Supplies & Cutting

Special Seam Allowance: This pattern has a 1" side seam allowance. Before you stitch the side seams, please pin fit to adjust for fit differences from one fabric to the other.
Fabric: Bias-cut use lightweight silkys. Straight cut use knits or stretch (flexible) wovens. Notions: Thread, interfacings, for bias-cut styles, 1/8" ribbon and small snaps to make bra stays to put on inside of shoulder seams. The bias-cut version fits the body great; however; the shoulder straps tend to fall off.

Cut one front, two side fronts, and one back, front and back facings and interfacings. 
Option Serger Facings: Cut back neck facing only. Turning the serged seam allowance to the inside and topstitching can finish all other edges.

Special Stabilizing Technique for Bias-Cut Styles

Bias fits great over the curves of your body and left uncontrolled distorts across the neckline and around the armholes. Use lightweight fusible interfacing placed on neckline and armholes to control these edges. This way the bias edges will act like a straight cut garment and not distort.

1. Cut 3/8" strips of interfacing. Place the interfacing over the paper pattern. Around the hemline, neckline and armholes, draw the stitch line onto the interfacing. Make a strip of interfacing to extend from the seam line onto the garment for 3/8".
   
2. Place the pattern pieces onto the ironing board. With wrong side up, block the fabric onto the pattern to ensure that it is the right shape. Place the interfacing strip onto the fabric and press to bond it to the fabric. Now the bias-cut fabric has been tamed and will not loose shape.

Sewing Machine Construction

1. With right sides together, at the shoulder seams, sew the front neck facing to the front and the back to the front side panels. Press seams open.
   
2. With right sides together, at the neck edge, sew the front facing to the front. (For reversible styles, also sew the hem edge.) Turn facing to inside of front & press and pin to hold the facing in place.
   
   
3. With right sides together, at the armholes and neckline sew the facing to the garment, stopping and back tacking at the dot on the front side panel where the front joins to form the neckline. (For reversible, also sew the hem edge.)
4. Press, clip and trim the  seam allowances to1/4".
   
   
5. At the shoulder seams, turn the fronts through the backs to right sides out.
   
6. With right sides together, sandwich the front between the front side panels and front side panel facing.
   
   
7. Sew the front to the front side panels from the neckline joining point to the hem. Fold to right sides out and press.
   
   
8. With right sides together, at the side seams, sew the front to the back and the front facings to the back facings.
   
9. Hem the top.

Optional Shortcut Serger Construction

Only the back neckline need be faced. All other edges are just serged turned under and topstitched.

1. Serge finish all edges except neckline back.
   
2. With wrong sides together, stitch the back neck facing to the back. Press the seam open, understitch and trim. Press the facing to the wrong side.
   
3. Fold the seam allowance under across the top of the front neckline and top stitch 1/4' from foldline.
   
4. With right sides together, match the front to the side front and stitch.
   
5. With right sides together, stitch the fronts to the backs at the shoulder seams. Press seams open. Fold front neckline seam allowance under and topstitch around the rest of the neckline.
   
6. With right sides together, stitch the side seams. Press.
   
7. Fold the armhole seams allowances to the wrong side.  Topstitch the armholes.
   
8. Fold the hem seams allowances to the wrong side. Press and topstitch.