Sew an easy Top for every day wear :Sewing pattern & tutorial

One would think Sewing clothes is not easy. I would think, Not.

Yes, there are complicated things in sewing – like collars, buttonholes, armholes, and threading the sewing machine. But what do you say about a piece of clothing without all these but is still very useful as a simple everyday wear. Something you can cut and sew as easily as pie. Here is a sewing tutorial to make a simple everyday Top. 

Sewing pattern and tutorial for that every day top

You need to know how to mark and cut fabric properly, sew a straight line, cut bias strips and bind edges. You also need to measure your bust round and hip round. 

Step 1 Cut out the pattern pieces

You can make this top in any dressmaking fabric. I am making in a cotton fabric. A drapey fabric like silk, satin, chiffon -all would do.

Cut out two 26″ long fabric pieces for your top; fold them by the middle. Below given is the pattern drawing – it is the same for the front and the back pieces except for the necklines.

On one piece, Mark the following markings (in the pattern picture below) for the front pattern except D-P. Form the armsyce in a soft curve. This is your front pattern.

On the next piece mark similarly, except do not mark D-E, instead mark D-P. This is the back pattern.

These are your two pattern pieces for the front and back.

You also need to cut out out bias strips for binding the armholes and neckline. Bias strips are needed because it has stretch to accomdate the curves of armholes and neckline.

Step 2 Sew the Shoulder seams of the front and back pieces

Keep the front and back pieces together right sides together and sew the shoulder seams.

Step 3 Sew the binding for the armholes

Take the binding strip you have cut on the bias for binding the armhole. Spread open the armhole as in the picture below.

If you want a visible binding (binding showing on the right side of the fabric as it does in mine) keep the top wrong side up and keep the binding strip right side down along the edge of the armhole as in the picture below.

Pin in place and then stitch in place with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Turn the binding to the front side. Fold the edge to the inside and top stitch the binding in place along the edge.Top stitch along the other edge as well.

Do the same for both sides. Remember to top stitch the binding neatly with an even edge and press in place. 

Step 4 Sew the neckline binding

Length of the binding strip needed to bind the neckline should include the circumference of the neckline plus 2″ for overlaping. Cut the strip on the bias.

As you start binding turn the short edge to the inside and start stitching. This way when you finish the binding the overlaped edge would be turned to the inside as it should be. 

Step 5 Sew the hem

Fold the bottom edges of the front piece and back piece to the inside twice and stitch in place.

Ensure that the length is same for both the sides. This is very important or else the side seams wouldnot match.

Step 6 Sew the side seams. 

Join the side seams of the front and back.

It sure finished a lot faster than even a lazy person like me intended. Good. Let me go back to that book again.

Related posts : Sewing pattern for clothes ; Learn basics to sew .