Monday, June 21, 2010

Summer Sewing Tips

For most of us in the Northern hemisphere, things are heating up these days! Summer in New York is notoriously miserable: sticky, humid, and sweaty. Luckily, there are some things you can do to keep your summer garments as cool as possible. Here are a few tips I've picked up:
  • First and most obvious, use natural fibers. Cotton, linen, and silk and summertime favorites. Of the synthetics, polyester is the hottest, and I wouldn't recommend going anywhere near it during the summertime. Rayon is the coolest synthetic, so it's a possibility. 
  • Use natural fiber sew-in interfacings. Fusible and synthetic interfacings trap heat against the body. Summertime is a great excuse to play around with sew-in interfacings. Take a tip from vintage sewing patterns and use fabric as a sew-in interfacing.
  • For light and sheer fabrics, use silk organza or cotton organdy as an interfacing. 
  • For interfacing medium weight fabrics, use muslin. 
  • And if you need a lot of body in your interfacing, try silk taffeta. 
  • To use a sew-in interfacing, simply cut out your interfacing pieces and machine baste them to your fabric within the seam allowance, using a long stitch.
  • Summertime often means sewing with sheer and gauzy fabrics. To avoid facing show-through, you can use a fabric that matches your skin tone for your facings. Or sometimes using a flesh-toned silk organza as an interfacing between your layers of fabric is enough to stop show-through. (This is what I did on my Lemon Tree dress, with great success.)
  • Omit facings altogether with bias bindings, where appropriate.
  • Sew with light colors. Aside from not absorbing as much light as dark colors, white and other light colors are psychologically cooler.
  • Eschew linings as much as possible. Linings add another layer to your garments, so make sure they're absolutely necessary for your garment before adding them. Even with sheer fabrics, I sometimes like to leave out the lining and wear a slip instead. For sweaty days, it's easier to wash a slip than an entire lined dress.
  • On another note, make sure you stay cool and hydrated when sewing during the summer. I know I often lose track of time when I'm sewing, but it's important to take breaks and keep drinking water on those hot summer days - especially when you're slaving away over a steaming iron. We must keep our energy up for important stuff like fabric shopping!
Did I miss anything? Share your summertime sewing tips here!

P.S. Isn't the 60s pattern above adorable? I love the girl with the starfish and the straw handbag! It's available in a 36" bust here.

33 comments:

  1. I actually had that bathing suit in black and white gingham - it was a standard style at that time. The only bad bit was that the bra cups were made out of this stuff that once you wore the suit in either sea water or a chlorinated pool, the material started to bunch up, clump and disintegrate, which basically made the suits only wearable for one season.

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  2. Great tips about synthetic fabrics and about facings. I enjoy the summer for longer day light hours which means better light for sewing and photographing sewing. I like to cruise the shops, see pretty tops I like and use them as inspiration for home sewing.

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  3. Spanx - yay or nay? At the risk of TMI, I like it to prevent thigh chafing, but lordie, it gets hot. I can't remember, are you a Spanx lover?
    And re: polyester, I know you sew with wovens so I am sure you are right about poly wovens. For knits, these new polys and poly blends can be pretty darn comfortable sewn up in a sleeveless dress.

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  4. I wish it were summer here! Argh. Instead I am cramming for exams in several layers of wool. There's nothing like wool and silk to keep you warm in winter, on the topic of natural fibers

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  5. Good tips on the natural fibers! I tend to avoid polyester/synthetics (except rayon) anyway (I just don't like how they feel 75% of the time), but during the summer it is a must! Also, another perk to wearing slips instead of fully lining a dress: they're easier to launder. Often times I prefer to clean a dress after a couple wearings, and the slips really help them last a bit longer. :)

    Another sewing tip for summer time: I tend to avoid styles that have high necklines, and are super fitted. I don't know about you, but there is nothing more uncomfortable in my eyes than wearing something that is constricting and doesn't allow some flow of air around me! Plus, I find that due to the heat/increased water consumption during the summer, my body swells slightly throughout the day, and what seemed "bearable" in the morning can be downright uncomfortable in the midday heat.

    Gosh--that pattern is so cute! I have a 1960s swimsuit that looks almost exactly like this (sadly, it's one of those things that is annoyingly 1" too small. I can't bear to part with it though!). So tempting to buy to make up a version that fits! lol.

    ♥ Casey
    blog | elegantmusings.com

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  6. Living in a Gulf Coast state, I know heat and humidity! But the thing is, down here -- EVERYONE (well, mostly) has air conditioning. And EVERY business has air conditioning. I don't even consider the heat unless I plan to be outdoors. I live in a driving city. Take today for instance, it's a high of 97. I'll only feel the heat getting in and out of my car! No one (with good sense) will be doing anything outdoorsy in these miserable conditions! I usually buy more cardigans this time of year and line my dresses and skirts because it's always 68 degrees indoors!

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  7. Great tips! But don't make the mistake I did and forget to prewash and dry your muslin before using it as interfacing ;)

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  8. To avoid thigh chafing, I suggest cotton alternatives. I wear cotton bike shorts and they stop the chub rub, and are breatheable. Walmart and Target are your best bets for finding them.

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  9. Fun post, thanks! Great idea to use heavier fabrics as facings...

    I'm just finishing up a summer sun dress, and my next one is going to be a vintage pattern I picked up with Peter (MPB) at the Chelsea Flea Market last weekend. Unfortunately I can't not line it, because the fashion fabric is a sheer cotton batiste. Hopefully the cotton batiste lining won't add too much bulk + heat!

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  10. Very useful post. I'm printing this out as I was just thinking about how to build my summer wardrobe. Thanks, Gertie!

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  11. Oh, I'm bookmarking this for the interfacing information! Could I make the suggestion/plea for an entire post on sew-in fabric interfacing? I love the idea of using a layer of fabric that I might already have, and that breathes etc, instead of the iron-on kind. I would love to learn more!

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  12. Yes, I too would like a post on sew-in interfacing. (Most patterns, etc. only mention the fusible kind.)

    One topic I'd like to read about is how a person makes fabric choices for different patterns. I'm a quilter with little or no fashion sense trying to get out of my denim-dress-from-the-thrift-store rut.

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  13. Heavens, how I love linen!

    I'm intrigued by the notions of sew-in interfacing instead of the nasty iron of stuff - I've never liked it, and always feel that it gives a garment a weird homemade stiffness - you rarely see that stuff in RTW clothes, right? I always thought it was a necessary evil!

    As to the thigh chafing, I'm a big huge gigantic fan of a product called BodyGlide. It can be found in sports stores, and a quick couple of rubs on the inner thighs (or anywhere else) and you're good to go!

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  14. I'm another Gulf Coast resident, and Erica B is dead-on about cardigans. I'm desperate for sweaters because everything here is freezing, indoors.

    That said, I'm totally on board with other commenters about cotton bike shorts (at least when I'm going to be active) and slips instead of linings.

    I also avoid knits like the plague: T-shirts and jeans or shorts might be "standard" summer wear but jersey and denim are HOT. Woven cotton is cooler! I go for roomy woven-cotton shirts, skirts, and dresses (especially dresses, which can be loose and breathable instead of needing waistbands).

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  15. Sorry Binkydoll, the iron-on stuff is all over RTW. And, they often use it as all over fuse with structured garments. That being said, fabric interfacings are good too. Remember, that was the standard for years and years, before "better living with plastic."

    Erica B. and Latter-Day Flapper, I know what you mean! I no longer live in the steamy Southeast but still have the same issues here in the dry heat of the Southwest. I freeze every day due to frigid air conditioning and find myself wearing cardigans inside.

    Gertie, I know you're not a poly fan but I still wear some of it in summer. The key is to limit it to looser fitting items like gored skirts that allow the air to move around you. Maybe a tank top or little shell but nothing more substantial.

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  16. I have a water bottle with a straw lid that I fill with water and keep by the machine while I sew. I also keep a stash of no residue snacks, like pretzels, to munch while stitching.

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  17. The only fusible interfacing I can buy locally is that icky non-woven pellon stuff. So I've pretty much always used sew in interfacing! I use muslin pretty often, and silk organza. Sometimes I even use a layer of the dress fabric itself! I'm a big fan - I think sew-ins look more natural, and I find it easier to do than fusing. I do use fusibles for knits though.

    I like bemberg rayon for a summertime lining - it's nice and cool, and I've washed it successfully. I can't believe all the RTW summer dresses that are made of cotton with poly linings - that sounds awful! I've also underlined with cotton batiste, which is very nice for summer. I don't like slips because I can always seem them under my clothes, but maybe that's just me?

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  18. Interesting post Gertie - but I have one teensy correction to make! Rayon is not actually synthetic - it's a natural fiber (cellulose) that's been processed into fabric. It's sort of a natural/man-made hybrid.

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  19. I am an overweight, hot flashing woman who grew up in the midwest. I now live in coastal SC where it can reach 103 degrees with 80+% humidity; last week we had a heat index of 115 for a few days with 98% humidity. It was so hot that after it rained the ground was steaming and the temp went up. In the afternoons the ac can't keep up and the house usually won't drop below 80 until the sun goes down. Miserable!
    I have learned to love bamboo fabrics for their ability to pump the heat away, so much so that I'm cooler where the fabric touches my skin and I have been known to throw on a shawl in the house to keep the fan breezes off me. Love Love Love my bamboo!

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  20. Great post, but I wanted to note one thing. I was born and raised in NY and I also thought the summers were miserable. Then I moved to Georgia and all I have to say now is enjoy the moderate weather up north! It could be worse.

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  21. How do you know when bias binding is an appropriate substitute for a facing? (I was contemplating doing that with a linen/rayon blend sundress, but what's the general principles?) Any good links on that?

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  22. Great post - I really need to branch out into the interfacing realm! Great ideas. When it gets hot and humid here in Wisconsin, I sew in my undies. Beats the heat everytime. Plus it's a breeze to do fittings not having to strip off sticky, sweaty clothes.

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  23. Great idea about using muslin as sew-in interfacing! I wouldn't have thought about fusible interfacing being hot but you're right. Especially in styles with large facings, it all adds up!
    Another suggestion would be to choose looser-fitting styles. A full skirt will be much cooler and breezier than a pencil skirt! In general, a more floaty silhouette will be more comfortable in the heat.

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  24. Thanks for the great tips! The pattern is really cute, and exactly the type of thing my daughter would love to wear.

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  25. Great tips!!! Lighter fabrics for sure will make the severely hot summer months bearable!!!!

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  26. You had a lot of good ideas here--thanks for sharing!

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  27. Great tips! I would love to read more about sew-in interfacing.

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  28. I just made a cute sundress for the hot north carolina summer, (and I added pockets!) Though after wearing it with a belt this weekend I realized the error of having anything clinging to your body in the hot sun. Oh well, I still looked cute. Thanks for sharing your wisdom on your blog for us beginning sewers--I just started last summer.

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  29. To reply to what "a little sewing on the side" said (and I just glanced over replies so I'm not sure if anyone said this,) ditch the spanx and put on a little deodorant on your thighs - I'm serious, try it!
    Also, Gertie, thanks for your post on Summer tips - a lot of these things are too easy to forget.
    And, lastly, thanks for linking to my pattern, it was a sweet surprise - I love this one and it's definitely on my Summer to-do!

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  30. Just came across your blog!

    It is lovely! I really want to learn to be a better sewer, so this blog is really helpful!

    colormenana.blogspot.com

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  31. I wish I could be thinking about summer clothing here but it's zero degrees at the moment so bathers are the last thing on my mind! Fluffy slippers, on the other hand...
    no doubt I'll have something to contribute to this topic in December when it's 40 degrees here for days on end and we're all panicking about bushfires while in the northern hemisphere you're drinking egg nog or whatever it is you do to keep warm!

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  32. these are great tips! thank you for sharing...and the pattern is a-DOR-able :)

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  33. Rayon is considered a synthetic because of the way it's made, but it's still made from plant fibers (wood pulp, principally). Not from oil by-products as more properly synthetic fabrics like nylon or polyester. So rayon's cooler principally because it's as breathable as other natural fibers, a very nice trait in summer.

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Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

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