66: All About Linen – Punk Frockers

Topic: All About Linen

Sponsors:

3/10/2022	StyleArc	Free pattern – any month	May
1/10/2022	CaramiyaMaui	Free pattern – any month	May

Catch up:
Jenny:

I’ve been on a tear with the Isla Wrap dress by Jennifer Lauren Handmade. I tested this dress is a lovely midweight navy linen, and then made another in a black-and-white windowpane cotton, followed by one from a quilting cotton printed with canned veggies. I also made one more Dragonfruit dress by CaramiyaMaui from a voile I bought at Mulberry Silks in Carrboro, NC.

Beverly:

I finally finished something!!! I made the Seamwork Marlow in navy blue linen from fabrics-store.com.

I started my Merchant and Mills Eve Trousers toile. Real toile! Using muslin (calico) fabric all marked up with sharpie! I am using the Top-down-center-out method of fitting created by @ithacamaven.

Let’s do a deep dive in to one of our favorite fibers: Linen. Right of the bat, let’s be clear that we’re not experts. We’re linen-lovers, but that doesn’t mean we’re where you should come for you eduction about linen. For that, please go to Love to Sews episode about linen & their podcast all about different fabrics.

Tomkat Stitchery new episode: Top 10 Patterns for Linen

Is your linen scratchy? Whitney suggests soaking in 50% coke, 50% water. She thinks the acid does the trick. Perhaps a citric acid wash would do well too. Ooo! So you could try Mountain Dew, too!

So why do we love linen?

I have Beverly to thank for my love of linen. This is a fiber I just thought of as too expensive for me to sew with – even though, most of the linen I buy is about the same price as high quality quilting cotton (but wider!) & nice rayons (same width). While I do mostly source from Fabric-store.com, here are some other great places to get linens:

Where to buy:

Mulberry Silks: Sign up for their newsletter, call them and ask for help with their linens, or if you’re lucky enough to be in the area, go visit them in NC. Everything about this varies wildly – price, width, texture.

Mood Fabrics: I want to call out specifically their Mood exclusive Linen & Rayon blend fabrics. These are 53” wide, and 55% linen/45% viscose rayon. They wash up and feel like a silk noil to me – and I’m here for it. I love the drape, the hand, the smell, everything about these. About $18/yard.

Domesticity: This is the Baltimore shop we met podcast listeners at a in February. They carry the Merchant & Mills linens which are as delightful as their very high price tag would imply. I’ve got one on my cutting table now for the new Jennifer Lauren Handmade Isla wrap dress.

The Fabric Store in New Zealand

What to make:

StyleArc Hope Dress

Line drawing of a raglan dress with long sleeves gathered at the wrist. Skirt is also gathered and extends to tunic or midi length.

Made by Rae Trillium Dress & Made by Rae Ruby Dress

Change the sleeves
Add a tie
Use a casing for the elastic
Add piping
Change amount of gathers/pleats

A headless body wears an orange dress with pleated skirt. Neckline is round and scooped. Bodice has cap sleeves.

Image of a dress with a dark above check yoke, to which is attached a gathered skirt made from orange fabric printed with white intricately drawn feathers.

Trillium:

This sweet dress or top features a cut-out scoop neckline, pockets, and shirring in the back for an easy, comfortable fit. Choose from two lengths (dress or top), scoop or cutout neckline, and sleeveless or cap sleeves to create a number of different styles. No zippers or closures are needed, making this a wonderful project for the confident beginner or intermediate sewist!

Ruby:

Ruby is a great, basic beginner’s dress or top for woven fabrics!

Ruby features a contrast yoke and gathers for a comfortable and flattering fit without the need for bust darts, zippers, or closures. Armholes and neckline are bias-bound for an easy finish. Two lengths, dress (above the knee) and top (hip length) are included.

Anything by Muna & Broad

This image features two images from a sewing website. In both a plus size asian woman is modeling a garment. In image 1, she is smiling & wearing a denim jacket with large pockets on the front at the waist & chest. In image 2, she is not smiling and is wearing a black shirt with collar, pockets, and long sleeves.

Image 1: a white plus size person stands turned 2/3 of the way to the back, wearing a gold tank top tucked int o dark, slim legged pants. In image 2, a white plus size person is facing the camera, wearing a white printed top with long sleeves, and bright pink pants with wide legs.

A white plus sized person is standing facing the camera, but looking off camera, in bright pink pants with wide legs, and a boxy top in a garnet color.

Alton Blouse by Cashmerette Club / Montrose Top by Cashmerette

Alton:

Boho is in full bloom with the Alton Blouse! The Alton features striking pleated sleeves with elastic cuffs or straight long sleeves and a faced keyhole neckline that can be worn open or tied. Sew yours up in a silk or voile for an ethereal blouse you’ll love to wear, or mix and match the Alton with the Montrose Top’s necklines, yoke, and sleeves for even more options!

Montrose:

This timeless pattern features two variations: View A is a scoop neck blouse with short sleeves and curved back yoke, while View B shows off lace fabrics with a jewel neck, elbow length sleeves, and keyhole back.

A plus sized person with dark hair is wearing a white swiss dot top with a keyhole neckline that is tied closed at the top; the shirt has long sleeves with tucks in it at the bicep and near the wrist. The wrist is gathered. This person is also wearing jeans which can be seem slightly at the bottom of the image.

A black and white line drawing of two shirt. Shirt 1 is short sleeved, with bust darts on the front; the back has a yoke with a gathered skirt back attached. The shirt is hip length. Shirt 2 is boat necked, with elbow length sleeves, and is made from a lacy fabric.

Belemnite Dress by Marilla Walker

A line drawing of the front of a pattern envelope for the Marilla Walker Beleminte dress 101. The dress is shown with two sleeve varieties, one is grown on long sleeves with a gathered wrist; the other is a short grown on sleeve with a wide ruffle attached. The dress is princess seamed with waist ties that extend from the front princess seams to a bow in the back. The skirt is gored and ends with a lantern hem.

BELEMNITE DRESS

View A – Easy fitting, fit and flare dress with long gathered sleeves and an A-line, lantern shaped skirt. There are self-fabric ties at the waist, a back-zip closure and the v-neckline is finished with a facing.

View B – Easy fitting, fit and flare shirt style dress with grown on sleeves, ruffle cuff and an A-line lantern shaped skirt. There are self-fabric ties at the waist, button front closure and the neckline is finished with a facing.

BONUS SLEEVE – View A with extra sleeve volume.

All of the patterns by Elizabeth Suzann

Helen’s closet Gilbert