When summer approaches, seamstresses always switch to lighter fabrics for their projects, and there’s little wonder why. The heat of the summer is unbearable in some parts of the world, so looking for summer fabrics specifically made for this season is always a smart choice.
While everyone knows how great cotton is for summertime, a lot of people don’t realize how many cotton blends there are, which means you truly have a lot of choices when you’re trying to find fabric that is guaranteed to create super-comfortable clothes.
If you’re looking for comfortable fabrics for summertime, choose fabrics such as cotton, linen, rayon, or some of the fabric blends now available. Any combination of these fabrics will also work well because they are all super light and breathable, keeping you comfortable all summer long.
Cotton Fabric – Unbeatable When it Comes to the Best Summer Fabrics
No one can write about the best summer fabrics without mentioning cotton, right? After all, cotton is very absorbable, lightweight, and comes in a variety of colors, patterns, and designs.
The thing is, there are lots of types of cotton, so the chances of finding one that is perfect for you are extremely high. Below are just some of the types of cotton fabric you might want to look into.
Cotton Poplin
Typically found in men’s shirts but also used for a variety of summer clothing, poplin is usually made with cotton fibers and a tight weave, which means anything made out of this material is made to last. It won’t wrinkle like a lot of other fabrics do, and it is so versatile you can use it to make jackets and pants.
Cotton Seersucker
The feature that makes seersucker so recognizable is its surface, which is a bit puckered. It is very airy and breezy and therefore comfortable, and sewers often use it to make all types of shirts, blouses, and tops.
Gingham
Everyone recognizes gingham with its checkered look, and it is both super lightweight and very versatile. It is made out of 100% cotton and can be used to make just about anything, including dresses, shirts, blouses, and much more. It is also a very attractive fabric that both feels good and looks good.
Cotton Chambray
Made to look a lot like denim, chambray is one of those summer fabrics that is super lightweight and can be used to make a variety of clothing. Because of its functionality and great looks, chambray is a very popular type of fabric used for all sorts of summer clothes, even giving many of them a more elegant look.
Linen and Linen Blends
Linen is a natural fiber known for keeping people cool and comfortable. It comes from the flax plant and is available in tons of cool and neutral shades and colors. One of the things people like best about it is that when it wrinkles, you can simply sprinkle some water on it and smooth out the wrinkles with your hand.
While summer clothing can be made out of 100% linen, many of these clothing items are made out of a linen blend, most often a linen-cotton blend, which offers the ultimate in comfort. Linen, like cotton, absorbs sweat and is extremely light, and it works much like your air conditioner does, keeping you cool regardless of what the temperature is.
If you’re curious about what makes linen so cool, it is due to the fact that it has a lot of air permeability. In simpler terms, the air goes right through anything made out of linen, so the moisture doesn’t stay on your skin for long. Linen is usually very inexpensive and easy to maintain, so if you have lots of clothes made out of this fabric, doing laundry won’t be much of a problem.
Rayon Fabric
While not everyone thinks about rayon when considering which summer fabrics work best, it is indeed an exceptional fabric to wear during the hot summer months. One of the reasons is because it is a very thin fabric, not to mention one that is very lightweight and soft.
Often, you’ll see summer items such as athletic wear and sportswear made out of rayon, as well as shirts, shorts, and many other things. It is an inexpensive fabric to buy and comes in tons of colors and designs, making it a very versatile fabric indeed. Finally, this is a great fabric to choose when you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the laundry room.
Rayon is a man-made fabric and doesn’t always absorb sweat as well as cotton does, but it is still light and breathable. It is so soft that it feels great against the skin, and it is often mixed with cotton fibers to make it more absorbable.
When you make something out of rayon, the garment will flow and have a wonderful drape to it. It even has a glossy look and feel to it that is similar to silk, but without the steep price usually associated with that type of fabric.
Best of all, rayon won’t stick to your skin when you sweat, which is the last thing you need when you’re outside and it’s summertime. It is also a gorgeous fabric that will stand out regardless of where you’re going.
Summer Blends
Fabrics that are blended with several different types of materials are often used for summer clothing. These fabrics are a combination of two or more materials that usually include materials such as cotton, nylon, olefin, acrylic, and polyester, although other materials can also be used.
When this type of fabric is manufactured, the combination of materials is well planned and in just the right combination so that the end result is fabric that is breathable and/or whisks away moisture from the body. Blends are also super comfortable, soft, and for the most part, inexpensive.
Synthetic blends are especially good for people in humid climates and they detract moisture, making them perfect for certain types of athletic wear and exercise clothing, including leggings.
Blended fabrics are low-maintenance and can be placed in the washer and dryer when they get dirty, and you never have to worry about the clothes shrinking or being damaged while they’re being cleaned.
Indeed, if you want summer clothes that don’t need ironing, keep their shape, and can take a lot of abuse, blended fabrics are what you want, especially synthetic blends. Using a combination of natural and synthetic fabrics works well because they are lightweight and absorbable like cotton but won’t wrinkle as easily as that fabric does.
If you find clothing items that claim to be wrinkle-free, permanent press, or wash-and-wear, it is very likely they are a synthetic blend. You should still check the fabrics used in the item, however, just to make sure none of them are made for cooler weather.
In Summary: What are the Best Summer Fabrics for your Sewing Projects?
When it comes to finding the right summer fabrics, you certainly have a lot of them to choose from, which makes your summertime projects a lot easier to create. Fabrics made just for summer clothing are always lightweight, soft, and very comfortable. Blends are also good because they maintain their comfort without wrinkling like pure cotton does.
Whatever you choose, there are certainly enough fabrics to keep you happy the next time you sit at your sewing machine to create the perfect summertime shirt, shorts, or skirt.
