Sewing DIY-Lacey Crop Top

This crop top is super quick and easy to make. You only need about 1/2 yard of a stretchy knit fabric and a scrap of lace fabric. You'll also want a crop top or a shirt that fits well as a guide.

To make a pattern, fold your crop top in half and trace around the edges adding a half inch seam allowance. If you want to skip this step, just lay the shirt on your fabric and trace around the edges, also leaving a seam allowance. Depending on your fabric, you may want to double up and cut two pieces each for the front and the back. For mine, I only lined the front piece.

For the back, I made a V shaped neckline, and I cut a scoop neck for the front. I used the back piece as a guide when I cut out the front.

To make the lace section in the middle, fold the lace in half and cut a diagonal line to make a sort of trapezoidal shape. Take one of the front pieces folded in half and use the lace cutout to cut out a similar shape down the center, making sure to make it narrower than the lace for your seam allowance. Pin the lace onto each of the shirt front halves and sew the three together, top stitching the edges after.

Place this piece right sides together with the other front piece and sew around all the edges except for the bottom. Turn it right side out and top stitch the neck and armholes.

Since the back isn't lined, I hemmed the armholes and neckline instead. Placing the front and back right sides together, I attached the sides and straps, making adjustments to make it fit. Fold the bottom edge over, hem, and you're done!

MORE FUN: Swimsuit --> Crop Top Refashion

I made this quick crop top from an old bathing suit that I got from my mom. It used to be an attached two piece but I cut the bottom half off since I liked the print on top.

To turn it into a crop top, I started by taking the sides in to make it a little more fitted and then folded the bottom edges under. I used a zig zag stitch to hem it since the material is very stretchy, and then cut off the excess fabric after. (Very out of order, but I thought it was easier and the fabric doesn't fray regardless.)

Since the lettering on the front looked like it used to be coated in silver glitter, I finished off the shirt by adding on some glitter using a sponge and some silver glittery nail polish. The old glitter was in blotchy spots around the letters, so instead of coating it all in glitter, I painted it on in small areas and then blotted them with a makeup sponge to blend out the edges.

Flowery Eighties Dress Makeover

The first dress in what may or may not become a series of eighties clothes refashions is boldly patterned, loose-fitting, floral dress. I figured I'd start out pretty simple, and since I'd never wear that dress in its entirety, I went for a shirt and skirt refashioning combo.

Close ups of the dress.

The crop top was pretty simple to make. I simply cut the skirt from the bodice (no hemming necessary since the bottom edge was already finished) and took the sides in a bit for a more fitted look. I would've made it a little tighter, but since the material isn't stretchy and I didn't want to bother with adding a zipper or buttons, I kept it loose fitting.

The skirt on the other hand took a bit more effort. I wanted to keep the original pockets, so instead of cutting the side seams to make the skirt smaller, I cut down the middle instead. I also used a skirt I got from Target that I like the fit of for reference during the process.

I cut fabric from the top and bottom to get the length I wanted, hemmed the bottom edge, and used the leftover fabric to create the waistband. I went with a partial elastic waistband in the back so I wouldn't have to use as much.