What I Made This Summer

I may be a bit late, but here’s my post about what I made this summer. When I was doing research for this, there were more garments completed than I realized. Here are the garments in no particular order along with the patterns used.

*This post may contain some affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Florals and Prints

The first top is the Ruched T from Angela Wolf patterns. The skort is an old Simplicity pattern S9336. The middle picture features a top I made with fabric gifted to me by Minerva Fabrics. Butterick 6685 is a super simple top pattern that was used for this look. Last of this group is the floral blazer. It’s a washed linen that I really love and it was also gifted to me by Minerva Fabrics (I’m a Minerva brand ambassador). For this I made Simplicity 8844. The pattern is an unlined blazer that has cup sizes so it’s easier to get a good fit.

My Travel Collection

This grouping features a knit travel wardrobe I made over a few weeks. The patterns used for this are the Angela Wolf Ruched T and the Angela Wolf Joggers patterns. This is so comfortable to wear and was great for travel. Along with a few other pieces made previously from the same patterns (and a couple of others) I basically had a complete wardrobe that coordinated.

Sleepwear and Short Set

These above were some fun projects to make. The first is a robe I made from a set of 40 year old Ralph Lauren sheets. It’s a lavender and white stripe cotton fabric that is the same type of fabric a button down shirt would be made from. For this, a very old (vintage) pattern was used – McCall’s 4320. The middle photo shows a pajama set that I made from a butter yellow and white stripe Ralph Lauren sheet set. These sheets were bought more than 40 years ago as well and I wanted to use the material for something since it’s such great quality. The top is Butterick 6296 and the shorts are McCall’s 8221. The last picture features a vest from Simplicity 3108 and the Colette Patterns (now Seamwork) Iris shorts.

Cargo Shorts

This is one of my last summer makes. These are the Love Notions Patterns Meadowlark Hiking Pants. The pattern features a shorts version that I made, and a full length pants version. These are so comfortable and I really want to make the long pants for fall/winter.

Conclusion

So that’s basically what I made this summer! From having a tree fall on our house in June to taking a quick vacation with my husband, then just trying to relax through the summer heat, I’m surprised that I got this much done.

Using Sheets To Make Loungewear

Sometimes you end up with something and you think “how can I use this?” Well, that’s what happened to me and it didn’t take long for me to decide what to do. I realize that using sheets to make loungewear is the perfect combination.

*This post may contain some affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission. There is no additional cost to you.

Lots Of Fabric

With full, queen and king size sheets you get a lot of fabric. Purchasing a set of sheets on sale can save you significant money while giving you yards and yards of fabric. So with that in mind, I made myself a loungewear set and a robe.

Easy To Cut And Sew

I figured that since the sheets are soft, they would be perfect for this purpose. These sheets I’m showing here are about 40+ years old. My mother had purchased these Ralph Lauren 100% cotton sheets in the 80’s or 90’s. The one above is a butter yellow and white stripe (imagine a button down shirt).

There were some holes in the fabric from when it had been stored, but overall, it was in good condition. The holes in the sheets were marked with painters tape so I could cut around those areas. I used the flat sheet in particular for this set and I still have the fitted sheet leftover. Fraying or having loose threads when cutting out the pattern was not a problem.

Patterns Used

Butterick 6296 is used for the top and McCall’s 8221 are the shorts. I used the cuff of the flat sheet for the bottom of the shorts. Both patterns are available and easy enough for a beginner.

Back view of woman wearing yellow and white pj set

The pockets and piping were left off from the top. I didn’t have any piping available at home and really didn’t feel like trying to go out and get any. The pockets weren’t a necessity for me on the top.

The Robe

Most recently I made the robe from the same type of Ralph Lauren sheets, but these were in a lavendar and white stripe.

For the robe, I used a very old pattern, but it’s one of my favorites. McCall’s 4320 is available online from different sellers and it’s the pattern I used.

This is so comfortable and is warm enough without causing me to overheat. That’s very important. With using sheets to make loungewear, you get so much fabric that is generally going to be super soft.

woman wearing McCall's 4320 robe made from sheets back view

If you are looking to make something comfortable that can be wearable as the seasons change, I highly recommend using a sheet set for the job!

Here’s a link to my YouTube video on this project.

My New Floral Blazer That’s Perfect For Summer

Welcome to my post about my new floral blazer that’s perfect for summer! I made this as my latest Minerva project. I’m a Minerva brand ambassador, so I received this fabric for free. It’s terrific, so that’s what I want to tell you about.

*This post contains some affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these link, I will earn a small commission. There is no additional cost to you.

The Fabric

This is a Minerva Exclusive Soft Washed 100% Linen POD fabric called Retro Revival. POD means ‘printed on demand” so there is a definite right and wrong side of the fabric.

It is easy to cut and sew. I didn’t notice any fading of the fabric when I washed it before using. That’s important since the material is printed on demand.

I consider this to be a medium weight fabric. In fact, it’s weighty enough that it has been too warm to wear this summer with the heat we’ve been having. But, the blazer will be perfect for late summer when it cools down and for early to mid fall.

Simplicity 8844

This the pattern I used for the project. I made View A, which is the same as the picture the model is wearing. There’s a variety of fabrics that can be used to make this (all woven) and linen is one of them. The pattern is for an unlined blazer, which is exactly what I wanted for this. Summer calls for easy and quick projects that are still stylish and usable.

The pattern does have different pieces for B, C, D, and DD cup sizes, which is great! There shouldn’t be any need to do a full bust adjustment (FBA) for most people.

The last time I made a blazer was quite a long time ago. That one was also unlined.

Conclusion

Overall, I really love the results. The floral blazer is something I’ve been wanting for a long time. I just hadn’t taken the time to make one. This Minerva fabric is really lovely. It actually softens in the wash. In fact, it washes and dries very well. As I stated, the colors don’t seem to fade at all. I used the serger for the inside seams. But, if you wanted the blazer to be just as nice on the inside, you could enclose them in some seam binding. That will add a bit of bulk, but depending on your fabric, it may not matter.

If you’d like to purchase this fabric (or some others) from Minerva.com, you can use the discount code MSS251DT for 10% off your order. *This is an affiliate code.