How’s your summer going so far? I feel like I need to acknowledge that it’s passing very quickly, but my family and I have been having fun and jumping at pretty much every fun opportunity that comes our way. We even have a real vacation planned to Chincoteague later this summer. Looking forward to some time at the ocean, it’s been too long! I haven’t mentioned it here on the blog yet, but on my Instagram you may have seen that my next fabric collection, Driftless, with Robert Kaufman Fabrics was just released (that means that shops are now seeing it and are able to order). I’m so honored to have been able to work with Robert Kaufman Fabrics once again.

Driftless fabric collection by Anna Graham for Robert Kaufman Fabrics

Driftless is a collection of 26 prints overprinted on Essex and Essex Yarn Dye, and Essex Yarn Dye Homespun (yesssss! eeek!) all printed in the USA. I’m so thrilled with how the fabric turned out. Don’t you love a good fat quarter stack like this? Here’s the super important part – it’ll be shipping to stores in December! Yep, I fully know it’s a ways away, but I think it’ll be worth the wait for you! If you’re interested in these fabrics, please share this with your local quilt shop and ask if they’ve ordered. That way they can be sure to get some! I hope this small peek of the collection will provide a little bit of inspiration and get you excited about sewing with it.

Annnnnd, I’m bursting at the seams excited to show you the projects I made using it! Also, I can hardly wait to talk to you about things that inspired me while designing the prints. Here’s a little hint. I’ll be saving the projects to share for when it gets closer to the release date (so maybe sometime starting in November?!) as I know it can be so hard to be inspired to make something yet not have the fabric available. So please hang in there!

Thanks so much for your constant support and encouragement over the years! This is truly a dream come true! I’m so excited for Driftless!

I really don’t love wearing shorts. Maybe it’s a comfort thing, maybe it’s a not wanting to feel too exposed kind of thing. Either way, I went on a spree of trying on shorts at various stores. It’s too hot and humid to wear pants, and a dress or skirt isn’t something I want to live in all summer. So I made shorts! They fit way better than any store-bought option and the fabric and finishes are much higher quality. Thank you sewing!

I’m always happy to make something instead of buying it at the store. It actually feels like a fault half of the time because I see something and tell myself “oh, you can just make that.” and then never actually make it. My closet looks pretty sparse lately and I’m ready to commit a little bit more time sewing a few things that I know I’ll wear. It’s hard to squeeze the time in, but it really is something I enjoy and I love sharing about what I make, even if it isn’t something from one of my own patterns. I hope you might find some of the stuff I write about helpful.

I had been seeing a few friends make the Spring Shorts pattern from Peppermint Magazine (pattern created by Pattern Runway for the magazine). They happen to be a free pattern, which is never a deciding factor for me. However, I thought it would be helpful to let you know that it appears to be somewhat limited sizing, which I’m guessing is part of the reason that they can offer it for free. I chose a size 10 and I think the fit is excellent. I did french seams for the side and crotch seams. I didn’t feel like changing my serger thread, so there you go! I think they’ll also be quite durable, too. I used some twill tape and a couple wood beads from my little pile of trinkets, and I really love how they came together.

The fabric is a linen from Indiesew last summer. I love it but at first had the hardest time deciding what project to use it for. At one point it ended up being, gasp, a table cloth! Which was perfect for the time (I didn’t even hem anything), but also was perfect from when I found it the other day and figured I’d give it a shot with these shorts! I think it’s the perfect shorts fabric for this humid summer.

I’ve already cut out a second pair (from chambray) that I’m equally as excited about. So hopefully those will get sewn up even quicker now that I’m familiar with the pattern, maybe I’ll add some patch pockets on the back!

Pattern: Spring Shorts by Pattern Runway for Peppermint Magazine
Fabric: Striped Linen from Indiesew, last summer (she has some cute options in her shop) also, Harts Fabric has a bunch of nice options here

So I snapped up Wiksten‘s linen earlier this Spring and totally blew the fact that I didn’t get enough for the first project I had in mind (the Wiksten Shift Dress/Top). I wasn’t too mad though, because I knew I could figure out something else to make instead. It’s such a beautiful color and nice drape for a summer garment so you can’t really go wrong. About a month ago, I had been seeing a few warmer climate sewists already sewing up tanks, which really gets the creative juices flowing when we’re still a bit cooler for a few more weeks. Surprisingly I felt the urge to jump in and get started even with other projects looming!

I always love Rae’s patterns, and the Gemma Tank had been high on my list for quite some time. It ended up being the perfect amount for a Gemma so I got to work! I love that this project takes hardly any time at all. Yet it still produces a beautiful tank that’ll be perfect for summer (and hopefully help get rid of my farmer’s tan a bit). I’m also really excited about keeping it around for fall and winter to layer under some cardigans (maybe I’ll even make one!). An added bonus is if you’re a Creativebug member, this tank is one of the classes you can take, taught by Rae herself! I love that. I’ve had a membership for maybe three years now and it’s such a great way to try something new or break out of a rut!

I started out without any changes to the pattern. I was really cruising along and finished, but then decided to wanted to take in the side seams a bit and then shorten it a smidge because I don’t think I’ll be tucking it in at all. I think the changes ended up being just right and am really happy with it.

Pattern: Gemma Tank by Made by Rae, video (which also includes the pattern) on Creativebug here.
Fabric: Wiksten Linen Fabric (peacock blue)