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.

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.

Making Butterick 6685

This is one of my latest Minerva Fabrics projects. As a Minerva brand ambassador, I’m able to choose from a variety of fabrics. This time, I chose a supima cotton lawn for making Butterick 6685.

*Some links in this post are affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you shop through these links. There is no additional cost to you for doing so. Thanks for your support!

The Fabric

This is a Minerva exclusive supima cotton lawn called Sylvan Secrets. It is a lightweight, breezy fabric that I thought would be perfect for the hot summer weather we’ve been having. And this was my first time using this type of fabric. There’s no stretch in the Minerva fabric. The fabric is POD which means print on demand, so as it’s ordered, that’s when the design is put onto the material.

The Result

Originally, I had other plans for this fabric. I wanted to make a flowy dress that would be nice to wear during the summer. Unfortunately, a tree fell on our house which caused some damage and a low electrical power situation in the home. As a result, the only way I could get a project done in a reasonable amount of time was to make something very fast and easy. So making Butterick 6685 was the perfect solution.

I do have enough left over for a skirt or some palazzo style pants. View C is the view I made this time. I had previously made View A. One of the differences with this make is I opted not to make the sash.

If you are interested in purchasing this fabric, here is a link so you can check it out for yourself. There are many other prints available for the cotton lawn POD fabric that Minerva offers.

*You can use my code MSS251DT to get 10% off your order.

I didn’t make any alterations to the pattern. But I did try to use one of the rolled hem feet that I have for my Bernina sewing machine for the sleeve hems. This being the first time I’ve really tried it, it came out a bit wonky, but the foot works great. It is something that requires practice and patience. Honestly, I’m not convinced that it is really easier or faster than how I’ve done narrow hems before. But sometimes I believe in trying new things, especially since I had already purchased the foot.

If you’d like to check out the video I made about this project, you can check that out here.