Check Out How I Made the Most Perfect Spring Top in This Tutorial

Tools and materials:

• Fabric
• Homemade pattern
• Sewing machine
• Sewing pins
• Elastic
• Scissors
• Loop thinner
• Ruler
• Measuring tape
• Fabric chalk
• Butons

The first thing I had to do was create my design. I sketched out the design I had in mind and then drafted the pattern, using my own measurements for the different parts of my torso. Making your own pattern requires some math, and you can see how I got these numbers in the video. Once my pattern was ready, I cut out the required pieces of fabric. 

Once all my pieces were cut off, I began to sew parts of the shirt, starting with the drawstring. Then I sewed the pieces for the straps, right sides together. Next, I trimmed the edges of the straps and used a loop thinner to turn them right side out. Then I pressed them flat with my iron, making sure the seams were in the center.

The next thing I did was to create the loops for the front of the top. I cut out one strip of fabric in the right measurement of 5 cm, then used that strip as a guide to cut out five more. Then I measured and marked their placements on the front. I measured 7 cm from the opening, and then 4 cm in between each loop. I pinned the loops in place, with the raw edges facing the raw edges of the shirt, then I sewed them down with a short stitch. I also marked on the other side where I want the buttons to go. 

To keep the loops looking neat, I cut out a strip of fabric and stitched it over the loops, right sides facing each other, across the top and down the outer side and back along the bottom. I folded over a cm at the raw edge so that it could be folded over when I turned it out. I did this by folding the corner across and under and using something sharp to poke out the corner as I flipped it. Then I topstitched both the front and back of the strip. On the other side, where I added the buttons, I first folded the edge over 1 cm and then again 2 cm, and then did a topstitch along the fold and on the other side. 

To make the casing for the drawstring, I folded up the top edge of the shirt by 1 cm and then again by 2 cm. Then I topstitched the fold all the way across the top of the blouse. While I was at it, I also hemmed the bottom and made a 1 cm channel for the elastic. 

I measured the elastic around the bottom of the blouse, then subtracted 2” and cut it to size. Then I pinned a safety pin to the end of the elastic and fed it through the channel, ruffling up the blouse as I fed the elastic through. I tried the top on to make sure I was happy with the fit of the elastic, then sewed the end of the elastic down and trimmed off the excess on both ends. I then repeated the process with the drawstring at the top of the shirt.

Once I got to this part of the project, I realized that I actually preferred this top with the elastic at the top and the drawstring at the bottom. Since the pattern went in one specific direction, however, that meant having to take it apart and redoing it. So I added an extra casing and switched them around. 

To make the straps, I first pressed the seam in the center of the back. Then I took a 30 cm long piece of elastic, which is less than the 54 cm length of the straps, and sewed it in place, pulling the elastic as I stitched so that it would gather up the strap. I pressed them with my iron, then tried on the top and pinned the straps where I wanted them and topstitched them over the topstitch of the elastic channel. 

I decided to also add another little strip of fabric so I could have a tie at the top as well as at the bottom. Then all I had left to was to hand sew the buttons and my top was complete!

That’s it, guys! I love the way this shirt came out! It’s so cute and the ruffles are just gorgeous. I especially love the ruffled sleeves, and they were so easy to make. As annoying as it was to make a bunch of changes throughout, I’m so happy I went back and fixed it all because I am just ecstatic with this final result. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!