Shown: Three Tees, Perfect Pant Flare and Moto Jacket. The cut of the pattern, the fabric choice all lend themselves to elegant simplicity!

Building a wardrobe of great basics that wash-wear-repeat easily.

Building a wardrobe of great basics is a goal of so many sewists, and for good reason.

BASICS are essential to any wardrobe. Make them count, make them in the best fabric you can afford and watch your wardrobe stay looking fabulous for YEARS.

What is a basic?

It’s any garment that you wear at least several times each week or even every day.

What do you gravitate to? Are you a jeans-and-tee person? Do you wear knit pants or leggings and tunics? A dress? Whatever YOU reach for daily, is your basic. And basics, well, they get stained, spilled on, worn out – so we often think of them as deserving less than our best effort. Saving our sewing for more special, complex projects rather than investing in better fabric and good patterns for basics.

Fortunately, that is changing and sewists are now sewing their own leggings, tee shirts and skirts. But many of them still fear knit sewing, and prefer to sew only with woven fabrics. The proliferation of woven-fabric ‘tee shirt’ patterns is an example of this. You love your soft knit tees but you’re afraid of sewing hems, necklines and other fiddly parts for fear they will look homemade. Fear no more! Break free from cheap RTW basics and sew your own.

The Right Pattern

For each of your basics, start by finding a pattern with the perfect style, sizing and fit.

Then, use that pattern to make several of the same garment. These will become your wardrobe essentials and consistent pieces will help you when transitioning between wardrobe types.

The same pattern for a perfect summer tee can be made with long sleeves for cool weather layering.
A well fitting wrap dress is the perfect go-to pattern for a sleeveless option in a fun summer print and a long sleeve in heavier ITY or ponte.
Have a great, easy-to-wear jacket pattern? Buy fabric in 2 or 3 colors and make a few jackets. No matter which season it is, you have a jacket to grab for a chilling morning.
Even the leggings we have all been lounging around in can be part of a stylish look when paired with a tunic length top!

Stick to simple, shapely silhouettes for the best versatility. Suggested patterns were chosen for their easy and fast construction. Try the Beyond Basic suggestions to expand on your wardrobe staples.

Here are our SIX favorite basics you should be sewing!

#1 Tee-shirt

Suggested CJ Pattern: Three Tees #917

Our go-to, this cut-on cap sleeve tee is shaped – you can go up a size for a loose, slouchy tee. The neckline is DESIGNED to STRETCH during sewing. Please do NOT stabilize this knit neckline. It’s designed to be close fitting when you cut it, so the natural stretch that occurs when you finish the neckline makes it the perfect fit. Of course, you can scoop it even more if you like.

Beyond Basic: Shirred Turtleneck (from CJP Travel Trio Three #226)
Go beyond the basic with a raglan sleeve or shirred inset panel turtleneck. The shaped fit of the turtleneck and the slightly flared sleeve is a step up from RTW basics.

#2 Jacket or Cardigan

Suggested CJ Patterns: Boyfriend Jacket #311, Fitted Jacket #905, Swing Jacket #519

The Boyfriend Jacket and Fitted Jacket are great choices constructed in knit or woven fabrics (see Fitted Jacket sew along for tips on making with wovens). The result is a great basic that’s not a fussy, fully-lined jacket.
If you want more of a cardigan feel, try the Swing Jacket or Draped Vest & Jacket. The Swing Jacket is fitted through the bust and then flares out (for a more flattering waist and hip fit). It also has pockets! It can be made in a knit OR a woven! (We know this ticks a lot of boxes for many of you!)

Beyond Basic: CJP Moto Jacket
The Christine Jonson Moto Jacket marries street style with comfort. Designed for stretch knits like Ponté and scuba, the iconic Moto style amps up every look with a cool vibe.

#3 Skirts

Suggested CJ Patterns: BaseWear Two #1025, Slit Skirt & Pencil Skirt #330

BaseWear Two tapered or straight skirts are a great elastic waist skirt.
Go for the Slit and Pencil Skirts if you want to skip the elastic by using either a Yoga-style banded waist OR a clever darted waist. Just comfy stretch fabric. Best in Ponte or Cotton Lycra. Wear these with your tees or blouses from your closet, sneakers or heels, boots or booties.

Beyond Basic: Pocket Skirt (from CJP Travel Trio Three #226)
A semi-fitted, paneled, A-line skirt with pockets and elastic waist. The no-fuss, flat, deep and close fitting "in-seam" pockets can be sewn completely with your serger.

#4 Pants

Suggested CJ Patterns: See all pant patterns (no really, we couldn’t choose!)

Created specifically for sewing with knit fabrics, every pant pattern in our collection is designed to fit right out of the envelope. We have tested our patterns on literally thousands of people over the years. From the trio of Perfect Pants (they’re called the Perfect Pants for a reason – skinny, wide or flare), to the Split Hem Pant, to the Taper/Wide Leg pant, and the Cuff Pant - Go ahead, give them a shot!

Many of our pant patterns can also be made using wovens.

Beyond Basic: CJP Wrap Pants #227
The Wrap Pants sewing pattern is an easy to sew and elegant to wear wrap pant style featuring a full elastic waist with front overlay and ties.

#5 Dresses

Suggested CJ Patterns: Take Along Dress, A-Line Dress #930 , Wrap Dress #526

Even more than most other garments, dresses need to be easy-to-wear!
The Take Along dress is your go-to dress all year round! This easy fitting dress has a shaped bodice with boat neck, five sleeve variations, cut-on pockets and a shape that is flattering on all figures.
The A Line Dress #930 is a simple to fit and sew dress with a sophisticated look. It can be made with or without the diagonal slash on the front which offers a very slimming line and allows for your creativity to shine. Either version can be made with any version of the sleeve and sleeveless.

Beyond Basic: CJP Pleat Front Dress #630
The great fit of this dress is a combination of many design details. The cutline for the V neckline is very shallow but this is what gives the neckline it's excellent snappy fit! The inverted bust line pleat, side seam curves, and back seam curve result in a slimming and flattering fit.

#6 Coat

CJ Patterns: Easy Coat #122

You need one good coat pattern, the Easy Coat is just that. You wear a coat every day in the cooler months, so make two, a spring version in a twill or coated cotton and a heavier wool with lining version for winter.
There are lots of creative choices with this pattern. It can be made with a variety of fabrics, it can be lined or unlined, long or short, belted with or without buttons. The excellent fit and simple, sophisticated lines of this coat make it fun to be creative and design it for your self without worrying about difficult construction and fitting problems.

Beyond Basic: CJP Double Collar Princess Jacket #427
Semi-fitted, shapely, princess seam jacket with length and collar variations. It is very versatile on fabric choice: suit and jacket weight woven fabrics including, but not limited to, linen, cotton, wool, wool blends, LYCRA-blend wovens, crepe, and home-dec fabrics.

Join us on Facebook - what are your wardrobe basics? How many of your basics do you make?