How to make a panel top plus free pattern

Tapestry panel top

This week, yet another easy on trend top. Love wearing loose slouchy tops. They are perfect for using up scraps of fabric. The mix and match fabric thing is bang up to date.

Oh and in case you wonder if I wear my own clothes? There’s a pic of me at the end of this blog post. I absolutely hate posing for photos. I’m always scowling. My daughter managed to get a nice pic of me. A rarity. In my new best top.

I made this top a touch too big. My clothing size in a UK dress size 10. This top has a wide neck so it should easily fit people quite a lot bigger than me. If in doubt? Cut the pattern in newspaper. Pin and fit. Make any adjustments bigger or

smaller; longer or shorter from there.

Tapestry Top Pattern

You need: –
fabric scraps
matching thread
sewing machine
pins
scissors

You do: –
Cut pattern pieces from your fabric. I allowed 1.5 to 2 centimetres seam allowance. To make top smaller use a bigger seam allowance.

As you can see from the picture above, I cut the long side pieces from plain black cotton. And the front and back pieces from some old tapestry fabric.

Lie pieces on floor and pin together.

You first need to make a hem across the neckline of the tapestry pieces as you won’t be able to sew them once the top is assembled. In the picture see area C – D and make a hem.

Now lie your fabric pieces on the floor and pin them in place. Make sure all wrong sides of fabric are facing toward you. See picture at left.

Fit garment – without poking yourself – to make sure neckline isn’t too low or too high.

Sew sides together.

Sew panels to side pieces.

Now fold your top over and pin sides together. Allow space for your arms to pop through. Pin and fit again to make sure your arms fit through comfortably. Sew sides together.

Hem all around where the black fabric is on your top. So that’s the shoulders and around the arms.

Lastly put a hem in the bottom of your top. And that’s it!

Sew hem around sleeves

I would wear this in a nice thick fabric over a shirt or jumper. Or with a light T-shirt underneath?

For more sewing ideas and free patterns – visit the Greenie Galleries at the top of this page.

Greenie in her new best top

See you next week.

Greenie.