Summer Sewing

I’ve been doing so much clothing-sewing this summer! It’s been really satisfying. These three tank tops are from this pattern on Etsy. I’ve made some adjustments in each version I’ve sewn. I made the V-neck a bit shallower and lengthened the armholes/straps just a little. I love the fit of the body, though — loose without being boxy.

I’ve made a few trips down to the cities to go to SR Harris (a fabric warehouse — huge selection, good prices, but it’s definitely a treasure hunt) this spring/summer, and I think all of the fabrics I used in these tops came from that store. The middle tank top, which I didn’t realize I hadn’t ironed until I went to take the photo!, is a Liberty print in their cotton lawn. I didn’t expect to find that at SR Harris! The one on the left is a linen/cotton blend — my favorite of the three. And the one on the right is a patchwork of different linen fabrics I had.

These are probably my favorite shirts. Depends on the day! I used the bodice pattern from Sew Liberated’s Hinterland dress but lengthened and shaped the body from the darts down using the tank top pattern above. I love the combo!! The off-white one is cotton double gauze, and the one with buttons is linen. The buttons are purely decorative. I made one finished front placket but just serged the other front edge and stitched the placket side over it. Then sewed on the buttons.

These are from All Well’s Box Top pattern. There could not be an easier/faster top to sew up! I’ve made more than these two, but these are my favorites. My favorite thing is doing the version without sleeves but adding a cuff to the ends of the “sleeve” holes. I also like to sew up the plain pattern but then split it down the front and add a placket to each side. I did that with the red one and put snaps up the front. I didn’t take a photo, but I’ve done two long-sleeve shirts this way, out of double gauze. I call them my Baby Grandma shirts — the style is so grandma-y, but I feel like a baby wrapped up in gauze.

I’ve also made so many pairs of All Well’s Studio pants, but they’re harder to photograph. There have been a few failures here and there, and I definitely wear some items much more than others, but overall, I’ve been really happy with the results of my summer sewing! Some of my homeschool mom friends also love to sew clothes, and that’s been hugely motivating. It’s really fun to share results with people who care and who understand the work that goes into it!