I know it’s been a hot minute since I blogged, but I was taking my yearly summer break to reset and hoping to get some other posts out first. Ah well.

I shouldn’t downplay how awesome this t-shirt is. You know when you nail the fabric+pattern combo and it’s just perfection? I picked up this fabric at the Alfatex store in Bremen this summer and planned on keeping it in my stash for a while, but then my sewing machine had to go into the shop and I was FORCED to work exclusively on my serger.

This knit is a gauzy slightly marled cream/light beige with delicate glitter and is as light as air. It’s more transparent than I expected, but it turns out that is a-okay because I love to wear a fun sports bra under sheer tops for a bit of added interest. (Also, underwire is the WORST.)

I didn’t really need any more t-shirts, but I discovered the Megan Nielsen Briar tshirt while doing Seamwork’s Design your Wardrobe series in July. With nothing else really pressing, I figured I could pop out a tshirt on my serger or at least do as much as possible before I needed to wait for my machine.

Spoiler alert: I managed to do the WHOLE DANG THING on my serger, but that is all stuff for another blog post. Suffice to say that the serger finishes on the hems are awesome and another reason I love this top.

Fabric and finishes aside, this pattern really is top notch. Lately, I am all about elevated basics and the Briar is exactly that. The exaggerated hi-low hem is super casual and modern and looks sooooooo good with leggings or skinny jeans. I’m a big fan of extra-long tops, but often find I need to do the half-tuck to make sure my legs don’t look ridiculously short. The Briar’s hem does that for you and you don’t have to worry about tucking it back in all the time.

The ease on this top is also perfect. As the booklet recommended, I cut a medium at the bust and graded to an extra-large at the hip. This allows the top to be loose and comfy without looking remotely baggy.

I only made two minor alterations. I shortened the neckband by about an inch as it gaped a bit and I also took in the bottom two inches of the side seams a bit. The sides flared randomly at the very bottom, so I just lobbed off a 1-inch by 2-inch long triangle at the bottom sides (for a total 4 inches off over all) and got everything to hang straight down. This is probably just a result of my grading, so if you cut a straight size, this probably won’t be an issue for you.

This t-shirt is an excellent example of how fabric choice can really affect the finished product. If you want a modern, cozy look, opt for super light-weight knits with a lot of drape. I’ve already got my eyes open for more fabrics like this one in basic colours because I NEED more of these tops in my life.