DIY Lace Wrap Top for dance practice & yoga

I’m in love with this lace wrap top!

In my last 2 posts (Part 1 & Part 2), I showed you how to make the unitard style dance practice wear (which so many of you loved! Thank you!)

In this post, I want to add a layer and extra coverage with this cute and comfy, stretch lace wrap top. Let’s get started!

Click here & sign up for the Sparkly Belly newsletter (+ Get access to my free email course, Belly Dance Costume Making 101!)

To make this DIY lace wrap top, you need:

• Pattern paper – just like one we used for making the unitard pattern, any paper will do. Use up your leftover wrapping paper if you like.
• Long sleeve shirt to use as a pattern
• Stretch lace – you’ll need about 1m (1yd).
• Matching color thread

How to make DIY Lace Wrap Top

Preparation

First, put on your long sleeve shirt and mark the underbust level with a safety pin.

Make a lace wrap top pattern

Fold your pattern paper in half. 

Fold your shirt in half with the front side of the shirt together, and place it against the fold of your pattern paper.

If your shirt wasn’t very tight, and you want your wrap top to be more fitted, you can place it 1cm (3/8in) or so off the paper as shown in the image below. Then fold the sleeves out of the way.

Fold your shirt up to the level you marked with a safety pin earlier, and trace the shirt onto the paper. The armhole is a bit tricky, but just trace it as best as you can.

Add 2cm (3/4in) to the bottom edge and extend the side edge to meet the line. 

Cut along the line, and that’s your back panel. 

Next, fold your shirt the other way so you can see the front side of the shirt. Place it on folded paper like you did for the back panel, fold away the sleeves and fold the shirt up to the safety pin, and trace it just like you did earlier. Add 2cm (3/4in) to the bottom edge and extend the side edge to meet the line. 

Cut along the outline, and open it up. I didn’t have enough paper here so it’s not symmetrical, but we just need the right side and a little bit of the left side.

From the fold line of the paper, measure 2cm (3/4in) to the left (side that’s not marked). Make a mark at the bottom edge. 

From there, draw a 2cm (3/4in) line upward. And connect the top of this line and the top of the shoulder seam with a straight line, and turn it into a nice curve. This doesn’t have to be a big curve. Just a small curve will do. 

Back at the 2cm (3/4in) line, measure 1cm (3/8in) to the left and make a rectangular box at the bottom.

And cut along the outline. This is the front panel. 

Finally, place the long fold of a sleeve against the edge of pattern paper, and trace the sleeve. 

For this one, I wanted it to be a ¾ sleeve, so I ended the sleeve at about halfway between the elbow and wrist. You can adjust the length as you like. Then cut along the line. This is your sleeve pattern.

Cut fabric

Check to see which ways your fabric stretches, and place your pattern so the stretcher direction of the fabric is parallel to the width of the pattern.

Cut while adding a 1cm (3/8in) seam allowance.

Flip the front panel and cut another one, so you have a right side and left side. 

Then fold the fabric so the direction of stretch is perpendicular to the fold, and place the sleeve pattern, right against the fold of the fabric. Cut while adding a 1cm (3/8in) seam allowance. And add a notch at the fold by making a small snip. This little snip acts as a mark.

Repeat so you have 2 sleeve panels.

Also, cut 2 long strips that are 6cm (2 3/8in) wide and about 1m (39in) long. 

Alright, let’s assemble these pieces.

Sew your lace wrap top!

First, match up the shoulder seams of the front and back panels right sides together, and sew them together using a zigzag stitch with a 1cm (3/8in) seam allowance or other stretch stitch of your choice. 

Then open it up, and take one of the sleeve panels. And match up the notch and the shoulder seam right sides together and place a pin or clip. Then match up the corners of the sleeve with the corresponding ends of the arm hole, and match up the rest. If this is your first time making sleeves, take your time here and match up these edges as best as you can. Do the same for the other side. 

Then do a zigzag stitch along the edge with a 1cm (3/8in) seam allowance. Repeat for the other sleeve. If the edges don’t align well, pull the fabric gently as you sew, and the seam will come out fine.

Fold the top right sides together, and do a zigzag stitch all the way from the sleeve to the side seam for both sides.

And at the raw edges, fold 1cm (3/8in) from the edge towards the wrong side. And do a zigzag stitch along the edge of the fabric. Do this around the neck line, bottom edge, and the ends of the sleeves.

Next, take the long strips, and fold them right sides together. And along the long edge and one of the short edges, do a straight stitch while stretching gently. Use a 3/8in (1cm) sean allowance. At the short edge, sew diagonally like this to get a pointy edge. Do this for both strips.

Trim the corners and turn the tubes inside out, and you have 2 ties. Press to make them flat. 

Place one of the ties at the bottom end of one of the front panels, and match up the edges right sides together. Do a straight stitch here with a 1cm (3/8in) seam allowance.

Fold over the seam allowance towards the front panel on the wrong side, and do a top stitch to keep the tie nice and flat. Repeat for the other tie.

And your lace wrap top is complete! It’s so cute, lightweight and comfy because of the stretch. I like the long straps that wrap around the torso. It’s a great top to layer over a tank top for a little extra coverage, and of course it’s very pretty as a costuming piece as well! 

And in my next post, I’ll show you how to make this matching, ruffle overskirt. I love matching a practice top and overskirt, because they create a more polished look. It’s really easy too!

Click here & sign up for the Sparkly Belly newsletter so you won’t miss the next tutorial! (+ Get access to my free email course, Belly Dance Costume Making 101!)

I hope you liked this DIY lace wrap top tutorial, and if you did, please share this tutorial with your dancer friends! 

And if you’re inspired and want to learn to make more costumes, I’m doing a course giveaway! It closes in a couple of days, so learn more and enter by January 31 at (Sparklybelly.com/giveaway).

Thanks for reading, and keep sparkling!

P.S. Pin this image on your practice outfit board 😉

Like what you read? Want to make more costuming bits yourself?

Sign up for my newsletter here and get my free email course, Belly Dance Costume Making 101!