I am typing this on a day it has poured down with rain all day in Oxford, so what better time to share one of my Summer makes! To be fair I have a bunch more I haven’t shared yet, but who cares about blogs being seasonably appropriate?!

This is a Helen’s Closet double bill – the Gilbert Shirt and the Arden Pants (shorts hack). I’ve made so many Arden pants at this point that I don’t even need the instructions. I always make the size 6 and these shorts were made from the same hacked version of the pattern as all of the other pairs I made slightly earlier in the year.

I made the Gilbert Shirt in the size 8, as with my other version, which is 2 sizes bigger than my measurements, to give the same over-sized fit. I do really love this pattern and definitely want to make some more for next Summer.

The fabric was the left-over linen from my backless suit. I had planned to make a pair of shorts from the same pattern as the trousers but didn’t get around to that. I had juuuust enough fabric to squeeze out both the shirt and the shorts – but the shirt couldn’t have any pockets and the inside yoke is made from a scrap of the pink linen I used for the other shorts. But it was a real scrap-buster! I really love the colour of the linen (which was from a shop in Abingdon) but to be honest the linen is a little thick for really hot weather – I did wear it on my Italian holiday when it was 35 degrees+ and I was a little sweaty. But to be fair I was sweating no matter what!

I really like wearing a matchy-matchy co-ord set. And of course, I could wear the garments with other things for a different vibe – and to get more wear out of both items. I think I might need to be on the lookout for some fun prints for a more ‘out there’ set for next Summer. Though next Summer feels a long way away from rainy, cold, dark Oxford!

I experimented with a french tuck, a half tuck, and not tucked in at all and I like it all the ways! But maybe the french tuck looks least good as the fabric is a little bulky to look nice?

Have you worn or made a summer co-ord set? I loved it on the Sewing Bee when they had to make a set – I’d not really heard of a co-ord set before that to be honest. And now I’m hooked!

I am going on holiday to Thailand next month so this might get one more outing this year!