When temperatures rise — and even more during a heatwave — your choice of fabric changes absolutely everything!
You may have found the perfect pattern, but if the fabric does not breathe or sticks to the skin, the finished garment may stay at the back of the wardrobe... which would be a real shame after all those hours of sewing!
In the shop and in our workshops, we care a lot about offering beautiful fabrics, with a preference for natural fibres such as cotton and linen.
I also love certain high-quality man-made cellulose fabrics, such as viscose, Lyocell and Tencel, because they create wonderfully fluid drape.
In this article I am sharing the fabrics I wear throughout summer and recommend most often in the shop. No major theory lesson today: the idea is simply to help you choose the right material for your next summer blouse, dress, skirt or jumpsuit. Let’s go!
Cotton in all its forms
Let’s start with cotton, but remember: saying that a fabric is “cotton” does not yet tell us exactly what it looks or feels like. The same fibre can be woven in many different ways and produce very different fabrics. Poplin, voile, cotton satin, cotton lawn, double gauze and seersucker all have their own feel, structure and uses.
The safe choice! Cotton poplin is one of the fabrics I wear most in summer. It is lightweight, breathable, comfortable against the skin and stable enough to be easy to cut and sew. It is one of the materials I recommend most often to beginner sewists.
It is perfect for tops, shirts, blouses, dresses and skirts.
And when it comes to prints, you can really have fun: solids, tiny gingham, stripes, flowers, abstract, tropical or children’s prints... there is something for every taste. You know how much I love Japanese fabrics: a large part of our selection is cotton poplin. So if your pattern recommends poplin, a beautiful Japanese cotton is absolutely suitable.
A delicate small print, a touch of gold or a large romantic flower can instantly make a very simple cut look original.
I do, however, keep finer poplin for garments such as tops, blouses, shirts, dresses and skirts. For trousers or shorts that will get a lot of wear, I would choose a more robust cotton, twill or gabardine.
Aénor by Sewing Soon in Japanese cotton poplin
Alix by Cha Coud in cotton/viscose poplin
Cotton voile
For maximum lightness, cotton voile is finer and lighter than poplin. When it is very hot, it is wonderful to wear: it almost feels like a veil against the skin.
The point to watch is, of course, transparency. If that worries you, choose poplin instead or add a very lightweight lining. For a top, transparency is often discreet enough that underwear close to your skin tone can already make a big difference.
Salvage by Mimoï
Frisure by Damned Good Caramel
Elegant, yet easy to sew. People often ask me in the shop, “Eugénie, do you have satin?” They usually mean very shiny polyester satin: slippery, prone to fraying and sometimes quite sporty to sew!
I much prefer cotton satin. It has that lovely satin sheen that makes a garment look elegant straight away, while keeping the stability and comfort of cotton. It does not turn you into a disco ball: the shine is subtle, chic and beautiful. It works for dresses, smart blouses, skirts and even formalwear.
Two students have already sewn their wedding dresses in cotton satin in our workshop. With a few well-placed embroideries, the result can be amazing without having to invest in very expensive silk. If this fabric interests you, you can also read my article about cotton satin and how to sew it.
Noémie and her beautiful shirts!
Mica by Caledonia Dreamin
Sitting somewhere between poplin and satin, cotton lawn is a little gem that is sometimes less well known. It is fine, soft, lightweight and more fluid than classic poplin while remaining very pleasant to work with.
I like to place it between poplin and cotton satin: it has a beautiful drape, a soft surface and a slightly silky appearance. It is perfect for tops, blouses, dresses, skirts, occasionwear and lovely children’s dresses.
Can you picture a little floral cotton-lawn sundress? I certainly can!
Off-season tip: I also like using it to line coats. It lets you keep a natural fibre while still being smooth enough around the sleeves.
Eugénie by Atelier Bernie
Flo by La Maison Victor
Broderie anglaise and embroidered cottons
Romantic and contemporary — no, broderie anglaise is not old-fashioned and certainly not reserved for prim collars or “Little House on the Prairie” looks! Today it comes in bright colours such as yellow, mauve, orange and green, and even in very modern designs. I particularly love embroidered fabrics with a worked border: place it at the bottom of a sleeve, skirt or dress and you get a spectacular finish without adding lots of details to the pattern. It is perfect for a blouse, top or summer dress. I have several in my own wardrobe and they always get lots of compliments.
April by You Made My Day
Canopée by Mimoï
The ally of very hot weather. Double gauze is not just a baby fabric! It is made from two very fine layers of gauze joined together, giving it its slightly crinkled look and incredible comfort.
For dresses, blouses, nightwear or holiday clothes, it is one of my favourite fabrics. When it is 35 or 40 °C, it almost feels as if you are wearing nothing: air circulates and the garment stays light against the skin.
It moves a little more than poplin but is still quite accessible after a few first projects. If you want to try it, you can find all my tips for sewing double gauze here.
Leanne by Fibremood
Lightweight, crinkled and requiring virtually no ironing, seersucker is recognisable by its puckered texture, created by different tensions during weaving. Its appearance varies greatly: plain, striped, gingham, small checks or more pronounced texture.
The texture holds parts of the fabric slightly away from the skin, making it very comfortable in hot weather. It is perfect for blouses, dresses, skirts, lightweight shirts and nightwear. Since the crinkled effect is part of its charm, it generally needs very little ironing.
For that reason alone, it deserves a place in our summer suitcases!
Breathable, thermoregulating and far more modern than people sometimes think! Linen occasionally gets a bad reputation: “Yes, but Eugénie, linen creases!” True, natural fibres generally crease more than polyester. But they also breathe much better and feel considerably nicer when temperatures rise.
Linen is breathable, strong and thermoregulating. It is also widely grown in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, making it an especially interesting fibre for our summer wardrobes.
Softer and easier to live with. I especially like washed linen. Its finish makes it softer and gives it a gentler, lived-in crinkle that is part of the fabric’s charm. If you dislike ironing, simply hang the garment and embrace the relaxed look. If you prefer it crisp, linen handles the iron perfectly well.
Modern linens also come in rich, bright colours, far removed from the idea that linen only means beige or dull neutrals. Raspberry, intense green or deep blue can turn a very simple garment into something with real character.
Thanks to its body and durability, linen is ideal for shorts, trousers, playsuits, dresses, skirts and lightweight summer jackets for adults and children.
Quilla by Fibremood
The character of linen with more fluidity. Do you love linen but find its drape a little too crisp for your project? Linen-viscose is a beautiful alternative. Viscose adds softness and movement while keeping the natural look of linen.
It is a wonderful fabric for a long dress, full skirt, blouse or fluid summer trousers. With a beautiful flower-and-butterfly print, for example, I can already picture the twirling dress... gorgeous!
Harmonie by Iam Patterns
Salto by Maison Fauve
Viscose, Lyocell and Tencel™
For wonderfully fluid makes. We now move on to very fluid materials.
I recommend them from intermediate level onwards, not because the seams are necessarily difficult but because the fabric can shift during cutting and under the machine.
Viscose and Lyocell are described as man-made fibres: they are made from plant-based cellulose that is transformed into textile fibre. Tencel is a brand of fibres, including Lyocell. These fabrics feel supple, soft and very pleasant against the skin.
Beautiful drape. Tencel has incredible fluidity, often with a slightly velvety hand. It is gorgeous for skirts, blouses, dresses, wide trousers and jumpsuits.
If you dream of a jumpsuit that moves beautifully and really has presence, it is a fabric worth considering. Just take your time when cutting: work on a large surface, avoid letting the fabric hang and use plenty of weights or fine pins.
Lightweight and perfect for dresses that move, viscose is one of the queens of the summer dress. It is fluid, light and very comfortable to wear, and it is also excellent for blouses, skirts and wide trousers.
For an easy gathered skirt, sometimes all you need is two metres of viscose and a pretty lurex elastic. In one afternoon you have a lightweight, comfortable garment that is very satisfying to sew.
Viscose production can, however, have very different environmental impacts depending on the process. If this matters to you, look for fabrics with better traceability of origin and production, such as LENZING ECOVERO viscose. And if you want to get comfortable with viscose without stress, read my article dedicated to sewing viscose.
Kallima by Leati et Lea in stretch viscose
A Calista duo by Clématisse Pattern for Céline and Marie
Which summer fabric should you choose for your project?
If you are still hesitating, here is my quick summary:
If you are a beginner: start with cotton poplin or a sufficiently stable linen.
If you want something extremely light for a heatwave: choose double gauze, cotton voile or seersucker.
If you dream of a fluid dress: choose linen-viscose, viscose, Lyocell or Tencel.
If you want a chic finish: cotton satin or cotton lawn are perfect.
If you want durable shorts or trousers: choose linen or a stronger cotton rather than fine poplin.
If you really dislike ironing: embrace seersucker, double gauze or the lovely crinkle of washed linen.
And if you want to learn how to recognise fabrics?
The textile world is huge, and nothing replaces touching fabrics, comparing their drape and understanding their weave. That is exactly what we do in our “Discovering fabrics” class.
Marie-Hélène shares her knowledge with enormous passion and helps you better understand fibres, spinning, weaving, dyeing and different finishes.
The class takes place in a single session, which is especially convenient if you live a little farther from Brussels.
Now it is up to you to build your summer wardrobe!
As you can see, my summer wardrobe relies mainly on three big families: cotton, linen and fluid cellulose-based materials such as viscose and Lyocell.
Each has its advantages, and the right choice will always depend on your pattern, the drape you want, your sewing level and, of course, your taste.
You can find our selection online or come and touch and compare the fabrics in our two haberdashery-workshops in Brussels, in Ixelles and Woluwe-Saint-Lambert. We also ship our lovely fabrics throughout Europe.
And you, which fabric do you most enjoy wearing in hot weather?
Tell me in the comments here or on social media, and let me know if you would like more articles or videos about fabrics, prints and materials. I will be delighted to hear from you!
Happy summer sewing, everyone.
To your needles!
