skills along the way.

Someday. Someday …

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PREVIOUSLY in Make Your Own Basics: The marinière

Make Your Own Basics: The marinière

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Make Your Own Basics: The marinière

Close your eyes and picture every layout you’ve ever seen in a fashion magazine under the heading “10 Pieces Every Wardrobe Needs” or variations thereon. It’s always the perfect jeans, black ballet flats, a white shirt, a trench … and a marinière. Also known as a “Breton,” it’s a version of the original French Navy tee from way back: boatnecked, three-quarter sleeved, blue-and-white striped. While the official marinière hewed to exacting specifications with regard to the number and spacing of the stripes, modern interpretations vary. But perfectly authentic or otherwise, it’s true that no closet ever suffered from the inclusion of a striped tee!

TOP: For sewing your own, Liesl Gibson’s Maritime Top should do nicely — all you need is the right fabric

BOTTOM: If you prefer your marinière knitted, Jared Flood’s Breton pattern is just the thing

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PREVIOUSLY in Make Your Own Basics: The tank top (knitted and sewn)

Make Your Own Basics: The tank top (knitted and sewn)

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Make Your Own Basics: The tank top (knitted and sewn)

Whether they’re knitted or sewn (jersey or woven) — for surviving summer heat, sleeping in, or layering under blazers and sweaters for the office and the cold season, tank tops are a year-round necessity. They’re also a great chance to get to use really fabulous yarn or fabric because they require so little of it! And of course, they’re quick to make, in any form—

KNITTED: My very favorite knitted tank patterns seem to all be by Pam Allen: Togue Pond (pictured) Saco Stripes and in particular (see my hybrid version), but also Forsythia and Aster. I’m also a huge fan of the somewhat dressier Farrah by Wool and the Gang, and of Shellie Anderson’s Slope and Square, to name just a few. I have a bunch more good tank patterns bookmarked here.

SEWN / WOVEN: Pictured is Grainline’s new Willow Tank pattern. Jenny Gordy’s Wiksten Tank is the long-time darling of the indie sewing world, a pattern I love and have sewn a number of times, and definitely always a great option. Willow’s shaping is looking a little more current to me, especially in a cropped version like the one pictured here (from this blog post). See also: Sorbetto from Colette (free pattern) and Eucalypt from Megan Nielsen. NOTE: All of these patterns include dress-length options!

SEWN / KNIT: I’ve mentioned this a few times already and am SO excited about it — Fancy Tiger’s new Adventure Tank pattern. [[<<——UPDATE: It’s live.]] It technically publishes this Friday but OR you can download it now (I already have!) via the Creativebug class, if you’re a member. The pattern includes both the racerback tank pictured above and a muscle tee version, which I am so hot to sew I can’t even tell you!

As always, please feel free to share your favorite tank patterns in the comments below—

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PREVIOUSLY in Make Your Own Basics: The crewneck cardigan

 

Make Your Own Basics: The crewneck cardigan

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Make Your Own Basics: The crewneck cardigan

The second of the three cardigans I think any well-rounded closet should include (the first mentioned being the V-neck cardigan) is the ultra-classic crewneck cardigan. Of course, the key ingredient with this one is the neckline itself — the shaping needs to be impeccable, with the front neck lying flat even when not buttoned (rather than poking you in the neck or flapping awkwardly forward at the top). Here are some top candidates for knitting your own—

TOP: Eva by Kim Hargreaves is like the dream vintage-store score, perfectly shaped in every regard and written for a lace-weight mohair blend; set-in sleeves, worked flat and seamed*

MIDDLE LEFT: Shore Cardigan by Carrie Bostick Hoge is the quintessential worsted-weight stockinette cardigan; top-down seamless, raglan sleeved, with that tidy garter-stitch border detail at the edgings** (Not being a fan of the droopy hem trend, I personally would omit the short-row shaping there)

MIDDLE RIGHT: Dory by Amy Christoffers is also worsted weight, with just a bit of texture on the yoke; knitted flat and seamed, with set-in sleeves (free pattern)

BOTTOM: Trillium by Michele Wang is one of my personal favorites; worsted, bottom-up seamless, it has a circular yoke with a chevron pattern that could also be easily omitted

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*Unfortunately only available in the book Smoulder, but it contains several pitch-perfect basic cardigans, among other things.

**Currently only available in the book Swoon Maine, but expected to be sold individually in the near future.

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PREVIOUSLY in Make Your Own Basics: The V-neck cardigan