What are your Five Essential Handmade items?

[SewRuthieSews]

I've been enjoying the 5 essential handmade items playlist on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/5handmadeessentials

What would your picks of your essential pattern for these categories?
1. Essential Top
2. Essential Bottom
3. Essential One-Piece (ie dress or jumpsuit)
4. Essential Layer (cardigan or jacket)
5. Essential Wild Card (something else of your choice)

[SewRuthieSews]

I'm still working on my list but here's my early thoughts

1. Essential Top
I'm split between the 3/4 sleeve knit top from New Look 6735
or my self drafted dropped shoulder tee.

2. Essential Bottom
Either the trousers from New Look 6216
or the Mountain View Jeans from Itch to Stitch
or the Monsal Lounge Pants from Wendy Ward

3. Essential One-Piece (ie dress or jumpsuit)
errrrrrrr, I'll come back to you on this one

4. Essential Layer (cardigan or jacket)
I'm currently really liking the Harper Cardigan from Sinclair Patterns (bonus its FREE!)

5. Essential Wild Card (something else of your choice)
Still thinking on this one too

[Bumblebuncher]

I can't even begin to think of essential anythings!  I chop and change all the time 

[Pearl]

Obviously as any garment I have made is living in a box (although one did make it to the bin recently), I don’t have a list, but will be watching this thread with interest.

I still hope to learn to make garments and am on the waiting list for a course at a local college.

[Celia]

I like the look of the Harper cardigan, if I ever get back to sewing I think this could be on the list.

[Gernella]

I've got oodles of tops in that particular New Look pattern @SewRuthieSews

Same with the jacket, or jean jacket in my case McCalls 5860, not oodles but made 3 and dithering whether to make another.  I've taken in the sides recently as I wanted more boxy plus the weight loss.

The blackwood cardigan, I think I have four in it and wouldn't mind in a different fabric

I do need another dress pattern though, as I've been using an old McCalls, straight up and down and short sleeves, but I need a change.

[Starryfish]

The only thing I've made again and again is Style Arc Sandra jeans. I altered the patterns so they are the best fitting I've ever owned.

I don't want to get in a rut of making the same thing over and over to wake up one day and find I'm about 20years out of style!

[Surest1tch]

1) Absolutely essential is the very strong dog lead I made with several handles at various stages to keep my young dog from pouncing on strangers and other dogs, not nastily, he just wants to play with anything that moves.
2) The comfortable elasticated waist trousers I made to wear around the house but oh boy do they look scruffy now. 1 item that'll definitely be worn until they drop to bits  .
3) My smart trousers (several pairs).
4) My fleecy winter dressing gown.
5) The summer dressing gown, not yet made but fabric purchased, that will definitely become essential eventually.

[Acorn]

1. StyleArc Kim - I've adapted it to be any sort of t-shirt/long sleeved knit top.
2. Hmm.  I don't think I have one.  I've never had much success with trousers, and I would love to find a good skirt pattern.
3. I have a self-drafted bodice pattern - loosely fitted, slightly high waisted - and when necessary I use StyleArc sleeves and armscyes.
4. StyleArc Sacha shirt - I like shirts to wear loose over t-shirts.
5. A quilt!

[Pearl]

@Acorn , do you have a pic of a top you’ve made using number 3, please?

 

[Acorn]

No 3 is dresses (I forgot to mention the skirts, which are always just gathered), but I don't think I have any photos - the most recent one is currently destined for the washing machine.  I'll try and remember to sort something out when one of them is respectable enough for a pic.

[BrendaP]

I can't even begin to think of essential anythings!  I chop and change all the time 

Me too.  Besides, what is essential in winter is redundant come summer and vice-versa.

In the warm weather I wear mostly me-made short sleeve dresses but none of them are 'essential'.   When it gets a bit chillier I'll be into a variety of me-made tunic tops and trousers - half the time the trousers will be 15 year old M&S basics, pull on, slight stretch and have worn like iron and still look good.  They started as boot cut but I tapered them about six or eight years ago so does me-altered count as me-made?

When it gets colder the winter jumpers come out - but I haven't got he patience to knit an adult size jumper.  A couple of years ago I discovered Nearly New Cashmere Co and that's where most of them come from now.

[Ohsewsimple]

Not easy really as most of my stuff is self drafted so no pattern to quote.
But ……
1 knit top with short sleeves which has neckline, sleeves and seamlines changed as and when inspiration strikes and I can be bothered.
2 elastic waist trousers, lightweight viscose for warmer weather and stretch cotton drill/twill in the winter
3 self drafted princess seams dress with ties although don’t often wear them
4 cardigan,
5 self drafted lightweight elastic waist viscose culottes for summer. 

[Morgan]

Patterns - mostly for a long time I drafted my own and still do for skirts always.
Lately I've drifted into trying and testing different ready made patterns, but of course those I keep tend to be altered and adapted. 

1.  Knit Tops - if not my own Tshirt/knit top  pattern then my personal fit &  adapted version of the  Ellie & Mac Cuddle Tunic.
https://www.ellieandmac.com/products/adult-cuddle-tunic-dress-pattern

1.  Woven Tops - on the basis of most often repeated- it's probably my adapted version of Newlook 6107
https://sewing.patternreview.com/Patterns/52525

2.  Bottoms Woven - Trouser/Pants pattern self-drafted for stretch woven fabrics. 

2.  Bottoms knit - Leggings pattern self drafted from a Sewhere.com class I tried https://sewhere.com/purchase-made-measure-leggings-class/

3.  Dress - my versions of either Newlook 6013 or Simplicity 2247
https://sewing.patternreview.com/Patterns/42657
https://sewing.patternreview.com/Patterns/44542



4.  Jacket/Cardigan - zip up knit jackets/gilets from Newlook 6251 or Burda 6486
 https://sewing.patternreview.com/Patterns/87078
https://sewing.patternreview.com/Patterns/62768

5.  Wildcard - my self drafted bra pattern.

[So Chic]

I've several patterns that I've made more than once so I suppose they could be classed as essentials.
1. Style Arc - Adele, I made the sleeves longer on one, and changed the hemline on another as well as making it up without alteration.
2.  Vogue 7025 skirt  by Sandra Betzina - as per the pattern, a shorter version, and one where I took out some of the flare.
3.  Vogue 7881 trousers by Claire Shaeffer - just a great fit for me
4.  Burda 4453  straight skirt - it was my go to pattern for a work skirt and I must have made it at least six/seven times.