DIY basic, boxy white t-shirt from Sew DIY

Today’s makes are the kind of thing that I love to make and wear all the time, but feel kind of boring to share on the blog. They’re just so basic and simple that it hardly feels worth the effort to put together a whole blog post. But at the same time, I wear them so much that it seems worthwhile to let you all know that sewing basics is doable and worth the effort. So, today’s post, is a kind of love letter to the basic white tee and to the Lou Box Top.

CHECK OUT THE LOU BOX TOP PATTERN IN THE SHOP

Let’s get the fabric section out of the way first. Both of these fabrics are from bargain bins in the LA fashion district. The short sleeve shirt is very light weight while the long sleeve shirt is a medium weight. I’ve used both of these fabrics before for other projects but had enough leftover for a Lou Box Top. One of the things I love about the LBT is that it only takes a little bit of fabric to make. I can often squeeze out a top from just one yard of fabric. (By the way, the Lou Box Top pattern includes instructions for both woven and knit fabrics.)

I made a size 10 for these tops, one size smaller than usual. My bust is about 38.5 to 39 inches so I usually do a size 12 for woven fabric and a size 10 for knits. The pattern comes with a whopping 17 sizes, so it’s pretty easy to find the one that has just the right amount of ease for you preference. Here, I have 8 to 8.5 inches of ease at the bust.

For the short sleeve, or rather no sleeve top, I used the standard crewneck and straight hem options. This top works great as a layering piece in winter and I love wearing it tucked into high waisted jeans for a slim but not tight look.

This winter has felt longer and colder than normal this year, so I decided to add a long sleeve shirt to my collection. For this top, I again did the crewneck and straight hem but I added on full length tapered sleeves. The sleeves pattern is available with the Lou Box Dress 2 and in the Sleeve Expansion pack (a good option if you’re not interested in the dress patterns).

Make sure to check out the Lou Box Top sewalong. It has a ton of great how-to and tips posts for making the Lou Box Top. There’s even a video sewalong for making one in knit fabric like the one I’m wearing in this post. You’ll also want to check out the video for how to sew a t-shirt neck band. It’s a technique that a lot of people struggle with, so definitely worth checking out my tips.

If you haven’t tried the Lou Box Top pattern yet, you can find it in my shop and if you’re looking for more inspiration, make sure to check out #louboxtop on Instagram. This pattern continues to be my most popular pattern and I can understand why. It’s just a lovely dream to sew up something simple and it’s super easy to wear. I have a bunch of LBTs made in dressy woven fabric that I can wear to the office. And, then a bunch of knit versions that are perfect for lounging, working out and even sleeping. It’s an amazingly versatile pattern that never goes out of style. Happy sewing!

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