This post was inspired by Christine Chitnis, though, though it has been something that has been on my mind for a good long time.
I used to sew a lot of my own clothes when I was a teen. It was a way for me to build a wardrobe of more stylish, well constructed clothes without having to pay the inflated price tag that those clothes often come with. Now that “artisan” and “handmade” are all the rage, making your own clothes doesn’t save you a dime, and often the materials cost considerably more than a finished garment would.
And yet there is still a part of me that longs for a wardrobe of mostly handmade items. I envision sweaters, shawls, dresses, tops, mitts, shoes, slippers, etc – all with memories of construction and a beloved, timeless design to them.
I’ve begun collecting patterns on Ravelry for knitted items I want to make – someday when I have the time to knit for myself. That’s what long winters are for, right?
A few of my favourites are listed below:
First up is one I have loved for years, Shipwrecked by Knitting Harpy. Then Ease by Alicia Plummer, Greenwood by Ann-Marie Jackson, Shallows by Bonnie Sennott, Atwater by Sara Gresbach, and the cuddly looking Woodsy Cardigan by Jennifer Wood. They’re very simple, classic designs with a bit of colour work and/or lace thrown in for pretties.
These will definitely be good for a start. It will probably take me a good year or so to get this lot knit up. Though, at some point, I would like to get to sewing my own clothes again as well. I have a lovely piece of linen that is begging to be made into something.
A Less Travelled Path 
I love the shawl in the upper left pic and the fingerless gloves. I WANT THE GLOVES!
What I love about wristies is how fast they knit up. These could probably be done in an afternoon.
Wristies! I knew there had to be a real name for them. Sure they can be done in an afternoon. If you know how to knit. 😛 Maybe they sell them in stores here.
If you wanna send me the yarn, I’ll make them for you 😉
And … type/weight/etc.? I am yarn oblivious.
Any kind of natural fibre – wool, alpaca, bamboo, cotton, linen, etc. Whatever you like the feel of (and look of, simple patterns are great for showing off hand-painted yarns). 4 ply/fingering weight – sometimes also called “sock weight”. And you’ll need at least 130 yards.
How is the self-made garderobe doing, any progress? I love to hear that you are dreaming of a self-made garderobe, just like I am! Mine is well on the way. I have sorted it by the Sabbats, so that I have (or will have once finished =) five different outfits per Sabbat. Plus some party and leisure-day wear. I blog about the making of it at http://nellandpost.blogspot.com Check it out if you like! It is difficult to find anything about realistic pagan fashion on the net, so I´m delighted to have found your blog!
I’m actually in the middle of writing an update to my previous post. For the knitting, I am working on a shawl for myself, and I have just cast on a summer sweater. Stay tuned 😉