https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/the-baby-in-red-top • Posted by Sewing In No Mans Land
I am a big fan of details when sewing. But sometimes the details can mean difficult sewing or in the very least tedious. This little top is so much fun with its ruffles on top of ruffles details and is actually super easy. Since it is just a top the tedious bit is minimized. You could do it in any eye catching color or a rainbow of colors for a fun cheerful effect. It needs no pattern and is all strait line sewing! Easy peasy!
I am a big fan of details when sewing. But sometimes the details can mean difficult sewing or in the very least tedious. This little top is so much fun with its ruffles on top of ruffles details and is actually super easy. Since it is just a top the tedious bit is minimized. You could do it in any eye catching color or a rainbow of colors for a fun cheerful effect. It needs no pattern and is all strait line sewing! Easy peasy!
The first thing you will need to do is measure your cutie. First measure around their "bust" for a lack of better word. Measure right up under their armpits all the way around. When you get your number make sure to add at least 2 inches for seams and wiggly room. This is going to be how wide your main rectangle is going to be and how long you need to make your 'neckline band' piece. Now measure where the center of their collar bone down to where you want the top to hit. Again add some for hemming etc. This is going to be how long your main rectangle is going to be. Now the last measurement you need is for your straps. measuring from the top of the front of your munchkins arm puts across the shoulder and back to the top of the armpits in the back. Now that you have all your measurements lets cut some fabric! You will need a main rectangle. Cut this using the two main measurements you took. I made mine flare out just a bit at the bottom since Evie has a fun little pot belly. Next lets cut the neck band. This should be long enough to go all the way around the main rectangle. How wide it is depends on how chunky you want the band to be. I cut mine so it was 4 inches wide. Next use your measurement for your straps and cut two straps as long as your measurement and again as wide as you would like them to be. Again mine were 4 inches. With the fabric that remains you are going to cut ALOT of long strips of fabric. Mine were as long as I could make them and 3 inches wide. I ended up using 8 strips. I serged one raw edge of all of the strips.
At this point I got my straps and neck band ready. I ironed over both long edges of the strips then folded them over again length wise and iron them. Topstitch the straps closed but leave the neck band open.
(I serged the ends of the straps but you don't have to) Now set these aside, we'll come back to them :) Now comes a bit of monotony. You are going to hem and ruffle all those loooooonnnng strips of fabric. If you serged one side then hem the other. Once hemmed stitch a gathering stitch the length of the strip on the opposite side of the hem. Repeat this for all of your ruffle strips.
Now take your main rectangle and hem the bottom. I wanted to make sure I topstitched my ruffles on nice and straight so I took a ruler and some fabric chalk and drew nice straight guide lines. This is totally optional but I think it helps :)
Pin your first ruffle on the right side of your fabric just on top of the hem you sewed earlier.
Topstitch it in place. Now repeat this process with all your ruffles with the top of the one you sewed previously being covered by the bottom of the next. Repeat until you have all your ruffles to the top.
Once you are done grab the neckband piece you ironed earlier. Slide the top of your tiered ruffles up in between the two ironed edges of your neckband. Pin in place and then topstitch.
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Now grab your two straps that you created earlier and pin them in place.
Your all done!!!! Now your turn!!!