Today we’re going to show you how to sew a perfect tank top using a yard of Spoonflower’s Modern Jersey and the easiest custom pattern around… tracing your favorite tank top! Making your own tank top is so fun and easy that once you know how, you’ll never buy them from a store again. So go rummage through your drawers and find a well-loved tank top…we’re about to make something awesome!
Material to Sew the Perfect Tank
Skill Level: Beginner
- 1 yard of Spoonflower’s Modern Jersey
- Your favorite tank top
- Sewing machine or serger
- Fabric pen
- Rotary blade or fabric scissors
Optional Walking Foot: While it’s not necessary, a walking foot helps with buckling/tension issues that knits can have. If you don’t have one, nothing about the tutorial will change.
Steps to Sew the Perfect Tank Top
A note about sewing ‘in the round’
Sewing necklines and arms ‘in the round’ gives you a more professional finish, but is harder for beginners. The method used in this tutorial sews everything flat – saving you the headache that tends to discourage beginners. While it might make things seem out of order, it will all turn our just fine!
Step 1: Pre-Wash and Dry Fabric
Start out by pre-washing and drying your fabric according to the Spoonflower care instructions. Then trim off the white selvage edges.
Step 2: Create Your Pattern
Lay your fabric face up. Fold each edge in a quarter so you have two useable folded edges.
Fold your tank top in half and lay it along one of the folded edges. Trace around your tank top with your fabric marker leaving enough room for a ½” seam allowance!
Repeat for the back of your tank with the other folded edge of your Modern Jersey fabric.
Step 3: Cut Out Your Pieces
Cut out the front and back pieces you drew.
Step 4: Sew One Shoulder Seam
Sew one shoulder seam together, then serge over the same shoulder seam. Serge the raw edge of the neckline and the completed arm hole. If you do not have a serger, use a zig-zag stitch on a regular sewing machine.
Step 5: Top Stitch the Neckline and Arm Hole
Next, top stitch over the raw edges you just serged. Fold the serged edge of the neckline towards the unprinted side of the fabric, and then top stitch along the edge. Do the same with the arm hole.
Next, top stitch over the raw edges you just serged. Fold the serged edge of the neckline towards the unprinted side of the fabric, and then top stitch along the edge. Do the same with the arm hole.
Your tank top should now look like this, with one side of the neck and armhole completed.
Step 6: Repeat on the Other Side
Sew and serge the seam of the second shoulder, then repeat the process of sewing, serging and topstitching to finish the second armhole.
Step 7: Sew the Side Seam
Next up, sew the side seams. Pin in place, sew one side seam and then serge to finish.
Step 8: Finish the Bottom Edge
Now we’re going to get a little crazy! Put your trust in us and finish the bottom edge BEFORE finishing the second side seam. Serge the bottom edge of your tank top.
Fold the serged edge towards the wrong side of the fabric about ½”. Pin every few inches to keep in place.
Then top stitch with a 1/2″ seam allowance to hem the bottom edge.
Step 8: Sew and Serge the Second Side Seam
Finally, finish your perfect tank top by sewing and serging the second side seam.
And that’s it. Put on and admire your awesome new tank top! You now know the infinitely useful skill of custom tank top making. All of your friends will be very jealous, so be nice and put your new skill to good use by making them all one.
I see you are using a walking foot. Why? I never thought of using one with knit fabric.
Thanks
Love the short and sweet delivery of making the tank.
I used to make my own tanks, tees, and even scrub shirts all the time. Thanks for reminding me, and for the new “order” outlook!
Is the top-stitching done with a regular straight stitch or a stretch stitch? It appears you are doing a regular straight stitch, but it is not clear how the top stitching affects the stretchability of the fabric.
Excellent video. It’s always nice when someone has a bubbly personality and provides easy to follow instructions. Thanks!
Thanks for your feedback, Mary! So glad you enjoyed the video, we have so much fun creating these for y’all!
I love your attitude!!! Yes -sew in the flat whenever you can -so much easier. I teach AG doll sewing and produce for fairs and I use sewing flat all the time. You can imagine sewing tiny arm cuffs etc in the round-NOT
Sewing in the flat saves a ton of time and tears. Thanks for the nice tute. Peggy in Madison.
Thanks for sharing your positivity, and experience, Peggy! Keep on crafting!
First of all I love the hair and the 40’s/50’s look ! I’m amazed at how little time it took. I want to try this, but I’d like more info on the zigzag stitch. I have my Nana’s Free-Westinghouse, and I’m not sure if it zigzags. Besides, servers scare the daylight savings out of me… ????????????. Thanks in advance, Donna S.
Hi Donna! When sewing with stretch fabrics you will definitely need either a zig zag stitch (some machines have a setting for what they simply call a “stretch stitch”) or a serger (which is not scary, promise!). If you no longer have the manual to the machine since it’s older, I’d suggest taking a scrap of knit fabric and doing some test stitches to start. Just go through every single one of the stitches on your machine and see which ones allow for the fabric to stretch. I’m sure you must have some kind of stretch stitch, even the very old machines from the 80s usually have something, even if it’s super basic. Let us know how it works out for you, and thanks for your comment!