My Seven Favourite Patterns Perfect For Linen
I love linen. I’m not paid to say that, it’s just one of my all time favourite summer-time fabrics. And over the years I’ve collected a bunch of tried and true patterns which are perfect for linen and which make up the majority of my summer capsule collection. You might even recognise a few from my previous posts!
1. Cynthia shirt
The Viki Sews Cynthia shirt is in nearly every picture I took this summer in Greece. I wore it in the evening, at the beach, for the long drives between islands. I love the simplicity of it in white and it’s the perfect type of oversized—not so huge it drowns you, but big enough you feel easy breezy and chic.
2. Pamona Pants
The Anna Allen Pamona Pants make for that super classic, endlessly chic linen trouser. I wear these non-stop as soon as the weather gets warm enough and they’re a very fast sew too—never a bad thing when you’re in the summer sewing panic.
3. M7969
In linen, the classic McCalls M7969 is the kind of dress and top you have to stop yourself over-wearing (if there’s such a thing). It works in all situations and depending on the colour it can count as a basic or something a little more wow. I made my mum this version in blue and it’s so striking I’m desperate to make my own.
4. Darling Dress
I made the Gracie Steel Darling Dress for my first ever collaboration with Fabric Store and it’s one of things that when I wear it, someone always goes, “No way! Did you made that?”. It’s tempting to always go the floaty direction with linen, but the Fabric Store All-purpose Black Fs Signature Finish Midweight Fabric worked perfectly for this more tailored, fitted look and the princess seams are insanely flattering.
5. Hallon Dress
The Hallon Dress by Paradise Patterns occupied four of my nine most engaged with posts on Instagram last year. People love it. I love it. For heavier weight, crisper linen, I recommend View B as it requires much less fabric and has a simpler silhouette but View A is also a showstopper for lighter weights. For View A I always add in what I called a ‘boob hammock’ a few years ago and can’t rename now, but is just provides some added bust support if you need it. You can find more info here.
6. Inari Tee Top
I talked in one of my last posts about versatile patterns and the Named Inari Tee Dress is one of those. It’s actually a dress and top with sleeves, but every time I make it, I find myself making this simple, sleeveless tank version and it works with everything from jeans to skirts and it has the benefit of being a quick sew and work appropriate too.
7. Bisque Trousers
I have worn my first pair of linen Bisques Trousers by Vivian Shao Chen so many times they now have a hole in the back seam. I know it might be a bit much to have two pairs of linen trouser in my top list, but these are so flattering and a little bit more of an interesting silhouette that I couldn’t resist. I made them in the tapered leg version and they go with every single top in my summer capsule wardrobe and a few jumpers too. Shown here with the Staystitch Co September Sundress Top for a sneaky extra recommendation. It’s probably one of the sexier things I have in my collection, but sometimes life calls for a little cleavage, right?
There are so many more I could shout about, but would love to hear your favourites in the comments too.
About Author
Leila d’Angelo
Thanks for reading! For context, I’m a self-taught sewist with a small, mostly under control addiction to good linen. The first proper pattern I ever made came off Stumble Upon (which was Pinterest before Pinterest, anyone else?) but it took a pandemic to get me to properly sit down and stop overthinking it. I still do a lot of overthinking, but at least as much sewing too. I live in London with my partner and our two sphynx cats and you can find me on Instagram as @peaceontheside. A page I started because even when you’re a brand director all day, you still need a bit of creative freedom (and peace) on the side.Leave a comment
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6 Comments
Ann Stuck
I really enjoyed seeing how you used linen and the different patterns you chose. It gave me some new ideas. Thank you so much for sharing! Very inspiring! I’m saving your article to refer back to.
Lisa Norton
Is the bright blue dress at the very top a fabric store shade? If so id love to know which one!!
Leila d'Angelo
Unfortunately it’s not but this one’s looks similar – https://fabrics-store.com/fabrics/linen-fabric-il019-deep-ultramarine-fs-signature-finish-medium maybe worth a swatch!
Lisa Norton
Thank you so much!!
Monica Morant
love all of these and thank you so much for sharing!! question in your Bisque trousers, as i have been eyeing that pattern. Vivian Shao Chen shows them a bit more cropped in her photos., but your look to be more fulll length the way i would want to wear them. did you lengthen the pattern at all or did you just sew your true size? again, loving all your blogs entries on The Thread!
Leila d'Angelo
Thank you Monica, that’s so great to hear!! So I wish I could say for 100% certain, but I don’t think I lengthened them, this is the tapered leg version and I tapered it a little more I think, but I believe the wid leg is a bit shorter maybe. I’m 5’6 of that helps.! Also the Frey pant has just been released which is similar but perhaps a little more tapered?