By now, we all know that fast fashion isn’t great. Cheap clothing comes at a cost, just not one that we can see on the price tag! But, what’s the alternative? Enter slow fashion, the antithesis to the fast fashion industry and the sustainable saviour of the clothing world.
Slow fashion encourages more conscious choices. It’s all about building a wardrobe of ethical, sustainable pieces that are designed to last – not just worn a few times and then thrown away. If you want to lower your carbon footprint, reduce your fashion consumption, and create a gorgeous collection of garments then slow fashion is how you should be #sewingforautumn!
To help you get started, we’ve put together some tips for sewing sustainable staple autumnal slow fashion wardrobe. Let’s dive in!
Choose Your Autumnal Colours
When creating a wardrobe for Autumn, the first thing to consider is your colour palette. A capsule wardrobe is always thoughtfully made to allow you to mix and match your pieces, creating a versatile collection of many different outfits. Colour choice is absolutely essential to nailing this!
For colour inspiration, we often turn to Pantone. Their article on Autumn/Winter 2022-2023 is a fantastic place to start. However, as you’re creating a wardrobe that’s going to last you many years to come, we’d recommend steering clear of trends that come and go. Instead, look to Pantone’s Core Classics for hues that will come back year after year.Â
This palette is made up of neutral tones that reflect the season. A light cream, soft brown, vibrant peach, deep blue, and a gentle grey combine to create the perfect palette for blending. Each colour can be worn with any of the others, making it easy for you to create beautiful outfits from your separate pieces. It’s also undeniably timeless, so you can keep these shades coming back year after year. If there was ever a pumpkin spice colour palette, this is it!
Now It’s Time For Fabrics
One thing we love about transitioning to the autumn season is the change in fabrics. Goodbye slippery chiffon and floaty viscose! Compared to these, sewing with autumnal materials is an absolute breeze (and needs way fewer pins).
The key with fabrics for an autumn wardrobe is comfort. It’s time to wrap up warm and layer on a lot of cosy textures, getting ready for the cold months ahead! We also recommend stepping away from the bold prints and patterns that define the warmer months and sticking with more neutral tones. Take a peek at our Toasty Tones of Autumn fabric collection for plenty of inspiration.
Instead of prints, look for interesting textures. Here are some of our favourite picks for the colder seasons.
French Terry
French terry is somewhere between t-shirt jersey and sweatshirt fabric. It’s not as thin as the first, but less thick than the second. This knitted fabric has loops on one side and an excellent four-way stretch (about 50%). In terms of sewing, it’s heavenly! You can create your entire garment on an overlocker if you wish, though cotton French Terry won’t fray so you don’t have to finish your hems if it’s not really your thing. For cosy loungewear, jumpers, and dresses, we love a bit of French Terry in our eco friendly haberdashery.
Interlock
If you’re looking for something with a better drape than French Terry, Interlock could be the answer. Heavier than single jersey, it’s ideal for casual wear that’s slightly smarter than your loungewear. If you’ve got a Zoom meeting but don’t want to stray too far from your sweats, try creating a few pieces from Interlock.
Corduroy
When we think of Autumn fabrics, our minds instantly go to Corduroy. We just can’t help ourselves! Whether you’re looking to make a pair of latte brown dungarees or a pumpkin orange cosy jacket, Cord is the perfect way to add some texture to your capsule wardrobe and help your clothing stand out from the crowd. Just remember that this fabric is measured in wales (not to be confused with whales – we don’t want flocks of sewists dipping their Corduroy in the ocean!). Wales are the number of vertical ridges per inch. Opt for Needle Cord for a traditional look, or bring some contemporary vibes to your garments with one of the wider Cords from See You at Six.
Gabardine
Corduroy is a super popular fabric for Autumn, so it’s not going to be a unique choice. If you want something a little more niche, we’d recommend checking out Gabardine. This is a heavy, warm cotton with diagonal ridges, and it’s the perfect choice for coats, trousers, jackets, and dungarees.
Flannel
Who can resist a lovely bit of Flannel come Autumn? Not us! This is the ultimate comfort fabric, perfect for snuggling up in on a cold, drizzly day. For extra warmth, choose a flannel that’s brushed on both sides, or opt for just one side if you’re going for a smarter look. Create super-soft PJs, shakets, and – of course – classic flannel shirts that are perfect for throwing on when you need an extra layer of comfort.
Pick Your Indie Sewing Patterns
Last but certainly not least, it’s time for your sewing patterns! When creating a slow fashion wardrobe, we like to focus on day-to-day looks that will see us through the colder months. From coffee dates with the girls to school runs, we’ve collected some of our favourite indie sewing patterns for everyday wear.
Aina Trousers by Named Clothing
If there’s one pattern for trousers you need this Autumn, it’s Aina. Designed by Named Clothing, it’s a versatile pattern that lets you have plenty of fun choosing how yours will turn out! Whether you’re looking for a relaxed pair of culottes for pumpkin picking days or classic tapered trousers for stylish work meetings, these have you covered.
This indie sewing pattern also features an elasticated waistband, which we comfort-enthusiasts are over the moon about! For Autumn days, opt for a cropped length as you begin your transition into colder weather.
Unisex Ilford Jacket by Friday Pattern
A unisex pattern that everyone can enjoy, the Ilford Jacket is ideal for blustery days as the weather begins to turn. Choose from two lengths, two sleeve options (placketed with cuffs or an easy-to-sew boxy style), and plenty of different pockets to create a jacket that’s truly your own! You can even skip the jacket altogether and create a flannel shirt if that’s more your thing. Friday Pattern, the indie sewing pattern creators, also have a bunch of YouTube videos to help you through those tricky bits. Now, even beginners can create their own Autumn jacket.
Nikko Turtleneck by True Bias
As soon as October hits, our turtlenecks are on! Stylish, chic, and totally cosy, we love a turtleneck in the autumn. The Nikko Turtleneck pattern from True Bias is the ideal design, too, with both a dress and top options that are very easy to make. Consisting of just five pattern pieces (the front, the back bodice, two sleeves, and a neck), the entire garment can be made on an overlocker. If you’ve got some skill, you could whip this piece up in a couple of hours. Pretty impressive, right?
The biggest challenge you’ll face is getting the fabric right. You need a material that’s going to allow the neck to stretch over your head but will snap back into place once it’s on. We’d suggest using 2×1 ribbing fabric. It has plenty of stretch and the small vertical ridges will add a lovely texture, too, which we’re all about for autumn wardrobes.
Southbank Sweater Dress by Nina Lee
If you’re anything like our team at Good Fabric, you’ll find it hard not to wear tights and boots every day of Autumn! This is definitely the go-to outfit for staying cosy whilst still looking stylish. But, of course, you need a dress to complete the look. We absolutely love the Southbank Sweater Dress by Nina Lee, which blends staying comfortable and looking cute seamlessly. In a slightly oversized fit and with a funnel neck, it’ll keep you super warm on blustery days. The pattern is easy to follow and can be altered to create a thigh-length tunic top or a waist-length jumper, too.
Blomma Tank Top by Paradise Pattern
An Autumn morning can start with frost on the ground, but by afternoon the sun can get pretty warm! That’s why this is the season of layering. By ensuring you have plenty of garments in your wardrobe that can be worn on top of one another, you should be perfectly dressed whatever the weather.
The Blomma Tank Top is our must-have layering piece this season. Versatile, stylish, and a basic staple that everyone needs in their wardrobe, it’s great for the transitioning period between seasons. We love that the pattern has added bust darts for bigger cup sizes, too! For this piece, we recommend organic cotton or Tencel jersey for a super soft feel against the skin.
Stock Up on Autumnal Fabrics at Good Fabric
If you’re building your sustainable haberdashery for autumn or need to find the perfect eco fabric for these indie sewing patterns, we can help! At Good Fabric, we stock a wide range of high-quality, sustainable fabrics that are ready to be turned into your creations. Start browsing today and make this Autumn your most stylish yet.
