My Box Top Obsession

For years, I’ve avoided making clothes. I’ve very occasionally dipped my toe in with mixed success, but only ever with great trepidation. But no more! No more fear, I’ve found a pattern that is easy to make, comfortable to wear, and looks pretty darn good on me too, if I may say so!

Enter the Box Top by Frankie & Ray. I’ve watched on with envy as many of my local quilty friends have made many of these tops. Combine this inspiration with realising that the design is virtually the same as my most favourite short-sleeved tops to wear these past two summers (practically alternated between the two each day), and I was inspired to slowly gather supplies. AKA buy yardage of nice fabric to practice on and prints I’m happy to wear.

Alas, I procrastinated long enough to miss the summer wearing season, but when I was picking through a friend’s destash last month and found a beautiful, wide Kaffe Fassett voile, I suddenly had a spark of motivation. I had the pattern, I had an upcoming trip to Bali (currently there now, in fact) for which I had minimal tops that were comfy AND pretty suited for the climate… it was time for action.

I threw all the fabrics in the washing machine, then straight into the dryer, and prepped the pattern while I waited. Then I switched off my overthinking brain and got to work cutting out and sewing with the cheap but soft fabric!

Now, I will admit, being a beginner all over again IS a little daunting, even when you have switched off the overthinking/fear part of your brain. It felt awkward and a little uncomfortable trying something new and having to follow a pattern and the diagrams so, so closely. But in less than two hours, I was rewarded with a wearable muslin.

This first one was a cheap voile from Spotlight – chosen because it was cheap, soft, and pretty. If I messed up, I wouldn’t be upset because it was cheap. If it worked, I could wear it because it’s soft and pretty. I’m typically a large in clothing here, because I have a chest, so I went with a large for this one. It’s actually a bit too large! Fits the chest just fine, but around the torso there’s more fabric than I would usually wear. The soft, drapey fabric swishes around me a little, but it will be perfectly light and breezey in warm and humid Bali.

After discussing it with one of the aforementioned friends, I decided to make my next version in the medium size, and also add a couple of inches to better suit my height (5’11… yes, I’m tall). This version was also testing out a cotton/linen blend that I had also picked up for cheap from Darn Cheap Fabrics – a Rosalie Dekker print in a beautiful blue design.

Success! I really love how this one fits. It’s spacious enough to fit comfortably, but without such a loose-fit like my first. I had been a little concerned that it would look quite a bit more Box-ey than in a voile, but it doesn’t really! Guess my chest measurements work in my favour there, as well as the added length – I added 2 1/2″. I even got a little fancy at the neckline and did a double row of stitching just because I can.

Next up, the lusciously soft and pretty Kaffe Fassett voile. I love the final product, but oh it was a tricky sew! It didn’t help that I was sewing it on a very cold day here in Melbourne (9*C/48*F), and my fingers were feeling rather cold and stiff when trying to handle such soft and slippery fabric. I spent quite a long time trying to press the sleeve turnbacks… but I got there!

The final top I made was from a beautiful Cloud 9 poplin cotton also from Spotlight. It was so much easier than the Kaffe voile! And it’s probably my favourite of the four – the colours are very ‘me’, and it’s a case of wearing a fabric that I love and makes me happy.

I’m writing this post a couple of days before we fly out, and I’m planning on sharing pics of me in my tops while we’re out and about in Bali on my Instagram – @blossomheartquilts – so hopefully future Alyce lives up to this promise, ha! and you can go check them out in action.