The Assembly Line Cuff Top

This is a great pattern.  I love the top stitch details around he seams, and the cuff detail on the sleeves.

I made this one out of very cheap slippery fabric but I wear it a lot and it’s comfortable and (whisper it) flattering.  I used ‘nurses belt’ elastic in the cuffs which is VERY stiff and doesn’t stretch a great deal. The next one I made with softer knitted elastic, but the stiff type certainly gives it good definition.  I don’t know why the sleeve picture is upside down, I’ve reloaded it three times and no joy!

This is a great pattern.  I love the top stitch details around he seams, and the cuff detail on the sleeves.

I made this one out of very cheap slippery fabric but I wear it a lot and it’s comfortable and (whisper it) flattering.  I used ‘nurses belt’ elastic in the cuffs which is VERY stiff and doesn’t stretch a great deal. The next one I made with softer knitted elastic, but the stiff type certainly gives it good definition.  I don’t know why the sleeve picture is upside down, I’ve reloaded it three times and no joy!

The Cuff Top by the Assembly Line is a popular top, but, let's not beat around the bush, it's a pricey pattern. I already have several woven top patterns, but this one kept calling my name on Instagram, and eventually I succumbed. I made two versions - the first, my wearable muslin was in lawn and I made a M at the shoulders, graded out to an L at the bust and hips. I actually size into the L-XL, but there are two different size ranges with no overlap, so something to watch for.

Luckily, this is a rather oversized top, so it was fine, and I even sized down a little again for my second top. As well as colour-blocking, I also adjusted the neckline on the second top. The high boatneck looks good on lots of people, but this, combined with the very straight shoulders, meant the facing didn't fit me well. So rather than redraft it, I simply grafted on a similar neckline I knew fit me well.

As it turns out, I like this top a lot and will be making it plenty more times to make it economical! for more pics and details on both tops, feel free to visit my blog here if you're interested. :)

This is the Cuff top from The Assembly Line in a light weight canvas from my stash. I made it in a size L, and my measurements are: bust 105 cm, waist 89 cm, hip 117 cm. I think that I might size down next time, since I have narrow shoulders. I will have to taper to L in the hips, though.

I have since made the top in a more drapey fabric (a viscose twill) and while it is more comfy the top actually looks better in the stiffer fabric, I think. Fashion over comfort, or vice versa? ;) Best to have both! This is definitely a top that I will make many more of.

I'm so pleased I finally made the cuff top - now I can see what the fuss is all about! It's a simple pattern and would be suitable for sewists of all levels, including beginners.

I used this absolutely gorgeous Kokka fabric for my top. It's a 70% rayon/30% linen mix and it works so well for this pattern. Although it's a patterned fabric, I don't think the centre front/centre back seam disrupts the design at all. It's ever so comfortable to wear and holds the shape and structure of the garment details well.

I found the instructions easy to follow and I thought the diagrams were very clear and useful. Although there were a few sections that hadn't been translated into English particularly well, it didn't affect the overall clarity.

I researched the sizing carefully and read a lot of comments online before I started the project. The consensus was that the fit is generous, so I decided to make the XS and I think it's perfect for me (I'm 33"/27"/38" and 5'4"). Several people also said they had narrowed the neckline and I will too on my next version - you can't see under all those curls, but there is significant bra strap peeping out!

The only alteration I made was using 4cm wide elastic rather than the 5cm required, simply because this was what I had available during lockdown! I'm not sure how much difference that 1cm makes, but I really love the balance of the cuffs and would probably use 4cm wide elastic again.

Although this pattern is pricey, I definitely think it will be one I make many times largely because of it's wearability, but also because you can make something really lovely out of a small cut of fabric (I only had a 1.3m remnant of 115cm wide fabric and it was plenty for the size XS).

It's the beautiful details that make this pattern so special: the top-stitched seams, the elegant neckline and those pretty cuffs! I love the relaxed, comfortable shape, but I still feel very well-dressed in the top - it's a winner!