Free Spirit Tunic Tutorial

I've been wanting to make a tunic for a while. 

I browsed around online at Free People and found this for inspiration. 

It's $298.00

So on Friday I went to the fabric store and spent $ 17.00 on a yard of Anna Maria Horner's gorgeous voile - the perfect thing to make a flowy tunic (or to snuggle with on the floor).

Here's my step by step process - it's not the most precise tutorial, because I was kind of just free-style sewing it -  but I did my best to document it for you in case you would like to make one.  I would also like you to know that I really made it goofy the first time.  Here's your comic relief for the morning.

Bad.  Too blousy - not enough shape. 

So I ripped and ripped and basically started over. 

Here's what you will need:
1 yard of voile - 56" wide
3/8" wide elastic
sewing machine/thread
scissors
measuring tape

Step 1:  Lay the fabric out folded in half.

Then fold it in half again.  Determine the size of your neckline - I cut a triangle 3"x2".

Cut all the layers.  This is the back neckline. 

Now split the top layer along the fold -about 5"down. 

Cut a straight line from the bottom of that slit to the top at the 3"mark (only cut ONE layer).  Flip the fabric over and repeat on the other side.

Step 2:  Hem all of the sides and the neckline.  Turn each edge over once and then again and press. Pin it well and topstitch the hem.

Step 3:  Now it's time to give it some shape (the step I skipped the first time :)
Measure your waist at your bellybutton.  Mine was 31".
Now take half of that measurement and add it to the original measurement.  Mine was 31+15 1/2" = 46 1/2"  Now divide that by 2.  46"/2 = 23" - we'll call this measurement C 
Fold the tunic in half.  Along the fold, measure 9" up from the hem.  Then measure your C measurement out from the 9" mark.  At the corner edge of the tunic draw a line to the 23" marking.

Step 4:  Now measure your armhole.  From the top right edge measure down 8".  (or more if you think you might need it).   From that 8" marking, draw a line to the 23" mark.  It will look kinda like this once you cut it.

Are you still with me? :)

Step 5:  Cut along those lines through all layers.  Open up your tunic and turn it right sides together.  Now we are going to add the elastic.

Step 6:  Find the center of the front of the tunic.  Measure up 9" and place a pin.  Starting at the edge, 5" up from the hem, draw a curved line up to the 9" measurement and then back down to the other 5" marking. 

Pin the elastic to one edge and sew it on - pulling it tight towards you as you go (this will make it gather).

Step 7:  Still right sides together, lay the tunic down back side facing you.  Draw a line 5" up from the hem straight across the tunic back.  Pin the elastic to one edge and sew it on using the same method as before.

Step 8:  You're almost done!!  From the 8" mark (at the bottom of the armhole) sew the side seams,right sides together, using a 1/2" seam.  Stop at the 5" mark before the hem - so that you will have the slits on the sides.

Step 9:  Sleeve detail.  Find the center top of the sleeve.  Sew a basting stitch about 7-8" along the center of the sleeve.  Gather it - more towards the edge of the sleeve - when you are happy with it - secure it with a regular topstitch.

Wow - so if you made it through all that and even remotely understood what I was talking about -BRAVO!!  Load a pic up to the Flickr Pool so I can see! and remember - it's the last day to leave a comment for a chance to win the "kick up your heels" apron!

Happy sewing,
jessica

Men's Indian Kurta Tutorial

Hello! This is the beginning of my first tutorial :) These are the directions for making a tunic, specifically an Indian Kurta, but you could adapt it for any tunic top. These are the supplies you will need: Fabric marker or chalk, pins, yardstick, 4 1/2 yards of fabric (and 4 1/2 yards of lining if you want to line it), thread, scissors, sewing machine, and machine embroidery floss (if your machine has an embroidery feature).

Begin by taking these 4 measurements:

1. Shoulder to knee=_____, then add 1"
   
2. Shoulder to wrist=_____, then add 3"


3. Shoulder to hip=_____


4. Hip measurement=____, then add 5" (measure around largest part of hips.....really fun:)
   

So as an example my hubby's measurements were: 1. 46" 2. 27" 3. 26" 4. 48"

Step 1: Find a loose fitting t-shirt to use as your pattern for the bodice. Fold your fabric, selvages together - then fold the t-shirt in half, and lay it on top - the fold of the t-shirt should line up with the fold of the fabric.
Trace with fabric pen around the front neckline, shoulder seam, and armhole.

Step 2: Remove the t-shirt.

Measure from the shoulder seam straight down to the hip (measurement #3) - in Ryan's case, 26 inches. Make a mark with a fabric pen.

Take the hip measurement (measurement #4) and divide it by four. At the mark measured from the shoulder seam, draw a line from the fold 1/4 of your hip measurement. In Ryan's case, I measured from the fold, 12 inches.

Next measure from the shoulder seam to the knee (measurement #1) , in Ryan's case 46 inches. Make a mark.

At that mark, measure from the fold 1/4 of the hip plus two or three inches (depending on the flare you want in your tunic) - I added two inches, so I measured straight from the fold 14 inches.

Then connect the bottom of the arm hole, to the 12" mark all the way down to the 14" mark. It should look like this (the colors of the lines in this picture correspond to the colors in the directions):

This is the front of your tunic.

Step 3. Cut out the front, and lay it on top of the fabric for the back(still folded in half ) with the front fold matching the fabric fold. You can use the front as a pattern for the back. It will be the same, except for the neckline, which barely needs to curve at all - you can use the back of your t-shirt if you need to - this is a picture of the front laying on top of the back showing the difference in necklines:

Cut out the back, and now you are ready to cut the sleeves.

Step 4: Open the back and front pieces and lay them on your fabric, shoulder seam to shoulder seam. Use the curve this creates as a pattern for the top of your sleeve. Trace the curve of the armhole onto your fabric. Next, measure from where the shoulder seams meet, straight down your fabric, the length of your arm ( measurement #2): Ryan's was 27". Make a mark there.

Step 5: Draw a 14" line at that mark, making sure that the center of that line is even with the center of your sleeve top. Next, draw two diagonal lines, one from each side of the 14" line, to the bottom of the armholes. It should look like this:

Cut out another sleeve by this same pattern.

So now your entire tunic is cut out. I chose to line Ryan's tunic. If you want to do that, just use these pieces as your pattern, and cut out the exact same pieces from the lining fabric.

Step 6: With right sides together, sew your shoulder seams together front to back. Open and press. Cut a straight slit, about 4" long in the center of the front piece neckline- this will allow it to go easily over the head. Now is the best time to do any embroidery around the neckline. Since my fabric was very thin, I used some register tape on the back of my fabric as a stabilizer and then ripped it off when I was finished embroidering.

Step 7: Once you have finished your embroidery, pin together the neckline of your lining and outer fabric, right sides together.

Step 8: Stitch around the neckline using a 1/2" seam. Clip the corners, and turn right side out and press. Now it is time for the sleeves!

Step 9: Right sides together, pin the curve of the sleeve to the armhole - if you lay it out, the sleeve should lay under the bodice like this:

Step 10: Stitch arould the armhole using a 1/2" seam. Repeat on the other side. Press the seam toward the bodice. When you turn it right side out it should look like this:

Step 11: Right sides together, pin from the wrist all the way down the sleeve seam and side seam. Stop when you get to the point you want the slits to come to. My slits came up about 12 inches from the bottom of the garment.


Step 12: Sew together using a 1/2" seam. Repeat for the other side. You're almost done! Turn right side out and press.

Step 13: Press the raw edges of your slits in 1/4" and topstitch in place. If you lined it, press the lining toward the outer fabric and topstitch them together.

Try it on and pin up the hem. Press it - I hemmed it about an inch. Topstitch the lining to the outer fabric. Repeat in the back.

Step 14: Try it on and pin the sleeve hem to the length you desire. Press it under and topstitch the sleeve hem. If you would like to add any embroidery to the sleeve you can do it now. And that is it! congratulations - you finished it! Have fun and don't be too much of a perfectionist!