sewing 101: how to make a fitted top 🧵🪡 (beginner friendly), by wendy herrera on YouTube. 1 min 7 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 7 s
- Time to do it
- 2 hours
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Measure your bust, waist, hip and the length you want, then write the numbers down. Measure over the underwear you will wear with the top.
Wash and dry your knit fabric first so it does not shrink later, then press it flat.
Lay a fitted top you already own on pattern paper and trace around it. Add 1.5 cm seam allowance all round and cut the paper out.
Fold your fabric right sides together, pin the paper pattern on and cut one front and one back piece.
Pin the pieces right sides together and sew the shoulder seams with a narrow zigzag or stretch stitch, 1 cm from the edge.
Sew the side seams the same way. Do not pull the fabric, just guide it through the machine.
Turn the top inside out and try it on. Pin any loose areas, take the seams in, then sew again.
Fold the neckline, armholes and hem under by 1 cm and topstitch with a stretch stitch or twin needle. Press all seams.
Tips and common mistakes
Use a ballpoint or stretch needle; a sharp needle can make holes in knit fabric.
Sew a test line on a fabric scrap first to check your stitch length and tension.
Keep pins away from the needle path and your fingers back from the presser foot, since the needle goes straight through skin.
Questions
Do I need a serger to sew knit fabric?
No. A narrow zigzag or the stretch stitch on a normal machine works fine for a simple top.
What fabric should I buy?
Choose a medium-weight cotton jersey or rib knit with some stretch. Very thin or slippery knits are harder to sew for a first project.
How do I get the top to fit properly?
Sew the side seams with a long basting stitch first, try the top on inside out, then sew the final seams along your pinned line.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
