Estella Top
a step-by-step tutorial
Fusing
Fuse neck facing piece.
Prep
Neaten:
- Bottom edge of neck facing piece.
- One short end of the each strap piece.
- The upper edge of each sleeve casing piece
- The upper edge of waist casing piece
Step 1
With right sides facing, place your waist casing piece onto the waistline of bodice. Stitch together. Trim seam allowance in half. Under stitch seam allowance toward casing and press over to the inside of bodice. Top stitch in place along top edge to form a casing. Press.
Step 2
Thread your waist elastic (2cm/0.8” wide) through the casing. Stitch edge in place through all layers on both sides.
Step 3
With right sides facing, pin neck facing piece to neckline. Stitch together. Trim seam allowance in half and clip around curves. Understitch seam allowance toward facing. Press.
Step 4
Cut two 12cm/4.75” [ieces of 1cm/0.39” wide elastic.
Fold strap piece in half with wrong sides together and press to come a centre line. Open back up and and pin one of your strap elastic pieces to one side of the centre fold line. Stitch to strap at top edge (opposite end to the neaten edge). Place a safety pin through the open end of elastic. This will be used later tp pull the elastic through the strap. Repeat for other strap.
Step 5
Open out the shoulder edge of bodice and facing. Line up the centre fold on strap piece with the seam line between bodice and bodice facing. Stitch together. Repeat on other side.
Step 6
Fold neckline facing through to the inside and press edge well. Baste facing to bodice 5mm from the edge of armholes to hold in place.
Step 7
Stitch a long gathering stitch between centre notch and double notch on each sleeve and between notches on armhole of each wrap bodice piece.
Step 8
With right sides facing, open up other edge of strap and stitch to wrap bodice, from the outer edge, only as far as the centre fold line of strap. Repeat on other side.
Step 9
Fold the strap closed and baste together along very edge to secure in place, being careful not to stitch through your elastic on the inside. Repeat on other side.
Step 10
With right side facing, pin sleeve and bodice together following the guidelines below. Once everything is gathered and lined up, stitch together. Neaten edge. Repeat for other sleeve.
Step 11
Pull the strap elastic through strap casing. Remove safety pin and stitch securely in place. Repeat for other side.
Step 12
Press top edge, short end and bottom edge of wrap piece in toward the wrong side 1cm/0.39”. Top stitch in place. Repeat for other side.
Step 13
With right sides facing, pin your wrap bodice pieces in to place, matching up underarm and side seams. The hem of wrap pieces should meet bottom edge of waist casing. Stitch together. Neaten seams. Skip straight to sleeve casing step.
Step 14
Fold sleeve casing in half with right sides facing. Stitch short ends together. Press seam allowance open. Repeat for other sleeve casing.
Step 15
Place sleeve casing around sleeve hem edge with right sides facing, lining up the seam of casing with the seam of sleeve. Stitch together around edge. Trim seam allowance in half. Under stitch seam allowance toward casing. Turn through to the inside, press edges and top stitch in place leaving a 2.5cm/1” opening at underarm seam to thread elastic through.
Step 16
Cut your sleeve elastic piece in half.
Attach a small safety pin to one edge of your elastic and pin the other end to the seam allowance, right next to the hem opening. Thread safety pinned edge through the gap, threading through until it returns out the same hole.
Step 17
Remove pinned edge of elastic from seam allowance and remove safety pin from the other end. Overlap the two open ends of elastic and safety pin them together. Try the top on to check the fit of elastic. Adjust accordingly then stitch elastic together securely. Stretch out hem and sleeve casings until the stitched part of elastic is sitting within the facing, then stitch opening closed.
you did it!