My many Mercer tunics.

I might have gotten a little carried away with the Mercer Tunic pattern by Whitney Deal…

I’ve now made 4 of them over not that long of a time period…

There are several things that I like about this pattern. First, the style suits my current wardrobe mood and weather conditions perfectly. In Florida, you can pretty much rely on the weather being on the toasty side, so my standard pull from the closet is usually a pair of shorts and some sort of sleeveless top. The Wiksten tank (a few examples here and here) has been my go-to for awhile, which is why I think I’ve been ready for a change of pace.

I like the simple style of this top, and how the sleeves offer a slight drop over the shoulder. Plus, there are some enticing detailing opportunities like adding a contrast binding, making use of interesting buttons, or in selecting your overall fabric. On top of all of that, it doesn’t use a ton of fabric and it comes together fairly quickly.

Win-win-win-win.

Overall, it’s a flattering silhouette and I only made a couple of alterations.  First, I shortened the tunic by a few inches as well as added a curve to the hemline. I’m not super tall, so eliminating some of the length is a better fit for me. Second, I took in the sides a bit for a better fit as well.

In my first version, I used this Swiss Dot Chambray in black. I’ve been completely obsessed with this fabric ever since it came out. (It’s already made cameos in my Collection quilt and in an Austin House quilt.) The texture is amazing, and the drape is perfect for a summer shirt.

Just for fun, I used Chambray Pin Dots in indigo for the binding.

The buttons were some that I picked up at Road to California earlier this year. It’s always fun to put something to use that I’ve been hanging on to.

The second and third versions happened almost in tandem. There is a silk version (Radiance in peacock), which feels so luxurious to wear. The buttons are vintage goodies from my stash.

I used the reverse–or matte–side of the silk so that it wouldn’t be too shiny.

Also massively luxurious to wear is my next version in Liberty. Oh man. I’ve always loved this print and finally indulged in some while at Sarah’s Fabrics in Lawrence last September. This was the perfect project for it.

With the other versions, I simply serged my seams, but with this one I employed french seams. It’s not that French seems are any harder or that much more work, but I had the fit nailed down by this point, and I felt the Liberty deserved a super-clean finish.

Also in the tasty-lawn family, this next version is made out of some London Calling. It’s so soft and comfortable, and I really love the colors in this print. The navy-gingham buttons are more goodies that I’ve been waiting for the right time to use.

With this one, I got just a little crazy and lengthened the back hem while also splitting the hem at the side seams.

If the above are not already enough of an indication, I seem to be into tactilely-pleasing fabric choices at the moment. Maybe it’s because of it being summer or maybe it’s just because there are so many good options out there. Either way, it’s not a bad problem to have.