A team sewing session: We sew Summer Sun by Mimoï

Let's be honest, the team fell for Summer Sun by Mimoï! So we wanted to sew it as a trio.

Beyond that... it's not always easy to be independent and live from your passion. We also wanted to support Isabelle, the creator of Mimoï, who has been questioning the future of her small business these past weeks. So, we didn’t hesitate to sew beautiful summer pieces because Summer Sun is an incredible pattern!

As always, Isabelle offers us an original pattern with multiple variations that allow us to get the most out of our purchase.

So, want to discover Summer Sun as a team?

This way!

The model

As I was telling you, Summer Sun is a multiversion pattern!

Easy and quick to sew, with its 3 different collars and 3 shoulder styles to adapt into a t-shirt or a long or short dress, the Summer Sun sewing pattern will accompany you all summer long!

With the Summer Sun sewing pattern, you can choose from:
- Three necklines: Round, V-neck, and flared
- Three shoulder styles:
- elasticated shoulders with 2 elastics slipped into casings, you can choose the length of the elastic to have a more or less covered shoulder
- tied shoulders with 2 ties to knot slipped into the casings
- simple shoulders
- Three lengths: t-shirt, short dress, and long dress with slits on both sides or only on one side, your choice!

Information for sewing this model

Summer Sun is available on our site in PDF format (A4 and A0) like all Mimoï patterns.
It does not exist in printed format.

However, Isabelle makes life easier for us because:
- seam allowances are included
- size layers are offered so you can print only the size you need
- the pieces do not overlap (so you can cut directly on your PDF paper)

Summer Sun is a pattern allowing you to sew 27 different variations from size 32 to 52.
The bust measurement is the most important for choosing your size.
Height is 1.68 m.

Summer Sun is accessible from beginner to intermediate level, depending on the chosen version.

However, intermediate and advanced sewers will have fun with the different versions!

In the seamstress’s basket

Summer Sun is a pattern designed to be sewn in jersey.
Isabelle suggests choosing jersey with some stretch like cotton jersey, viscose, bamboo or linen containing a bit of elastane

For fabric needs count on:
- T-shirt from size 32 to 38: 90 cm for all versions. From size 40 to 44: 90 cm or 120 cm for the shoulder ties version. From size 46 and up count on: 165 cm
- Short dress from size 32 to 44: 120 cm. From size 46 to 52, count on 260 cm
- Long dress from size 32 to 44: 160 cm, from size 46 count on 300 cm
- Belt: If you want to sew the belt, add 10 cm to the stated yardage if you are making less than size 46. For those sewing sizes 46 to 52, the belt can fit into the scraps.

Regarding haberdashery supplies, you will need:
- a special jersey needle
- a stretch twin needle, optional but very useful for neat hems or for the better equipped, a coverstitch machine
- elastic 1.5 cm wide if you are making the "elastic shoulders" version
- rat tail cord for the "ties" version only as a technical aid
- small safety pins as a technical aid for the "elastic" and "ties" versions
- belt loop + elastic: for the belt option
- good quality coordinated thread.

Technical stitches

Summer Sun is suitable for beginners and those with some sewing experience. It's a great pattern to start sewing jersey, whether with a sewing machine or a serger.

By the way, this model requires quite a bit of machine sewing compared to other t-shirts that I assemble entirely with the serger.

For the technical stitches, we need:
- Sewing casings for ties or elastics
- Sewing tubular ties
- Sewing a collar on knitwear
- Creating a clean finish on the back neckline
- Sewing sleeve cuffs
- Making hems with a twin needle on jersey

Creating the casing with the iron

Sewing the casing

Threading the link with the safety pin

Our sewing experiences and supplies

Let's start with Marie-Hélène aka the chattiest one 😂

"I had spotted the Summer Sun pattern when Isabelle from Mimoï announced it on Instagram. I thought it made a great look with beautiful variations. So when Eugénie suggested we sew it together, I didn’t hesitate! I could already see myself in it! I wanted flowers and lightness. I had been eyeing the very beautiful Art Gallery Fabrics jerseys in the shop for a long time, and I chose a pattern of flower bouquets and butterflies, all full of color and delicacy.

I wanted a versatile model, both dressy and casual. So for my version, I chose a wide neckline and shoulders enhanced with ties. But not just any ties: the pretty satin ribbons you can find in the shop. And I chose a beautiful royal blue to highlight this detail and echo the blue of the butterflies.

A little tip in passing: to attach the ties, I first sewed them with a small securing stitch on the neckline side. Then, I lifted them to the side and sewed the shoulder seams, whose seam allowances act as a casing. And only then did I thread the ties through. I also cut a hybrid length, between a t-shirt and a short dress, so I could wear it with jeans, like today, but also as a tunic over leggings.

For the waist, I didn’t want the model to be too loose. I started with a 34 bust and a 40 at the hips. I knew the 40 at the hips would be too tight for me, but I didn’t want too big a difference between the top and bottom. My solution was to take in the side slits that the model offers for the dress version. And to enhance the casual look, I rounded the corners and made a rolled hem on the edges. On my pattern, you can see that I tried to reduce the waist fullness. I made a basting stitch on my garment, but it didn’t work. To achieve a more fitted silhouette, the designer suggests using a belt. I followed this advice and I really like it! I took an old belt buckle from my mother, yellow with glitter, and I went all out because my belt is a yellow and gold elastic. And there, the summer yellow really pops! Here too, a little tip: when sewing a visible waistband elastic, trim the corners of the folded edge so they don’t show on the right side. And overlock the edge with a tight zigzag to prevent fraying. The pattern offers multiple combinable variations, but the instructions remain clear. You immediately see the explanations relevant to your choices and between diagrams and texts, they are crystal clear! Thanks to Isabelle for designing this pattern as elegant as it is comfortable! You'll often see me wearing it at the shop!

Next is our tigress who loves cats, Céline!
I chose the long dress model with belt in size 38 on top and 44 at the bottom (yes, I like to be very comfortable in my clothes 😅)
I found the model very nice to make, easy and above all stress-free. It goes quite fast, it took me 3h30 from cutting the fabric to the final hem, taking it easy. I'll definitely wear it with a belt, that's why I wanted my dress to be roomy at the bottom so it wouldn't feel too tight once the pleats/blouson effect are made with the belt.
I assembled with the serger and did the hem seams on the sewing machine.

Finally, I finish the trio with my white tee with a flared neckline and ties to knot... for once I'm the least colorful 😂 Fan of patterns and flowers, I chose a plain white jersey to pair with my colorful bottoms!

I went with a size 36 as I often do with Mimoï and it always fits my petite size well 😂.
As Marie said, it's a pleasure to read Isabelle's instructions despite the many versions in the technical booklet, you always find your way without any trouble. It's very well thought out and we love it!

The sewing time is very quick and I was able to use my coverstitch machine for the hems for perfect finishing!