Tuesday 1 March 2016

"Too tight at the hem" Top Fix

Here is a very simple fix for a top that is just a bit too snug at the bottom.
An easy fix for a top that is too tight at the hem

I bought this top from a charity shop recently just because I love the colour and the size seemed about right for me. When I got it home and tried it on it was just a bit too snug round the bottom (it's bottom not mine - or maybe it's both!)
It doesn't look TOO bad here, a tiny bit "sack of potatoes" maybe. There wasn't much room for movement though, that bottom band was stretched to the max!
At first I thought maybe I could just remove the bottom band but I didn't want to loose any of the length. I also considered taking off the band but adding lace, like I did on this t shirt here. I didn't have any suitable lengths of wide lace in my stash but whilst I was looking I found some lovely handmade looking lace that is pretty with the coral top.

In the end I kept this really simple and used what I already had.

Undo or cut depending on how your top is made, the side seams on both side about 10cm or 4".
Try it on to make sure you've gone high enough to make it comfy to wear.
Trim any seam allowance away.
On my top the seam joining the band to the top was starting to unravel a little so I added just a couple of stitches to secure it:

Pin a length of lace long the raw edge, folding the edges under like so:
Stitch the lace into position. I stitched mine by hand. The pinning was a bit of a fiddle and I imagined it would be even trickier to machine stitch.
Hand sewing didn't take long and means it's easy to adjust the lace into position as you go. If you feel confident on the sewing machine you could easily wizz it on the machine.

Repeat on the other side and that's it, done!
Fix for a top that is too tight around the bottom
Not the best photos ever but you get the idea, my "photographer" was not available so I had to take these of myself.
Easy fix for a top that is too tight around the bottom
The fit is SO much better now, much more comfy to wear and hopefully a little bit more flattering.
I think this would be nice with ribbon or bias binding, maybe even scraps of a patterned fabric instead of the lace. Oh, the possibilities! Do you have a top that needs just a bit more give around the bottom that this idea might work for?



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I'll be linking up to all these great link parties, why not go and have a look!
Sum of their Stories
Sum of their Stories

Hello, I'm Julie. I love making things and this is where I share my enthusiasm.

39 comments:

  1. This is a fabulous tip! Thanks!

    Becky
    www.bybmgblog.com

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  2. I do this split trick on lots of patterns because my waist size is always one size smaller than my hips - thanks mum! - It looks fabulous. Jo x

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    1. Try to think positively - lovely small waist! And isn't that supposed to be healthy too - pear not apple shape.

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  3. Julie, what a great fix to shirts that do not fit well!! Thanks for sharing this!! You're right, there's so many possibilities with this solution!!

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  4. This is such a clever idea Julie. I like how you were able to save a perfectly good top by adding the piece on the bottom. I'm all for upcycling and reusing!

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    Replies
    1. I'm wearing this such a lot now, that's always a good sign with clothes isn't it? If they don't feel right you just don't pick them to wear.

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  5. This is an awesome tip!! Love it! Thanks for sharing at my craft party on Thursdays! I just pinned all your entries and can't wait to see what you got this coming Thursday!

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  6. what a cool idea! love the bit of lace too, gives the shirt a bit of 'bling'.

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    1. Ooo, bling! This would be nice with some sequin trim too wouldn't it - on the right top of course. Great idea!

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  7. What a fantastic idea! Looks so much better honey and really flattering! Xxx

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  8. This looks fab, such a simple fix and all the prettier for it too - Chris :D

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    1. Thanks Chris, i tend to keep most of my sewing on the simple side if I can. I like a bit of lace. My nan used to call it "pretty pretty" if there was any embellishment like this on something.

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  9. Brilliant! I have a few shirts that need this.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Meredith, sometimes just a little more room makes it all much comfier!

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  10. Brilliant idea and makes the top so pretty

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    1. Thanks Carolee, I know you like a bit of lace too!

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  11. Replies
    1. I am really pleased to hear that Kathy, I share all my ideas and projects in the hope that just now and again someone finds something useful :-)

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  12. Bonjour Julie, Really fantastic idea. Thanks for your visit. Have a nice week. Monika

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    1. Well Bonjour to you Monika, Comment ca va? Merci beaucoup (and then my French pretty much runs out sorry / pardon!)

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  13. What a great idea! It looks even better now! Thank you for sharing at The Really Crafty Link Party this week! Pinned!

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  14. What a great idea. It looks really stylish.

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  15. Great idea, looks lovely with the lace on too :)

    Thanks for sharing at Creative Mondays,pinning..

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  16. What a great way to fix a problem! Love! Tweeted! #HomeMattersParty

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  17. Pretty and stylish, result! #ReallyCraftyLinkParty

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  18. Clever fix! I'll totally keep this in mind... hoppin' over from Turn it Up Tuesday! :)

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  19. That's a really good idea. It would also work if you've misjudged a sleeve (been there ;) )

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    Replies
    1. Oh yes, what a good idea. Perfect for those tight sleeves, it'd be nice if you were chopping a long sleeve off as a 3/4 too maybe.

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  20. Fabulous! It looks so much better now. I love your little sewing tutorials. :)

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    1. Thanks, sometimes I wonder if I'm just stating the obvious but I like lots of photos and explanations when I'm following tutorials!

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  21. Your awesome DIY is being featured at the DIY Crush craft party tonight!! Come see it and link up your latest projects too! www.diy-crush.com

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    1. Hi, that's lovely new, thank you. I'll pop by now to see.

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  22. This is so creative and perfect for those tops that just don't fit right. I loved how you made it work, and not only does it fit better, but it looks even cuter than the original!

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  23. Such a simple fix, Julie and it looks great. I have a couple of tops that could do with this alteration.

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  24. Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop

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  25. What a clever fix! I love the top more now with the lace anyway! And yes, it is a beautiful color! Nice work!

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