You may have seen on Instagram that I’m on a quest to find my favorite short-sleeve button up pattern for the summer. The Helen’s Closet Gilbert Top pattern has been making its way through the sewing community lately and it seemed like the perfect candidate. I wish I had jumped on the bandwagon sooner! The Gilbert top is pretty easy to make since it omits a few of the steps I dislike about button ups (ie plackets.) So far, mine has been a perfect staple as the LA weather is finally warming up.
Choosing sizing + fabric
My measurements fluctuate between the measurements for sizes 2 + 4. I ended up going with size 2 based on the final garment measurements. I didn’t want the shirt to be too boxy. I really liked the pattern has options for both B + D cups – I feel like that’s always a good sign of thoughtful sizing and drafting. The sizing goes up to a 58″ bust so it’s also fairly size inclusive.
The fabric I used is a cotton shirting (I’m guessing) that I picked up from the LA fabric swap a few months ago. It was the perfect match for the Gilbert top, since I was looking for something lightweight and summery. I can totally see myself making this in a linen or a crepe next time. It seems like it’s versatile enough to be well suited for many fabric types and I appreciate that the pattern makes specific recommendations based on the view made.
Sewing the Helen’s Closet Gilbert Top
My goal was to make an easy summer basic so I went with view A which has short sleeves and a tie-front. It also has a pocket, but I omitted the pocket since I didn’t really feel like I wanted it. Other than that I didn’t make any modifications. The fit is great and I love the look so I don’t think I will make modifications next time either.
This pattern is pretty easy to make as far as button ups go. I love wearing button ups but I dislike sewing the fiddly details of collars, sleeve plackets, and button plackets. This pattern simplifies a lot of those steps in how it’s drafted. The only slight hangup for me was that I’ve never done the burrito method prior to this pattern (not sure how I avoided it for so long!) The burrito method requires a lot of “trusting the process”. It’s hard at first to see how it’s going to work out, but if you follow the directions it will just work. Generic burrito method youtube videos can help too so that it’s visually clearer how it’s going to come together. Overall, I think the Gilbert Top could be a great intro to button ups for someone who hasn’t tried one yet since the drafting and directions are so well done.
Final thoughts
The Gilbert Top will be a new go to in my pattern library. I’m already going through my fabric stash and figuring out if I can use up any of the shirtings and lawns that have been in my stash forever. But before I make any more Gilbert Tops, I have a few more short sleeve button patterns that I’m going to try. Stay tuned!
