Criss Cross Back Top Tutorial

 I LOVE this top...whether it is for maternity or for non-maternity I love it. It can be a casual or dressy top with a party in the back! Oh the surprise in the back is the best. You can wear this to the pool with just your cute back and swimsuit peeking out or layer it with something fun underneath. 

Supplies:

1-2 yards of anything from stiff to flowy fabric

scissors

pins

sewing machine

thread

fabric marker

optional - paint, stencils, and brush

Instructions:

1. Lay and trace a shirt that you like the fit of in the shoulders and arms area on top of your fabric, make sure the shirt is made up of the same material as your fabric. Make sure to trace the armholes and the sleeves as accurately as you can. After tracing just the front of the shirt, taper slightly from the bottom of the armhole down to the bottom of the shirt (make it whatever length you want), like the picture. Cut out the sleeves and front of the shirt. Measure the armholes and make sure they are the same length before you cut. When cutting out the back, take the newly cut front piece and trace it onto the fabric. Add a slight curve from the neckline to the bottom of the shirt, like the middle picture below, make two. 

2. Pin and sew the front and back pieces together at the side seams and the shoulder seams, right sides together.

3. Hem the shirt a quarter of an inch, starting at the top of one of the curved pieces, down and around to the front and back up to the other curved piece.

4. Baste stitch the top neckline of the two back pieces together, then hem the entire neckline a quarter inch.

5. Sew the sleeve's seams closed, making two tubes. Then hem the bottoms of the sleeves an quarter of an inch to an inch.

6. Attach the curved openings of the sleeves to the armholes, pinning right sides together. Sew.

*Optional: Stencil a print...click here for tutorial.