I'm a semi new sewist and have made a couple of Style Arc patterns...the directions are not the best. But I love their patterns! I'm so glad I found you - will begin binge watching now :)
Enjoyed your video. I have made several of your pattern picks, Rhapsody and Monti dress, and love wearing them. It can be hot and humid here in Kentucky, so these pieces work well in the summer. I am making Style Arc’s Ethel pants in a light weight linen blend. Hopefully they will be cool to wear. Thanks again for sharing.
Whitney that was great. I would love it if you could do a sewalong for the Monty shirt or dress. The minimal instructions have scared me off of buying it that pattern or any of their patterns really.
I've made the Monty blouse (lengthened by 3.5" as I am 5' 9" tall!) out of a cotton lawn and the dress out of a cotton chambray. Both are really cool and comfortable and I get compliments each time I wear them. They are really not difficult to sew - one of the easier Style Arc patterns I have tried out so a good one to try if you've not used Style Arc patterns before. The only thing I would say with the dress length is that the back has no shaping at all and if you are hippy at all it could sit on your hips and be saggy around the waist - I'm not explaining that very well, am I? I have a sway back so maybe that's the issue for me. Next time I might put a seam in the centre back and do a sway back adjustment.
I can, but to be honest, I use Gutterman Mara 100 thread for 95% of my sewing. I know that many people use cotton thread for some things and then poly for others, but I have never seen an obvious difference so I just use the poly!
Rayon is hot in humid conditions, I live in Michigan and work in an auto supply plant. I have Rayon shirts that I can't wear in the summer as it holds in the heat and sweat. If you don't work in A/C I don't recommend rayon.
I love your wonderful knowledge and shared info! Please tell me where to get patterns from the olden days lol as I have not mastered printouts..i have made many things but need updated ones..
Sure! A few of these are digital only, but there are also a few that have printed options as well (like the older patterns). I have links to all the patterns in the description box below that will take you right to them!
Hello from Athens, Greece. It is breezy here now but does get quite hot. I really appreciate your videos, you do such a good job about explaining the patterns, easiness & comfort, etc. Also fabric suggestions, thank you so much. I realize the time and effort that goes into these videos, you do a great job. Have a good summer!
Greetings from AZ. Current daytime temps 111 degrees. This is such a great video. I live in dresses and linen during the summer. While I keep making shorts and summer pants, they just are my second choice after dresses. Definitely going to look at the Itch To Stitch shorts pattern for that flat front. Thank you Whitney! ❤️
I thought your lipstick might be Charlotte Tilbury's Walk of Shame, lol. I didn't want to ask about your makeup because it seemed too off topic, but since it's now on topic I want to say that you and your makeup really looks great. You've nailed both the best shades and the application. One more reason that I look up to you. Thank you for all the great sewing info. I'm really trying to get back into and am now trying to fit a larger and more mature body with a fuller bust to match. Your videos are very helpful.
Ah-h-h, someone who gets HOT weather!! Living in FL cotton, sleeveless dresses are my go to. This video was wonderful, giving us more than the big four. Thank you.
My husband and I built a house at the beach along the Atlantic Ocean...and can I just say, it gets hot and humid! So, thank you for this video! I was organizing my sewing room when the pandemic hit and went into a little depression. I'm over that now-summer is in full swing here and I need clothes!
The patterns are terrific and I have some of them. I'm not a jumpsuit person, so I wouldn't be making them, but all of the others I am very interested in trying. I think it's important to note that the rayons that were described are made in a very harsh way. The chemicals used to turn the wood cellulose, which is the base ingredient, into fabric is very harsh and many of the people who work in the Chinese and Indian factories that make it, are getting very bad burns to their skin as a result. Unfortunately, the companies that make rayon, etc...don't provide the necessary equipment to keep the employees safe. Plus, many of the employees who are making the rayon are children. They want the older employees to be sewing so they use the kids in the making process. This is why I really try to stay away from those fabrics. It's unfortunate too, as I love rayon, bamboo, tensil and viscose. Before I knew this info about how it is manufactured I would buy these fabrics all of the time. They are my favorite 'go to' for summer clothing. Now I stick to cotton and linen for summer. This is just my opinion...no judgements about anyone else using the fabrics.
This is very good that you’re researching these things! I also think it’s very important to try and consume responsibly and ethically. Thank you for sharing this!
Ha! I was just thinking I really like the shade of lipstick you are wearing today and I should ask what color it is, but I wasn't sure if I should and there you go! Thanks!
I'm with you on skirts being cooler in hot muggy weather. Especially as I don't wear shorts anymore. It's like walking around in your underwear but still covered up! 😂🤣😂
Oh humidity just kills me....and menopause really doesn't help at all!!!! I have the M7745 and am wondering whether the straps could be made wider to cover bra straps and leave off the frill sleeve thingy. Need to look at the pattern. Gotta love rayon challis for hot whether. Although, I am making pants for winter here in Australia out of it because again I get hot!!! Great review and tips.... I love you xxxx
I hear you about the hot flashes! Breathable fabric is key! I’m not sure about the straps on the M7745. I haven’t really looked at that view, but it might be possible!
The Missouri River is really the heard water of the Mississippi River. This river system makes the area around it very humid. It draws moisture to it and gets more rain. The tropical storms love to follow this system inland. I live about ten miles from the Mississippi River just below where the Arkansas River joins it. Yes it is very hot and humid here in the summer. It is cold and humid in the winter.
Great video, thank you. I live in Arizona in the hottest city in the USA, apparently. Summer is hard! Thank you for these recommendations. I’m watching it 3 years after you filmed it but will check out your pattern and fabric recommendations. If you are thinking of ideas for new videos to release, perhaps you will consider doing one like this again with updates.
Yes so so true , I live in Europe it is so hot and most ready to wear clothes nearly all have polyester 😤. Even in fabric stores one as to be so careful as often a certain amount of polyester seems to present in most fabrics ! Great video !
Hello! This is my first time on your site. I like it. Thank you for talking about the lipstick because I was admiring it before you even started talking about it.
Greeting from Georgia! Thanks for this video!! Have you tried the South Shore Romper from Ellie & Mac? I have seen many good thing last about it. I have been debating between that one and the one you mentioned. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you have tried it ❤️
I went to The Fabric Store website and see that they have several types of merino wool. I missed which type you used. I tried to back up a bit to hear if I missed it, but I just might be distracted by the video and keep missing it. I’m interested in making a tank top and dress.
Their ZQ Premium Merino is my favorite. It's pricy, but SOO worth it and holds up so well over washing and wearing: weare.thefabricstoreonline.com/collections/merino-fabric?_=pf&pf_t_select_categories=category%20ZQ%20Premium%20Merino
I would love to see a sew a long on the Monte Dress/shirt. I made it when it came out with linen and ended up cutting it up for something else. It looked terrible on me but I’d like to try again. Think I needed a much smaller size.
I've made that pattern for myself and my sister. We both really like it! There is a complete sew along on the channel for it. It's under the sew along playlist!
I have a question about rayon fabrics.I love the look and feel of this fabric but it shrinks a lot and fades and frays badly at the seams. Can you tell me what to look for when buying so I will not have these issues?
I would say that in most cases (not all), you pay for what you get with rayon. The more bodied it is, the better it wears and washes. I have loved every rayon I’ve bought from StyleMaker Fabrics and Blackbird Fabrics!
I have always thought that rayon and it’s derivatives were synthetic fibers and would hold the heat in as anything synthetic can be very hot in our yearly oven called summer in the south! I may try it and see how I do! I just realized about 5 years ago how comfortable and cool summer dresses can be! Now I just about only wear them all summer long
Rayon is confusing one. It’s a natural fiber that’s going through a “man-made” process to turn the (wood pulp in the case of Rayon) into a fiber that can be worn. This makes it much more similar to natural fibers. I love it in the summer!
Hi Whitney! Great video! I like a good linen rayon blend for the summer, and also seersucker! My recent favorite summer skirt is the Sew Liberated Estuary Skirt. It's flat in the front with an elastic back waist and great pockets. I made mine out of a lightweight cotton chambray. It has buttons down the front, but with the elastic waist, they can be completely decorative. No buttonholes required. Stay cool!
I have just started my knit journey. I bought some beautiful merino in sage and acorn from the fabric store which will make lovely tee shirts for layering here in the Australian winter. I thought I would practice first on some organic jersey I have, the thicker one was very successful but the thin one was so hard to use as it kept curling, after about 5 attempts I managed to get the neck on. Anyway the next project is some stripy jersey but I didn't have enough for sleeves so was looking for a tank. I was watching your hot summer basics and you mentioned the love notion tank. Thank you it is printing now. After that I am going to cut into my precious merino.
You are going to LOVE the finished merino tops. They are lovely to wear! Also, that summer basics tank is seriously a favorite. I hope you love it as much as I do!
In Chile we are in winter, and is so cold! I'm a little envious of your weather jajaja. Nice way to prepared me for the summer with the patterns that you share. Thank you!
Hi, Even though I'm very late to the party I just want to talk about Rayon and it's other famous friends. Yes they are natural-ish fabrics but that doesn't make them good for the environment at all. These days using bamboo is a general sign of greenwashing, when used in the fast fashion industry. So let's start with Rayon. That is a brand name for viscose but these days people call all kinds of cellulose based fibers rayon. It was invented in the first part of the 20th century and it was hailed as being like silk but less expensive. Actually the generic for Rayon is viscose. To make 1 kilo of viscose you need 5.5 kilos of very toxic chemicals to make the wood pulp, that can come from any source wood by the way, into a cellulose fiber that is extrudeble (is that even a word?) into long fine fibers. Generally the chemicals then go out with the waste water. If the workers can't live in a different area to the factory, those chemicals sometimes go right into their water source and some of those chemicals are known to cause birth defects . So Modal. Modal is a brand owned by an Austrian company, Lenzing, they also own the brand Tencel, and Lenzing Viscose, but back to those in a moment. The company makes Modal from beech trees that come from woodlands in Europe. Lenzing Viscose is produced the same way as other viscose fabrics, but are considered to be more regulated as the company is in Austria. And as they are a named company they are under harder scrutiny, and they have a reputation to uphold. Losing goodwill impacts the company value. So what about cupro? Well that is made the same way as viscose only cotton byproducts is used to make the fiber, and not wood. Then we have Tencel and lyocell. They are almost the same as the other varieties of viscose, the difference being that they are manufactured in a closed system and the chemicals are recycled and reused. The brand Tencel only uses cellulose from FSC marked woods and is thereby certified as sustainable. And now we come to the ending of this short thesis on viscose and friends . The reason that I write this to the best of my ability, is not to shame anyone or use the thesis to slap anyone upside the head with. I just want to help people make informed choices. What fabric anyone uses or doesn't use, when making garments is none of my business. That is the prerogative of the individual sewing. I just want to put the information out there, so people can make informed choices. Yours, Ann
Great video Whitney! Love all your ideas. One question I have which always puzzles me, is many of the sportswear‘s tops and bottoms are made with polyester and they say that it’s wicking. My husband swears that they’re better to wear because they don’t hang on to moisture. To prove it to me he took a cotton T-shirt and one of these workout polyester T-shirts and with them and hung them out to dry. The poly tried within five minutes was amazing, so that part puzzles me
My favourite dress for hot days is the Ogden cami that I have hacked into a dress. I cut the bodice just below the waist (making it drop loose waisted) and then add a gathered skirt to midi length. I widen the straps a bit (although I usually wear them braless for coolness) and make the bodice double rather than just the long facings on the pattern. As well as making this look really neat inside, it adds modesty for bralessness. I have made this in linen, cotton voile, and Liberty Tana Lawn - all lovely and loose and cool
Yes I am checking this out -again. I think Spring has sprung ( as they say) here in Coastal, south Texas. Today our expected high is 75 degrees. Spring is really more of an idea here. The great thing is winter at most is a week. I have a beautiful skirt in autumnal colors that I never got to wear this past winter. What I look for is pieces that can be worn pretty much year round. Previously that was cotton and cotton blends for me. I tried linen once years ago and the crotch dropped so low by the end of the day it was mortifying! Armed with information from you and Katrina, I plan to try again this year. Thank you Whitney for all of the work you do so that you can produce such educational and entertaining content.
What a lovely comment! Thank you so much for saying all of this. It makes me so happy to hear that the content is helpful and I really hope you give linen another try!
Michelle says, thanks re the lipstick, I have been admiring the shades thinking you have been well trained in your right colours as they always suit so well. Here I new Zealand we are heading into summer which we are told is going to be hot and humid this year (a double dip el nino!). Love linen but yeah, that saggy britches look is BAAAD.
Love this summer pattern/fabric discussion…made me go look at some patterns & fabric stash. Sorta off-topic here: I know what you mean about the hot weather so light, less constricting clothing is a must for the hottest weather! I lived in Florida two different times. The heat & humidity are STIFLING for 9 - 10 months of the year. I think it took such a toll on me physically and I could never be ok with it…and the upper respiratory problems were never ending. I now live in MD…the mid-Atlantic is good for more cooling change of season weather.
I could totally see where the humidity would take a toll on your respiratory system. I notice that I have worse allergy issues in the humidity. I would love to live in Michigan one day for the cooler weather!
Hi from England. You are making me so jealous as I sit here wearing a denim jacket over my dress, watching the rain! I was so cold the other day I had to put on my thick winter tights, under my dress, my boots and a waterproof coat when I took the dog for a walk. Ah, well, this weather can't last forever. Can it?!!! Thanks for doing these videos and reminding me of summer.
One of the reasons I love living on the Colorado "front range" area (about an hour north of Denver): LOW humidity! Born and raised in Iowa, survived 2 years in Poughkeepsie NY, so I do understand some humidity, and like to avoid it. We do get heat, so woven tops and linen pants are my go-to. I'll get back to my Rhapsody out of batic rayon tonight ;)
I was living with my daughter for a couple years in Laurie, MO., surrounded on three sides by the Lake of the Ozarks. You wanna talk about humidity! You could take a shower, walk outside, and be instantly sweaty like a sauna, literally. The humidity was actually visible as a mist. It actually made it difficult to breathe. So glad I'm in Springfield, now. Still humid, but nothing like up around the lake! Thanks for this video. I ahven't sewn in years, and there are so many new fabrics that I never even heard of.
Hi Whitney, great pattern choices for the heat 👌... I do live in England though 😋. Saying that we did have an amazing May but it's gone a bit fresher in June. Still hoping for a warm summer 🌅... finger's crossed 😁. I love the idea of the shorts with the skirt attached...might have to invest in that pattern and it looks great value with the different views 👍. I would love to try a wrap dress too. Thanks again Whitney for a great vlog 💕😁😘
I don't know how I missed this video, great content and I love the pattern ideas. I hope you do run a tutorial for a style arc pattern, I love them. I'm an "adventurous beginner" but I love their fit and details and with RU-vid to help me learn the details (welt pocket on the last pattern) I think their instructions are enough.. I'm keen to try the Monty now.
Oh good! I got permission to do sew alongs with their patterns and the Monty will be the next sew along (after the current trench coat) on the channel!
Thank you so much! So glad you went over the fabrics and their characteristics of each. Love this hair color shade on you too, makes your eyes stand out! Im learning more about what colors suit me better from your videos. I wish all fabric stores would add mirrors near their fabrics so we can hold them up to our face to get right shades. Take care.
I’ve only made a skirt out of linen and I had to iron it all the time and it seemed like it stretched out of shape as I wore it!! I finally quit wearing it cause I always look like I slept in it!! Now this was 20 years ago!! Have they improved linen lately??
Linen still creases and a fitted waistband will grow when it gets warm or wet. Linen is one of my favorite fabrics, though and I embrace the rumple (I rarely iron my linen). Its great to wear in the warmer months, but I usually opt for a waistband that has a little elastic in it!
TomKat Stitchery hi Whitney, I would like to see the videos of you wearing these items but don't see the link. Can you tell me where it is? (I love the video of you and your ciello's!
Janet, if you go to the playlist section on my channel and head to “Plans and Lookbooks” they are in there. Most of them are in the 3 most current ones (March Makes, April Makes and May Makes). Let me know if you have issues finding them!
Hello from Northern Ireland where we have had some unusually hot weather. I made the Anna Allen Demeter dress which I have worn loads on hot days and it does feel really airy
If you click into the description box below the video, I have links to all the patterns. You can buy quite a few of these online. Some of them are PDF patterns (meaning you will print them off yourself at home or at a copy shop), but some of them have printed pattern options as well (like your typical McCalls or Vogue patterns).
Made by Rae's Gemma Tank is good in heat - I made it in a slightly too stiff quilting cotton and the structure helps it sit away from the body. I have a couple of the Peppermint patterns planned for hot days too, the playsuit and maxi dress look nice and breezy. Scotland doesn't often get into very high temperatures but Perth was 99% humidity yesterday.