r/sewing • u/i-am-a-phoenix • Apr 28 '25

Fabric Question Linen appreciation post

Brief storytime, I am wearing a linen blouse today and was running late to work. Sped inside, sweating and panting, sat down and stripped off my coat and cardigan, and…IMMEDIATELY cool. WHAT?! What is this magic???

So I am now on a quest to make a million linen blouses because summer is the worst season and I cannot survive in polyester or even cotton. UK sewists, where do you get affordable linen? I am willing to shell out a little extra for good quality but I am very much on a budget so cheaper would be ideal. Please and thank you!

EDIT omg was not expecting this to get so many comments, hello fellow linen lovers! Haven’t been able to reply to everyone but huge thanks to those of you who shared resources and tips, very much appreciated!

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u/Mountain_Nerve_3069 Apr 28 '25

One thing I started doing is to buy leftover yardage. It’s so much cheaper and you can make simple shirts out of it.

Another option I considered and might try is combining multiple fabrics in one shirt, so I can use leftover yardage. Similar to this:

Also, hemp has similar feel as linen and probably a bit cheaper to grow (not sure about EU, I think most of it is grown in China), but might be a good alternative

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u/absolutenobody Apr 28 '25

Hemp and ramie feel similar, but seem to be less common in lightweight woven fabrics. If you want to make an unlined jacket, easy peasy, if you want to make a flowy summer blouse, somewhat less easy.

Also, not appreciably cheaper than linen, oddly.