Spring Tops to Sew: Shirts and Blouses for Me Made May

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Last week we shared some of our essential patterns and fabrics for knit t-shirts and tank tops, and this week we’re back with lots of ideas for woven shirts, tops, and blouses. Now is the perfect time to take stock of your wardrobe and figure out what you’ll want to be wearing in the coming months—maybe a new shirt or two for summertime? Lightweight linen is an excellent fabric pick—linen is cool, breathable, and antimicrobial, so it’s a great choice for shirts of all styles. We love linen for tops like the Uniform Tunic, The Ellsworth, and the square-neck top from the Protea Capsule Wardrobe.

Belvedere is the newest addition to our collection of cotton twills—with a smooth hand, a slight shine, and a rainbow of gorgeous colors, this is a fabric you’ll love making a part of your spring wardrobe and then wearing year-round. At 115 GSM this twill is even lighter than our Fineline Twill, so it’s a great choice for crisp, cool summer tops like the Vernon Shirt and the Bonnie Woven Top. Our beautiful range of colors will give you so many options for creating your own color-blocked Poncho Shirt!

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Silk is a wonderful choice for summer tops—it transforms a simple shirt pattern into something truly special! Crepe de chine is light, lovely, and a bit sheer with a delicate crepe texture. Silk noil or “raw silk” is a bit heavier with a lovely drape and a slubbed texture—adding subtle luxury to your everyday wardrobe. We love the variety of looks that different silk fabrics can bring to patterns like Shirt No. 1, the 1930’s Butterfly Blouse, and the Victory Tank.

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We love sewing and wearing cotton all year long, but there’s something about this time of year that makes us want to break out the cotton batiks and sew some cool summer tops! Cotton batik starts with a crisp, tightly-woven fabric and is dyed with a wax resist technique to create incredible detailed designs. It’s the perfect pairing with button-up patterns like the Jensen Shirt and the Florence Shirt, and for cute, collared pullovers like the Donny Shirt.

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For even more inspiration, check out our Button-Up Shirts and Beyond Button-Ups Spotlights—our team really honed our shirt-making skills last year and we have so many ideas and sewing tips to share!

Shirts, tops, and blouses are often the pieces that pull everything together. They’re where fabric, fit, and personal style really meet—whether it’s a crisp button-up, a relaxed tunic, or a beautifully draped blouse. These are the garments that can shift with the season, layer easily, and become the most versatile parts of your handmade wardrobe.

As we head into May, we’re especially excited to celebrate Me Made May with all of you. This year, we’ll be sharing new staff spotlights, highlighting what our team has been sewing and wearing—many of them featuring incredible tops that have quickly become favorites. It’s always inspiring to see how different fabrics and patterns come to life on real people, in real wardrobes.

We hope these ideas spark something for you as you plan your next projects. Whether you’re sewing your first shirt or adding to a well-loved collection, there’s so much possibility in these pieces. We can’t wait to share more inspiration throughout the month and to see what you’re making right alongside us.

Thank you and Happy Sewing!