Tutorial 8 - Upstyled White top shortened with new Frill and elastic on back

Tutorial 8
Upcycled White Top with New Frill
and Elastic on Back

(After) Putting this frill onto this long white top makes it really 'cute.'

(Before) As the original top, it looked a bit frumpy.
Now see how we can 'Upstyle' it.

1. Work out how long you want the top to be, then make it 3inches shorter (allowing for the frill.)

Cut two strips. One along the hem 3 inches wide.

Then another 3 and a half inches wide (you'll need the extra half an inch to make a hem on this one.)

You should end up with 2 strips.

1 with the original hem and 1 a bit bigger with no hem.

Find a sewing foot that looks something like this in your machine box it's great!

If you don't have one it's a'bummer' but you can do a pressed hem using your iron and then stitch in place.

2. Using the 'Hem Foot' start sewing along the strip with no hem and let the fabric roll into the foot.

It makes doing a thin stitched hem so.................. easy.

Sew side seams together and zig zag raw edges.

3. Using the largest stitch on your machine stitch from one side seam to the other leaving a long loose thread.

Then do the same with the other side.

Then lay on a flat surface and gently pull the under thread, easing the gathering to roughly the size of the hem of the top.

Fold top in halt and notch to show centre front and back.

4. Roughly match up notches with side seams, centre fronts and backs making gathers more or less to fit size.

Then beginning at a side seam with right sides together start to sew.

When you have finished don't forget to zig zag raw edges and the press frill.

5. Before putting the elastic in the back, press a line to use as a guide for where you want the elastic to go. Remember to do a little vertical line to show where it should stop.

Turn the top inside out, working on the wrong side.

Lay the elastic along the pressed line and using a 'zig zag' stitch, begin by going backwards and forwards in one place.(Always leave a good inch to grab hold of at he beginning.)

Then as you really stretch the elastic start to sew along until you get to the end of the pressed line and zig zag backwards and forwards to finish.

This is a technique I use alot on tops and coats.

It gives shape to an otherwise shapeless top and adds detail to the back.

By adding the frill it transforms this top from a frumpy top to something more 'cute' and much more flattering.