Linen, sand and saltwater- just make me think of summer by the seashore! Linen is by far my favorite fabric to sew and wear in the summer(and all other times too!)
In honor of the $5 Feature Friday pattern sale over at Love Notions Patterns, I decided to share some of my thoughts on sewing with linen. If there is one $5 Friday pattern you don’t want to miss it’s todays(6/16/23). The Aria is a classic button-down that is always a staple in any wardrobe~ especially my coastal preppy wardrobe.
Nervous about sewing a button down? No need to be! There is an awesome Aria on-demand sewing course that holds your hand every step of the way! The course is $25, but today if you purchase the course you get the Aria pattern for free! Just add the course to your shopping cart first and click the box for your free Aria pattern. Remember to use my code MARYSEWS10 course or pattern.
What exactly is linen? Linen is one of the oldest textiles in existence. Pieces of linen have been found in Egyptian tombs more than 4,000 years old! Linen fabric is made from fibers from the flax plant. Therefore, it is a natural fiber and has all the amazing characteristics of natural fibers.
Let’s talk about the Pros and Cons of Linen…
PROS
- Linen is versatile, it can be made into a great tailored garment or a relaxed casual garment.
- Linen is cool to wear. It is loosely woven which allows air to flow easily through the fibers. This makes it an awesome choice for hot and humid climates.
- Linen is absorbent and dries quickly. Linen absorbs moisture from the skin, which in turn controls body heat.
- Linen is durable and doesn’t pill easily. Linen is stronger than cotton.
- The more you wash linen, the better it gets! Linen gets softer and softer with each wash.
CONS
- Linen wrinkles easily. For some, this may be a deal breaker. For others, like me, I “embrace the wrinkles”. I love the relaxed look of linen~ even after wearing it all day. Wrinkles really are part of linen’s charm. If you prefer a “crisp” looking linen~ you can dry clean it or remove from the dryer while still damp and then press with a touch of spray starch.
- Linen tends to “grow” when worn. This can cause bagging in the knees and seat of pants. Solutions to that would be to line the garment, or use a stretch linen.
- Linens can be more expensive compared to cotton. The higher price is mainly due to its limited production and the hand labor that is still involved.
Some of the cons of linen can easily be avoided by using a linen blend. Linen/rayon and linen/cotton blends tend to wrinkle less than 100% linen. Stretch linens have spandex/lycra in them, which helps to alleviate the bagging. Linen blends also tend to be a little less expensive than 100% linen.
One of my favorite linen blends is Brussels Washer Linen made by Robert Kaufamn. Raspberry Creek Fabrics and several other online retailers sell this fabric. Brussels Washer Linen or BWL as it is often referred to can be purchased in solid colors and yarn dyed colors. At Raspberry Creek Fabrics you can also order custom designs printed on Brussels Washer Linen. BWL is a blend of linen and rayon. It has the coolness and crispness we love from linen and the fluid drape of rayon. Talk about an awesome combination! Below are a few makes I’ve made with BWL.
How to care for Linen and Linen Blends
Linen is often stiff when purchased. This is because of “sizing” (a starch-like substance) that is applied during production. After washing, the linen will be much softer. Washing your linen changes the texture and drape of your fabric, therefore you may want to prewash your linen before selecting your pattern/project.
Remember LINEN WILL SHRINK! So again, prewash your linen before sewing up your project. It is recommended that you wash with warm water and dry on medium heat. (Remember to finish the cut ends of your fabric before prewashing or else you will have a tangled mess!)
After your garment is made, I recommend washing in cool water and hanging to dry to prolong the life of your garment. If you prefer no/few wrinkles, put your fabric in the dryer and remove while it is still damp~ then press. You may also dry clean your linen garments for a crisper look.
Sew Mary Mac’s Tips For Sewing with Linen and Linen Blends
- Since linen fabric tends to be a more expensive fabric~ be sure to make a “muslin” of your garment if you’re not using a pattern you’re familiar with.
- Linen frays easily because it has a looser weave. Because of this do not do the following:
- Snip into the seam allowances for notches. Mark notches with chalk or an erasable marker. Cutting into the seam allowances for notches can eventually weaken the seams.
- Staystich neckline and any curved seams. They can stretch out easily and fray before you even sew them.
- Reinforce stress areas (crotch seams, armscye seams)
- Reinforce any area you have clipped into, such as a corner or a V-neckline. Why? Linen frays! A small square of knit tricot interfacing or a dab of Fray Check both work well.
- Remember with solid colors to mark your right and wrong sides, as they most often are identical. This avoids any confusion or seam ripping during construction.
- Consider “Block Fusing” your interfaced pieces. Visit this blog post for details on how to do this. This helps to keep your facings, etc from stretching out of shape.
- Use a universal needle. The size will depend on the weight of your linen.
- Lightweight~ 70
- Medium weight: 80-90
- Heavy weight: 100
- Make sure your needle is new and nice and sharp. You don’t want to snag or cause pulls in your linen.
- Use All Purpose thread.
- Sew linen garments together with a conventional machine, not a serger. A serger can certainly be used for finishing seams edges, but can lead to seams that pull apart and fray if used to sew seams together.
- Press as you go! I find that pressing as you construct your garment creates a more professional looking garment. When pressing remember to:
- Use a press cloth! Linen needs a higher temperature to hold it in place (Hence, the hottest setting on your iron is “linen”.)
- Pressing without a press cloth can lead to scorching. It can also cause “shininess” which can not be reversed.
- Finish Your Seams! Why? Because linen frays!
- Side seams can be finished with French seams and create a very pretty inside. Armscyes or crotch seams can simply be finished with a serger. You can also just finish all seams with your serger.
- Zigzag stitching or pinking is not the best option for finishing linen seams because of the looser weave.
- Hong Kong or bias bound seams are also an option. They are time consuming but create a beautiful and really high end look. If choosing to do this method, use lightweight fabrics like rayon challis for the binding. Store purchased bias tape would be too stiff and bulky for this purpose.
- Linens look especially nice when hemmed with a deeper hem. Turn up ¼” and then turn up again 1”-2” depending on your garment. Hems can be stitched by machine or hand.
Thanks for stopping by! I truly appreciate all of you that visit! If you enjoyed this blog post, consider subscribing to my blog to stay up to date with all my posts!
Mary Anne
Remember to follow me over on Instagram to see all my latest makes! @sewmarymac
You can also follow my Facebook Page~ Sew Mary Mac. On this page you will find information on my makes from all pattern companies. If I know of any good sales(pattern or fabric) I will also feature this information. I have had many of my loyal followers send me friend requests on Facebook. I do post in the Love Notions group under Mary Anne MacLean, however this Facebook account is private. There is no sewing content on that Facebook Account.
Pattern Recommendations
I am a Love Notions Ambassador, so I sew a lot of Love Notions patterns! I sew them because I loved them long before I became an Ambassador. My favorite LN pattern for linen/linen blends is the Aria button-down, but there are several others that sew up nicely in linen as well. Links to the patterns are below. These are an affiliate links. It costs you nothing to purchase from this link, it just helps fund my fabric addiction which allows me to test and review more patterns.
To receive an additional 10% off the pattern price, use this coupon code MACSEWS10. This coupon code can be used at anytime on any pattern….even a $5 Feature Friday pattern. My code does change quarterly, so please always check the newest blog post for an update if you find a code isn’t working.
Aria Buttondown~ Visit this Blog Post all about my linen Aria makes
Melody Dolman~ Visit this Blog Post for more details on the Melody
Presto Tunic~ Visit this Blog Post to see more details on the Presto Tunic
Cadence Dress and Top~Visit this Blog Post for more details on the Cadence.
Allegro shorts, pants and skirt
Lyric and Sonata dresses
A few other great pattern options for linen/linen blends would be:
Fringe Dress, Joy Jacket
Calvin Wrap Dress, Emerson Pants and shorts
Alder Shirtdress, Farrow Dress (See below my Farrow dress in Denim and Natural BWL)
Willamette shirt, Vero Beach set, Marseille Dress, Seaforth Pants, Sanibel Dress and Romper, Greer Jumpsuit
Gilbert Top, Cassidy Wrap Top, June Shorts and Pants, Reynolds Top an Sundress, Yanta Overalls, March Top and Dress, York Pinafore
Fabric Resources
I purchase all of my 100% linen fabrics in the garment district of NYC. It’s alway a great excuse to meet one or both of my daughters for lunch. My favorite shops are GrayLine Linens and Metro Fabrics. You can purchase online from Metro Fabrics HERE. The hot pink linen is still available along with some other great colors!
Raspberry Creek Fabrics ~ great selection of solid and yarn dyed Brussels Washer Linen, some solid stretch linen and custom printing on BWL
Surge Fabrics~ BWL
La Finch Fabrics~ Often have great 100% linens and blends
Stylemaker Fabrics~ good online source for 100% linen
sewmarymac.com 
Pingback: Spring Ahead With The Oakley Vest |