10-Minute Cowl Neck Top – No Sew DIY!

Do you like an easy, quick DIY that’s actually wearable?

I definitely do 😀 Many dancers liked the 10-minute overskirt DIY that I posted a while ago.

So, I made another 10-minute project. It’s a cowl neck top that can be used as a practice top or decorate it to make a costume top. It’s a no-sew project so even if you don’t sew, you can do it, no problem. Let’s get started!

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To make this cowl neck top, all you need is:

Stretch fabric – Picking the right fabric is key for the nice drape at the neck. Get soft knit fabric, the kind of fabric used to make summer dresses, or other lightweight stretch fabric that drapes well. Half a meter is plenty.

DIY 10-minute no-sew Cowl Neck Top

First, measure your underbust.

Next, lay your fabric on a flat surface and check the direction of stretch.

Fold the fabric in half, so the fold is perpendicular to the direction of the stretch.

Now here’s quick math:

First, divide your underbust measurement by 2 then add 20cm or 8in. Let’s call this Length A.

Then, take your underbust measurement again and divide it by 4. We’ll call this Length B.

Back to the fabric, measure Length A from the fold and draw a straight line there. And from the end of the line, measure 8cm or 3in down.

From the long line, measure 30cm or 12in down. And draw a line that is the same length from the fold.

And from the end of the line, measure 8cm or 3in up.

Next, measure Length B from the middle point on the fold and mark it there.

Now, we’ll draw a curved line to connect the mark in the middle and the ends of the 8cm lines. This does not have to be exact. Just draw a smooth line.

And cut along the line…. and that’s it!

To wear it, first tie 2 ends at the bottom at the back. Then take the other 2 ends and adjust the length as you like, and tie at the back of your neck. If you fold the top edge inside a couple of cm or an inch or so and tie at the back of your neck, the edge is more likely to drape inward.

And here’s what it looks like when I put on this top with the DIY shrug I shared with you before.

It was pretty simple, right? If you need matching tops for your troupe, try this one! 🙂 And if you want a more professional finish, you can always add a seam allowance around all edges to fold in and do a top stitch all around it. But really, no one can see such details when you are up on the stage, and I think it looks great!

Hope you liked this cowl neck top, and if you did, please share it with your troupemates and students! And if you want to learn more about belly dance costume making, I have a new email course called Belly Dance Costume Making 101.

It’s free right now, so click here and get the course now!

Thanks for watching, and keep sparkling!

Want to make more costuming bits yourself?

Sign up for my free course, Belly Dance Costume Making 101!