Who Loves Linen?

[dhermann1]

FooFoo: Guys like linen too! I have 2 pairs of linen slacks from Joseph E Bank that I got last summer, and wear all the time now when the heat hits. The wrinkles are really sort of a fashion statement in themselves. I wear my light linen trousers, an open collar white shirt, and my new Panama from Panama Bob, and all I need a julep in my hand to be the consummate southern gentleman. I got a couple of pairs of SOCKS with a linen blend, and amazingly, they're great. Very light, soft and comfortable.
It's a very ancient fabric indeed. I believe the Egyptians used it.

 

[Foofoogal]

http://www.ulsterlinen.com/2.htm

Ancient indeed. lol

 

[hotrod_elf]

I love linen, too. Wrinkles and all. I just wish I was classy enough to wear what I make out of linen. I love sewing with it, the way it drapes, the way it feels.

 

[cookie]

Some guys like linen too...I'm one of them...just bought a pinstriped linen suit the other day

 

[Sunny]

Some guys like linen too...I'm one of them...just bought a pinstriped linen suit the other day

That is sharp. :eusa_clap

 

[Mary]

I want to sew some white linen trousers but all the linen I see is very seetrough. What should I do?
Find linen of better quality?
Make an "insidepant" of some other material? But what material? I still want them to be breezy.

 

[Foofoogal]

Nice to see this thread renewed. Searching for linen clothing is an annual event for me. It is just so much cooler fabric to wear. This year I found not only a fab lime green skirt but a jacket as well as lined pants. Not to wear together but as seperates with other colors but especially crisp white linen. Seersucker is another fabric I love in Summertime.
Not sure why you are only finding see thru linen. Maybe the seamstresses can help you.

http://sandysfancypants.blogspot.com/

 

[zendy]

Hurray for linen! I'm currently cutting out some nice heavy linen in an orange/red for a 40's mccall pattern I recently received. I'll post it in the what you made thread as soon as its done. I picked it up at JoAnn's for 1.50 a yard! Needless to say I bought the rest of the bolt. Anyone have an idea about how well circle skirts look when made from linen? I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the rest after the dress is done.

 

[djhatman]

Linen is great I have also discovered that bamboo is great also. I have several linen pants and bamboo shirts. I tell my friends it is like being naked but with clothes on.

 

[Mary]

Haven't you encounted the problem with seethrough linen at all?

The linen I've found is very coarse, maybe it's made for curtains, I wonder.
I haven't been able to track down something decent yet. But it was the same with wool. The US has a lot more variations.

 

[kamikat]

I want to sew some white linen trousers but all the linen I see is very seetrough. What should I do?
Find linen of better quality?
Make an "insidepant" of some other material? But what material? I still want them to be breezy.

Generally, white linen pants are lined. RTW white linen pants are usually lined with a poly lining, but if you want to maintain the breathablity of linen, you could line them with cotton batiste.

 

[kamikat]

Haven't you encounted the problem with seethrough linen at all?

The linen I've found is very coarse, maybe it's made for curtains, I wonder.
I haven't been able to track down something decent yet. But it was the same with wool. The US has a lot more variations.

The best linens are usually Irish or Italian. If you wash the yardage in hot water and dry on hot, before cutting, it should soften your linen, now matter what quality.

 

[Fletch]

I like heavy linen best. This suit, bought circa 1993 at Banana Republic, is close to 10oz Italian goods in a substantial, oxford-like weave. Eggshell/bone/ivory is my favorite shade, too.
Click to embiggen
I can leave it on a chair for a week and it's still wearable because it has such body. Try that with the tissue-paper linens in most modern clothing - super cool and light, but they can hold wrinkles till who laid the rails.

 

[Shirin]

I like linen too. At the beginning of the summer I saw all sorts of colors and prints (blue, green, turquoise, purples, pinks, khaki, black, brown,white, floral prints) at JoAnne's and Hancock's. Now both stores are just down to khaki, black, and white. Linen goes fast around here.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Linen is my favourite. I'm making DuBarry 1985B right now in a lovely sky blue linen with little flecks in it. When I want something classic and more "period correct" looking I'll make it in good ol' linen!

 

[Lauren]

I LOVE linen! I'm about to cut something out of linen as well. It's the perfect summertime fabric!

 

[Matt Deckard]

I'm keen on fustian?!

But linen... I like it, it's a tough material. Hmmm... I don't know, that's a big commitment. I do love wool.. and I love leather.

Hmmm...

 

[Lady Day]

Its just a joy to work with, so obedient. Im making a white linen dress soon yay!

LD

 

[chanteuseCarey]

Mary, line them. I have three pairs of Ralph Lauren high waist trousers and they all have full linings.

I want to sew some white linen trousers but all the linen I see is very seetrough. What should I do?
Find linen of better quality?
Make an "insidepant" of some other material? But what material? I still want them to be breezy.

 

[chanteuseCarey]

can't believe I found this thread...

My name is Carey L. and I am a serious linen freak (hand raised to introduce myself). All my stuff mentioned here is 100%, handkerchief weight. I have made two linen l/s blouses (lt. mauve and peach- the lt mauve was for a bday gift to a friend), a pink skirt, and even a pair of little navy sailor shorts and a lt blue shirt (heirloom sewing style) for our son at Easter when he was like four and five years old! The same navy linen was used to have a pair of bespoke pleated trousers made with suspender buttons on them for my husband to wear at Easter to coordinate with Daniel's outfit. One of DH's favorite pairs of pants after all these years, he just wore them the 4th of July.

Currently, I have purchases of 6 linen blouses and 3 pairs of lined high waist linen trousers. Almost all are Ralph Lauren and Ralph Lauren Chaps. And a bias cut peach linen skirt from Anthroplogie bought many years back. I wear these pieces all the time!

Except for the lined pants, they go machine or hand wash and line dry. Some pieces I have had over 10 years (classic styles) .

I have stockpiled cut yard goods of hankerchief linen (some of it very lovely Ulster) up to 6 yd pieces, for mens' and womens' clothing.

My after-the-wedding going-away dress was a white linen victorian-inspired dress by Jessica McClintock. Also had engagement pics taken in it (shot in blk&wht).

And last but not least I have stored in the fabric stash area six yards of a heavyweight beige linen that someday I will make into a Edwardian-style Motoring Duster coat!

Hey, the wrinkles are part and parcel of the intrinsic wonderfulness of linen...sigh