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Summer is here, which means it's time for lightweight fabrics, bare shoulders, and clothes that let you move freely in the heat. But who wants to spend days cooped up inside sewing when the sun is shining? Not me!
That's why I'm sharing 10 patterns that you can sew in a single day—perfect for those of us who want to spend more time enjoying summer and less time at our sewing machines (as much as we love them).
Each of these patterns creates a light, airy garment that's perfect for warm weather. I'll share exactly which fabrics work best for each one AND highlight one pattern that you can get for free right now.
Meg Dress: Romantic and Versatile
The Meg dress combines trendy and timeless elements into one beautiful garment. This romantic pull-over dress features an elastic waist that creates a flattering silhouette, while the split scoop neckline is cinched with a drawstring for a lovely detail at the front.
What makes this dress special are the flutter sleeves—they add just enough feminine detail to balance the more casual elastic waist.
For fabric, you'll want something with nice drape to show off those flutter sleeves. Rayon challis is absolutely perfect—I'd make mine in a floral print that floats as you move. Lightweight linen would give you a more structured look that's still breezy, or try Tencel for something with a bit more sheen.
What I really love about Meg is how it transitions through the seasons. You can wear it with sandals now and layer it with a cardigan and boots when it gets cooler. The elastic casing gives you options too—you can do two or three rows depending on the look you want, customizing the gathering to your style.
You can find the Meg Dress PDF Sewing Pattern here.
Aaronica: Your Go-To Summer Tank and Dress
If you need a comfortable, body-loving tank top or dress to wear this summer, the Aaronica pattern is for you. It has a high neckline and fitted silhouette that's incredibly flattering.
The tank top hits just below the high hip, while the dress version hits just below the knee. I absolutely always have a simple, fitted, sleeveless knit dress in my closet. Not only is it easy to throw on, but I find it's perfect for travel because it's easy to layer and really versatile to dress up or down.
You can wear it with fancy jewelry and heels for dinner out, or throw a linen shirt over it to go to the beach—it really is a go-everywhere kind of piece.
For Aaronica, you'll want a medium-weight knit with good four-way stretch—at least 50%. Cotton jersey gives you that classic t-shirt feel, or bamboo jersey for something with more drape. I particularly love it in stripes, but a solid color is really versatile too. Rib knits add beautiful texture that elevates the whole design.
If you make both the Aaronica dress and the Meg dress, you'd have two completely different looks that work for different occasions—and each can be sewn in a single day!
You can find the Aaronica Top and Dress PDF Sewing Pattern here.
Siahra: The Empire Waist Midi Dress
The Siahra dress is a total summertime staple for me. This midi-length dress has an empire waist, adjustable straps, and a clever casing that creates a beautiful gathered neckline. The front is finished with a facing, and the underarms and back neckline are finished with single-fold bias tape, giving it a really clean look.
I love a strappy dress in summer, and Siahra really shows off the shoulders. The bare shoulders perfectly balance the loose fit of the dress. And it has pockets! Who doesn't love a dress with pockets?
For fabric, again you'll want something light to medium weight. I think this would look amazing in seersucker for that classic summer texture. Linen would also be gorgeous, as would a floaty rayon challis or even a batiste for something really light and airy.
You can find the Siahra Dress here.
Ariel: Effortless Column Dress
The Ariel dress embodies easy summer style. It has a midi-length column silhouette with delicate straps and a center front vent that makes it both stylish and practical. The clean lines make this dress look effortlessly chic without compromising comfort.
I love the loose fit and that vent in the front—it makes it so much easier to walk and move around in. I think this dress would be perfect in linen. I have a similar dress in red linen, and not only do I wear it all summer, but I like to layer it over a long-sleeve tee in colder weather too, which makes it really versatile.
For fabric, lightweight to medium-weight wovens work best—rayon for drape, voile for something really light, or even silk if you're feeling fancy. Linen or lyocell give it a bit more structure but still keep that breezy feel.
You can find the Ariel Dress PDF Sewing Pattern here.
Kari: The Secret Romper
The Kari romper is high on my list for this summer. If you're craving a garment that's the ultimate in summer comfort, this is it. This romper has a trapeze silhouette that actually disguises as a dress in drapey fabrics.
The shoulder ties add a playful detail and make for really easy fitting—and yes, it has pockets too! I actually wanted to make Kari last summer but never got around to it. I absolutely love short rompers in summer because I find them so comfortable and breezy, but also really easy to move around in.
I think a bright colored linen would be so pretty—like a bright pink or cobalt blue. Another thing I'm considering is metallic linen, which would give it a really special look for summer evenings.
For fabric, light to medium-weight woven fabrics work best—linen, chambray, batiste, lawn, voile, rayon challis—all of these would be perfect.
You can find the Kari Romper PDF Sewing Pattern here.
Darcy: The Secure Wrap Skirt
The Darcy wrap skirt is such a special piece because it has three radiating pleats at a lined tie closure that create a soft drape that draws your eye to the whole garment. It has a semi-fitted, straight cut with a curved, faced hemline, and darts create additional shaping at the back of the waist.
What's really clever about this wrap skirt is that it's secured with a hidden twill tape tie inside, and then the lined tie on the outside is sandwiched within the facing. This means you can move comfortably all day without worrying about the wrap flying open—which is something I always worry about with wrap skirts!
I recently came across a Max Mara wrap skirt in silk and linen that cost about $1,000, and thought how you could create a very similar look with the Darcy pattern. A sarong style is so elegant in summer, and I think it would look gorgeous in a soft linen.
You could play with the size of the tie, making it longer and wider if you wanted to. For fabric, light to medium-weight wovens work best. I think the Robert Kaufmann Brussels Washer Linen would be perfect for this skirt—it has just enough drape while still holding its shape. Rayon would give it a flowier look, or silk for something really luxurious.
Darcy would pair beautifully with the Aaronica tank I mentioned earlier because the sleekness of the top would offset the detail at the waist.
You can find the Darcy Skirt PDF Sewing Pattern here.
Patsy: The Modern Peasant Skirt
Patsy is a modern-day take on the peasant skirt with a wide waist yoke for shaping, a slightly gathered skirt, patch pockets, and a bottom panel that creates a beautiful silhouette.
I love the paneled look of Patsy because it makes it so fun to play with fabric. I think it would look amazing in eyelet, with the lace going in different directions for visual interest. Stripes are really fun too—you could have them going horizontally in the main part of the skirt and then vertically in that bottom panel.
For fabric, lightweight to medium-weight options work best—linen, cotton, cotton blends, poplin, double gauze. And for that bottom panel, you can get really creative—use sheer fabrics like lace, add some trim between the panels, use eyelet, or even organza to create something really special.
Want to learn more about playing with direction when sewing with stripes? Read this article: How to Sew Stripes: Tips for Matching and Playing with Direction.
You can find the Patsy Skirt PDF Sewing Pattern here.
Yarrow: Tiered Skirt with a Pleated Hem
Yarrow is an elastic waist two-tiered skirt with a beautiful pleated hem. It features an elastic waistband, in-seam pockets attached at the waist seam, and rectangular panels that make it perfect for border prints and eyelet.
The tiers give the skirt a lovely fullness that works well with simple tops. It also has two pleats at the hem, which gives it a special detail that sets it apart from other tiered skirts.
Yarrow is another great option for playing with fabric, and it's even easier to sew and wear since it has an elastic waist. The panels are simple rectangles, which means you can use interesting border prints, stripes, or eyelet—anything that you want to showcase.
For fabric, lightweight wovens are perfect—cotton lawn, cotton voile, cotton gauze, chambray, gingham, Swiss dot, linen, rayon challis. I'm thinking about making one in a lightweight chambray, which would give it a casual feel that's still really put-together.
You can find the Yarrow Tiered Skirt PDF Sewing Pattern here.
Kemper: The Paneled Tank Top
The Kemper top is a blank canvas for color-blocking, using your fabric scraps, and playing with different prints. Kemper features a partial peplum, front yoke, and a paneled front and back, with a bias finish at the armholes and back neckline.
Obviously, you can tell that I love panels in summer because I think it's really fun to play with lace and prints at this time of year. Kemper has this cute peplum that I think looks great with shorts, or you could pair it with either the Patsy or Yarrow skirts that we just talked about. Wouldn't it be cool to create a coordinating set with different panels of eyelet or color blocking?
For fabric, light to medium-weight wovens work best—linen, chambray, cotton lawn, batiste, shirting, double gauze, and rayon challis. What's really fun about this top is that you can use up smaller pieces from your fabric stash to create something really unique.
Not sure how to start color-blocking? Check out this helpful guide: How to Color Block Any Sewing Pattern.
You can find the Kemper Top PDF Sewing Pattern here.
Madhu: The Free Pattern!
And finally, let's talk about the Madhu top. This cropped raglan top is so easy to sew, you can literally cut it out and wear it on the same day. Not only that, but it's currently our free pattern! We rotate our free patterns, so if you want to grab a copy before it's gone, download it here.The Madhu top features an elastic finish at the neckline, sleeve, and hem, creating a silhouette that's perfect for spring or summer.
I absolutely love Madhu! I'm actually making a smocked version, which I'll share with you really soon. It's extremely easy to sew, and the cropped shape is perfect with high-waisted pants or shorts—or either of the skirts we talked about.
The elastic casings are what take the longest with Madhu, but they're actually really no-fuss to sew. For fabric, light to medium-weight wovens work best—linen, chambray, cotton lawn, batiste, shirting, double gauze, and rayon challis.
I think it would be especially pretty in a printed lawn with a really small, delicate print, or in a solid linen for something more structured. The Madhu would look absolutely perfect paired with the Patsy skirt—the proportions just work so well together.
You can find the Madhu Top PDF Sewing Pattern here.
Pro Tip for Summer Sewing
Here's an extra tip for sewing any of these summer patterns: pre-shrink your fabric! Summer clothes tend to get washed frequently, so make sure you wash and dry your fabric exactly as you plan to wash the finished garment before you cut into it.
This is especially important for natural fibers like linen and cotton, which can shrink quite a bit.
If you want to learn more about why pre-washing matters (and when you can skip it), read this article: Do You REALLY Have to Pre-wash Fabric?
Which of these summer patterns are you planning to sew? Do you have a go-to summer pattern that you make year after year? Comment and share!
