Sewing Projects That Can See You Through 2024

In 2024, we are all looking for pieces in our wardrobe that will work hard and offer diversity through the seasons. When we have gone to the effort of planning, designing, sourcing and actually making our wardrobe, we really do want to get the absolute most from every item in there! So I’ve put my thinking cap on, and I’ve compiled a list of, what I believe, are sewing projects that can really deliver this objective. 

My theme for the projects rolling into 2024, is to focus on elevated basics which you can dress up or down, and either layer or wear as stand-alone pieces, depending on the season. By carefully selecting fabrics and colours that work well in your wardrobe, you can create an almost capsule collection of pieces that suit your personal style. 

Elevated Shirt

No wardrobe is complete without a shirt, and if you feel you’re maybe not a shirt wearer, then perhaps you just haven't found the right shirt style for you. For me, I need a little bit of artistic flare in a shirt, a full button up collar for a smart, structured look, long sleeves with functioning placket and I want to have the choice of tucking in, a half tuck or wearing loose. Some find that long sleeves are a big fat no, and a short sleeve is immensely more versatile, so if that’s you, find a short sleeved shirt pattern that hits that vibe you’re after and you’ll never look back! 

Shirts made up in a softer fabric such as Viscose, Tencel, Cupro or Modal, can sometimes work in-place of a blouse due to the softer drape, this can make them versatile enough for work or casual dress-code and as long as they are the right length for your torso, they can then be worn loose, tucked into skirts and trousers or even worn open over a tank top in the summer as a light jacket. 

Shirts made from Cotton or Linen can also be highly versatile and perfect for layering up with a jumper or jacket in winter and wearing alone and letting the air flow around you in the summer. I think for 2024 I will be choosing shirt pattern that feature lovely details, expressive silhouettes and I’ll be considering how I can add any extra elements such as top stitching to create shirts for my wardrobe that are just that little bit more different than what you can find RTW. 

Tapered Leg Trouser

Whether you're a tailored or elasticated waistband kind of sewist, I think we all have room for a tapered trouser in our wardrobe. I have to admit, I’m a recent convert, I have always found a tapered trouser leg something really difficult to style but after a bit of research and inspiration, I have seen the light and I can now see how this staple can help me to get so much wear out of pieces I already have. 

Tapered trousers can fit in with so many different style personalities, but I think for me its something I can wear with trainers during the winter and chunky sandals in the summer. A versatile fabric such as a Tencel Twill is the perfect pairing for me, not too light in the winter nor to heavy in the summer, an ideal transitional piece. As the seasons change, I feel that a tapered trouser can be layered up with a shirt, jumper and oversized coat when I need to keep warm, and paired with a statement top cross body bag when the sun is shining. 

So, what will I be looking for in a tapered trouser pattern this year? I’ll be looking for patterns that have an elasticated or half elasticated waistband, loose fitting tapered leg silhouette, details such as pleats or pin tucks and I will be considering if I can elevate the overall piece with pockets, bound seams and contrast top-stitching. 

The Perfect T-Shirt 

2024 could be the year you find your perfect T-Shirt pattern. A T-Shirt is just about the most iconic and probably most worn ‘wardrobe basic’ you can get. No matter your style, a T-Shirt that you love and find comfortable can be worth its weight in gold. In the colder months, layering is key, so a T-Shirt that I can chuck on under my jumpers or dresses is absolutely, as the weather gets warmer and I need an easy outfit, a T-Shirt and Jeans is always a safe way to go, and I can throw on a cardigan or canvas jacket too if I need an extra layer. 

T-Shirts come in a range of different constructions and feature a range of details such as boxy, fitted, set in sleeve, grown on sleeve, drop shoulder, crew neck, boat neck, honestly, the possibilities are endless! I love elevated details in my T-Shirts which allow me to feel as if I’ve made an effort even when I haven’t but I do think just as easily, a really simple t-shirt in a high quality fabric offers the same polished look. 

Cotton, Tencel, Modal and Viscose are all common jersey fabrics these days, if you are wanting your classic, casual style, a cotton jersey might be what you’re after but if you want something with a little more drape, seek out a Tencel, Modal or Viscose jersey instead. 

For this year, I feel I’m on a mission to find or even draft for myself a semi-fitted T-Shirt with a lovely angular set in sleeve with a straight hem. I may even take this further looking at gathered or twist details on the waist or shoulder to extend my ability to wear these base layers as statement tops in the Spring. 

So what do you think? Will you be joining me on the elevated wardrobe basic bandwagon?  Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading and happy sewing!

Steph xx