Basics: Minimal Tie-Front Crop Top

Sunday, 6 May 2018

Basics: Minimal Tie-Front Crop Top

Some quick weekend morning sewing. The key to this one is a thicker, firm stretch fabric so the end result has the prefect amount of support, while still being comfortable to take on & off without a zipper.

Tutorials take a lot of time & effort to create, and I choose to make mine available for free. If you enjoy this guide, you can support me with a donation that feels right for you, here.

TOOLS:

Stretchy fabric (I used a crepe with medium firm stretch, 1m x 1m piece) | Scissors | Pins | Thread & Sewing machine

I. Here are the measurements for my cut pieces. The initial size I cut would work for size US6/EU38, I trimmed it down at the point of doing the side seams to my US4/EU36.

Two pieces for the back:

And two for the front (notice you can cut these super economically - just cut the back piece first, and then when tracing the front piece the 'bunny ears' can be cut from the part that became the negative space on the back piece's neckline).

II. I first did the neckline and arm holes using the burrito method I show in detail here. Starting with pinning neckline...

..Sewing and pressing it, and burrito'ing the arm holes..

.. Eventually getting to the point where both neckline and arm holes were done.

III. Then grabbed the hem of the front piece with the bunny years, and placed the two pieces right sides facing, pinning the edges.

Which I then sewed, and clipped the curved/circular edge between the tie-up pieces:

Before turning it back right side out, pushing out the corners, and pressing.

IV. The sewing of the sides is a bit tricky to photograph in any meaningful way, but essentially you just need to manhandle the top so you match the armpit seams of the back and front piece, right sides facing, and sew the pieces together. At this point I sewed that seam taking about 3cm in from the sides, to get the right fit (I had tried the top on first to confirm that's how much needed to come off the sides).

V. Last, pull the back piece hem together starting from one side, pin right sides facing, and sew so you finish just a few cm before the center of the back hemline. Then repeat starting from the other side seam. Machine sew as far as you can go, and you'll be left with a small gap at the center of the hemline at the back, which you can close with a quick hand-stitch.