Fun practice wear makes your practice even more fun!
Here is a DIY crop top perfect for dance practice, yoga or workout, this spring and summer. In this video, you’ll see how to make this crop top with cute decorative knots at the back. So let’s get started!
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The DIY Leggings Tutorial is on Meesha TV on YouTube 🙂
To make this crop top, you need:
Stretch fabric – either 2 way or 4 way stretch is fine. Make sure to check the label when you buy the fabric and get fabric that is machine washable, so you can just toss it in the washing machine after you use it. 🙂 I got my mint green, floral fabric at Joann Fabric when I visited the United States!
Elastic – I’m using 2.5cm or 1in wide elastic here
Tank top that fits you nice and snug
Your sewing tools – Check out the Resources page to learn more about the tools I use.
How to Make DIY Crop Top
Place your tank top on fabric. If you use 2 way stretch fabric, meaning the fabric stretches in one direction only, make sure the fabric stretches widthwise.
Trace 1cm or 1/2in away for a seam allowance. My top is actually not very tight, so I’m making the width narrower here.
Mark about 15cm down from the deepest point of the neckline. That’s how long your top is going to be. If you want your crop top longer, feel free to add more length. Then add 3cm for elastic casing.
Towards the shoulder, just trace about half way with the same seam allowance. Cut along the lines. Then, you can fold it in half and trim to make it nice and symmetrical. Now we’ll make the back panel of the top. Place the front section on the fabric, and mark the length of the sides. Trace the bottom. Remove the front part, just connect the lines, and cut this almost rectangle piece.
Match up the sides right sides together, and sew them together using a zigzag stitch.
Fold all the top edge by 1cm or 1/2 in to the wrong side. At curved edges, it is easier, if you cut small slits that are a little shorter than the seam allowance, every few cm. Place pins, and do a zigzag stitch all the way around.
Then, take the end of the shoulder strap. Fold 5mm or 1/4in, then fold again 1cm or 1/2in. Place pins and sew it down close to the fold. Do the same for the other side.
Now take your elastic, and sew it right against the bottom edge, using a zigzag stitch. Just very gently pull the elastic when you sew. Make sure the ends overlap about 1cm or 1/2in, and cut the excess.
Then fold again to encase the elastic, and go over the stitches again with a zigzag stitch. Again, gently pull as you sew.
Now, cut 2 long strips that are about 80cm or 32in long and 1cm or 1/2in wide. Then pull and run through them with your hand, which makes the edges curl.
Put one of them through the hole at one of the shoulders. Make one end about 15cm or 6in longer than the other, and tie a knot at about 15cm or 6in from the hole. Do the same with the other strap at the other shoulder.
So here is how I do my decorative knots. First, it is easier if you place your shirt on a table or a chair, so the straps are hanging instead of placing it on a flat surface like I show in the video.
Take the longer strap from the right and shorter one from the left. Bring the right one over to the left, bring it behind the left one and over the right strap. Then take it again this time behind the left one and bring it forward, and into the hole. And tighten it.
Then we do the same thing with the long one from the left and short one from the right. Bring the left one over, around the right strap and over the left one. Then behind the right strap and around, in through the hole. And tighten it.
If you check out this great video, you can see this type of knot and other decorative knot design ideas. Mine is a modified version of “chain” at around 6:00.
And repeat this a few times until you get a nice criss-cross design. Even after tightening the knots, you can still slide the knots gently to adjust the design. The design may look pretty dense, but these straps stretch a lot, so when you wear the top, the design becomes larger and clearer.
For the rest of the straps, I just take the 2 straps in the middle and tie them together, and spread the straps apart, about a few cm or an inch away from each other, and place them with pins. Try it on to see and make sure you like the length.
And just sew them onto the shirt and cut the excess. I use a tiny zigzag stitch to do that.
And it’s finished! It’s cute to wear for yoga or dance practice, or even as a summer top with a high-waisted pants or skirt.
When I was testing this pattern, I made a longer version. For this one, I measured about 20cm or 8in from the neckline. I think it’s pretty cute to pair it with a high waisted leggings. You can find my tutorial on these matching leggings at Meesha TV on YouTube. This was one of my first YouTube collaborations that actually worked out, and I’m super excited to be on their channel! Meesha TV is an amazing resource for DIY fashion 🙂
Oh, and if you are curious (I know I would be!), I wore a self-adhesive bra like this one
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial, and if you make your own, please share it on Sparkly Belly’s Facebook page. And sign up for the Sparkly Belly newsletter from the link below to get updates and free access to special patterns and resources only available to newsletter subscribers.
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Thanks for reading, and keep sparkling!
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