About
How to Sew a Summer Tank Dress
The temperature's rising, but maybe you've tired of the ol' tanktop-and-jeans ensemble. Maybe you want a go-to summer dress but still want it to be comfortable for when it gets really hot. Revamp a tanktop with the addition of an old men's tee,** and live in soft-washed cotton comfort all summer.
**I've adapted this recon from the book Kakkoii Kuchuuru Rimeiku ["Cool Couture Remake"], by Hiroko Yamase [Bunka Publishing, 2009]. The book is in Japanese, and I've converted the sizing to Western sizing, and changed the methodology here and there. Hope you like it!
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Step 1Prep Time
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Step 2Wash and dry both your tanktop and t-shirt if they haven't been washed before. Turn the t-shirt inside out and cut off the label at the back of the neck. (not pictured) Cut off the shoulder seams all the way to the sleeve seams.
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Step 3Start Sewing
Sew the ends of the t-shirt's sleeves closed, just inside the sleeve cuffs. These will become pockets.
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Step 4Fold down about 1/2" along the slit shoulders (the raw edges) of the t-shirt, all the way around, front to back, neck ribbing to neck ribbing. Stitch down, creating a 3/8" hem.
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Step 5Turn the t-shirt right side out, tucking the sewn sleeves inside. Fold in half and mark the center front and center back at the neck ribbing. Do the same with the tanktop.
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Step 6Measure 4" straight down from the mark you made on both the front and the back of your tanktop. Make another mark at each point.
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Step 7Place the tanktop inside the t-shirt. Line up the center front of your t-shirt on top of the mark you made on the center front of the tanktop. Pin in place.
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Step 8Pin the neck ribbing of the t-shirt to the front of the tanktop, following the natural curve of the t-shirt's neck. (I folded the edges of the t-shirt under about 1/2" again, since I liked the way that looked.)
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Step 9Repeat Step 6) and Step 7) to pin the back of the t-shirt onto the back of the tanktop.
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Step 10Stitch the t-shirt to the tanktop, following the lines of the neck-ribbing of the t-shirt. Sew TWO lines of stitching to secure: one line at the very top of the neck-ribbing, and one line at the point where the ribbing connects to the t-shirt. Do for both front and back of your piece.
Embellish It! (Optional)
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Step 11
Use a piece of ribbon as a tie for the waist, stitching at the back to secure. (not pictured)
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Step 12Add studs, hotfix embellishments, sew-on jewels, or fancy trim to the the tanktop neck, the t-shirt ribbing, or the hem of the garment to doll your piece up.
You're finished!
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Step 13Without the belt, hands in pockets.
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Step 14Belted with a velvet ribbon.
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Step 15Tip: If you feel the weight of the t-shirt distorts the tank too much, sewing the sides of the tee to the tank will help eliminate the "pulling."
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Step 16Wear with some espadrille wedges and a cool pair of shades for a chic casual look as the mercury rises.
And check out my blog Chic Steals for more DIY tutorials and men's shirt revamps!
Thanks for reading - and if you have any questions, ask them in the Comments section below and I'll do my best to help you out!
xoxox
Carly J. Cais
xoxo
Carly
Oh, definitely! A t-shirt version would look great too, like as a shorter tunic with leggings as you wrote.
I love your username btw, LOL!:-D
Thanks for your comment!
xoxo
Carly
xoxoxo
Carly