All this talk of Mini Jarrah’s has got me thinking about all the Jarrah’s in my wardrobe that I love!
I made this Jarrah for myself a few years ago when we were developing the Jarrah pattern, and haven’t blogged about it yet as I didn’t have much to say. Isn’t that silly?! It’s one of those wardrobe basics that I wear a lot, but in all honesty, isn’t super exciting to talk about! But I think it’s worth talking about basics for a couple of reasons.
For one thing, we can’t live on statement pieces alone. Wardrobes need neutral basics! They fill in the gaps and are the glue that holds an outfit together. This is the sweater I reach for every time I walk my kids to school in the rain. It’s the perfect thickness to fit under my rain jacket without adding too much bulk, and the fleece fabric and oversized sleeve length make it super warm. I couldn’t deal with an early morning rainy walk without it!
But I think equally as importantly, not talking about wardrobe basics, and only blogging about flashy makes gives the impression that those once in a while unusual makes are somehow more important in the hierarchy of making than everyday pieces. And I honestly don’t believe that. It’s honestly so tempting to talk only about super interesting makes and leave out all the wardrobe staples, but one of the things I love about sewing is that I can make my own staples that fit into my wardrobe, personal style and ethics. A plain white tee to add to your collection, or flesh-toned undies are just as worth making as a cocktail dress. I’d argue they’re MORE important because you can enjoy them more often!
I guess what I’m trying to say is: let’s celebrate our basics, our wardrobe fillers and our staples as much as we do our show stoppers! If you’re holding back sharing those less than exciting makes – don’t! Every single thing you make and enjoy is worth celebrating.
P.S. Just in case you’re looking for some great sweater fleece, I made this Jarrah using grey fuzz buster fleece from KnitWit in Perth, and one of the things I love about KnitWit is that they have all the matching ribbing colours for their fleece range, which makes life so easy!
