Tea Towel Top - D.I.Y.

 

My girl  is besotted with guide dogs.  I spend my every car journey telling her stories about fictitious puppies and their Enid Blyton style adventures at guide dog school. So a serendipitous find of a vintage Guide Dogs for the Blind tea towel at the op shop begged to be transformed for my love.

And because it was so easy I thought I'd share how I did it.

 Using a slightly A-line singlet as a pattern lay it on the tea towel where you want the print to feature.

Fold the top of the singlet over to to make the top of the chest.



 
Cut across the top in line with the folded singlet and in line with the arm holes (these will be encased with bias binding later so don't allow a seam allowance) and then cut down the sides allowing a 1/4 inch seam allowance (I would have preferred her top to be a bit roomier as tea towels don't stretch but Madame Chanel had other ideas!) You could allow as much room either side as you like.  Allow about 2 cms for a hem.

With the first piece cut out, lay it over the remainder of the tea towel and cut the second piece (If your tea towel has a simple print you could cut both pieces out together).

With right sides together, join the two sides. I used the overlocker but you could stitch it on the sewing machine and finish the seam off with a zig zag stitch to stop it fraying.

Fold over about 1/4 inch on the hem and press. Fold over about a 1 and 1/2 cms and pin. Stitch.

Using shop bought bias binding, encase the top raw edges. Stitch these in place.

Cut two pieces of bias binding about 90cm long. These will form the straps. Fold these in half to find the mid point.

Match this mid point to the underarm seam and encase the raw edge of the arm hole with the bias binding.

 

 

Continue pinning the bias together to form the straps, overlapping the ends and tucking them in to make a neat finish. Stitch.



She thinks she's the bees knees in it!

 

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