Sewingplums

Last week I wrote about building a wardrobe using patterns for single items (that’s here).

But surely a good wardrobe pattern should cover the full ‘Core 4’ of jacket, top, skirt, pants, and so meet all your pattern needs. With no need to worry about co-ordination of style elements, as that’s all done for you.

Here are a few snippets on sources of wardrobe patterns. Plus the simplest ways to use a ‘Core 4’ pattern in wardrobe planning.

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Core 4 wardrobe patterns

Sadly, in these days of reducing costs many ‘co-ordinates’ patterns are rather skimpy in content – only 2 pieces, an outfit not a wardrobe.

And nearly all wardrobe patterns include only a sleeveless top with a jacket. There are very few woven-fabric wardrobe patterns with an overlayer sized to wear over an underlayer with long sleeves. But I almost always wear a long sleeved blouse, so I do keep going on about this.
I need to increase jacket armhole and sleeve size to allow for under-layers. Use the sleeve from a larger size – at least 1″/3cm larger at biceps. And trace the armhole to match. (Best of course to make a muslin to try this out !) This adaptation also makes the jacket more flexible for wearing with clothes not made from the same pattern.

These are all tissue patterns :
Simplicity/New Look is a good source of Core 4 wardrobe patterns in a range of styles.
Butterick Lifestyle Wardrobes also has a generous selection.
Vogue Five Easy Pieces offer a few casual options.
Vogue Wardrobe patterns need a bit more difficult sewing skills.
McCall’s Coordinates include a few wardrobes.

For more options, you can expand wardrobe patterns which include fewer items, so they provide all 4 core garments (jacket, top, pants, skirt) – if you’re willing to make a top or skirt from a dress pattern by adding cutting lines, or add on the simplest of patternless elastic-waist skirts.

Burda Style download patterns take a different approach. But most of their pattern collections could be called wardrobe patterns. These are collections of patterns in the same style, and many include a Core 4.
The usual Burda magazine minimal sewing instructions, so you do need to know what you are doing. But a collection has a generous number of patterns, each with individual download. Good value if you want to make several in a collection. Otherwise, the links are provided for individual patterns. Here are the current collections.

There used to be marvellous ‘casual chic’ wardrobe patterns from Adri at Vogue patterns. Many still wearable today. Most are not easy makes – they use sophisticated techniques for getting a good finish on single-layer garments. For pattern numbers to search for, see this pinterest board (click on the image if the number is not clear).

Another famous line of wardrobe patterns was published by McCall’s and called New York New York. Very trendy at the time. Here’s a good pinterest board for them. Mostly less wearable now, to my eye, but worth looking at for ideas. I still have quite a good collection of them 😀

Indie pattern designers don’t offer wardrobe patterns, from what I’ve seen.
A few of them have 2-3 item patterns for making an outfit but not a wardrobe, such as : Cutting Line, Dana Marie, Folkwear, How to do fashion,
Sewing Workshop, Simple Sew, Style Arc.
Wardrobe by Me has a post on making a casual wardrobe using 5 of her patterns (a Core 4 and cami).
Some indie designers do publish pattern books – post on them planned.
I devise my own ‘indie wardrobe patterns’ by combining 4 – 6 single-garment patterns from one designer on a pinterest board.

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Painless wardrobe planning ?

What’s the easiest way to build a complete wardrobe using one Core 4 pattern ?

For a 12-item wardrobe like those suggested by Nancy Nix-Rice, make :
– a Core 4 in a dark neutral.
– a second Core 4 in a light neutral.
– a couple of tops (the same pattern) in an accent colour.
– top and skirt in a print combining all 3 colours.

If you love colour, then remember that ‘neutral’ doesn’t necessarily mean drab, it just means a colour that you can wear with everything. If it would make you happy, you can have a Core 4 in shocking pink, a Core 4 in chartreuse, and more tops in gold or purple 😀

Use different fabrics, textures and trims to add variety.
Some wardrobe planners suggest making a whole Core 4 from the same fabric. Yes that makes things even easier, but I would not be at all happy wearing them. I prefer variations in tone and texture.
If you do like this idea of a “6 yard wardrobe” from the same fabric, see this post on Kate Mathew’s travel wardrobes for some suggestions.

Of course if you know enough simple pattern altering to change lengths or neckline shapes, or add seams for colour blocking, then you can increase the variety you get out of your base patterns.
Here’s a video from Sew Over It with many ideas people have had for re-styling the patterns in their City-Break e-book with download patterns. They now have a second e-book, Work to Weekend, with simple variations included.
The ideas in that video can be used on other similar patterns.
Or explore Diane Ericson’s pattern for 60 pockets.
But such additions may move the project away from the painless !

For a painless-planning weekend 6-pack, use the core pattern and choose your most flattering colours to make :
– a Core 4 in a neutral.
– a couple more tops in accent colours : one in casual fabric, one in dressy fabric.

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Good Luck with progress on wardrobe co-ordination !

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Originally written October 2017, links updated October 2018.

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This entry was posted on October 21, 2017 at 12:00 pm and is filed under wardrobe planning. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.