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How to Finish the Trendy Tunic

August 9th, 2008 in sewing, fashion, restyle, embroidery

Jennifer Stern, contributor

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It looks great on a hanger, too!

Photo: jen stern

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Ok, let's finish the tunic...I hope you enjoyed drafting your own tunic from a shirt pattern and using it to cut out the pieces for this hippy mod top. I really feel creative when restyling a garment into something new.

Start by sewing the center-back seam of the yoke. Draw a line with a wash-away marker where the pins had held in place. When you're done stitching, trim the excess fabric away. Leave a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

The center-back seam should slope out a little as it goes to the bottom edge of the yoke.

Check the yoke on your dressform to make sure that you sewed the center-back seam at the right angle. If it buckles or does not lie flat, adjust the angle of the seam. Then topstitch the seam allowance using a three-step zigzag.

Think of the center-back seam as if it were a dart. In addition to closing the yoke, it gives it the shape it needs to fit properly.

Fold the front section in half, straight down the center front. If you had to adjust the armhole when you were putting the pattern together, trim it now. Also trim away any excess fabric from the side seam if necessary. If the right and left side of the front had slightly different markings, find the happy medium between them and trim there.

Trimming away the excess fabric when the front is folded in half not only saves you time but also ensures that the armholes and side seams are even with each other.

Pin the front and back sections of the tunic onto the yoke.

Make any last-minute adjustments to the fit of the pieces by adjusting the gathers. Make sure the gathers are even.

Mark 1/2 inch in from the raw edge of the front and back tunic sections on the yoke so that you can easily pin them back on after we finish the armholes.

Cut a 1-1/4-inch-wide strip of lightweight knit fabric long enough to stretch around both armholes.

I used a nice red cotton knit that was the same color as some of the embroidery.

Sew the side seams of the tunic together.

Use a three-step zigzag to topstitch the seam allowances to the back.

Place a knit strip, right sides together, with the top edge of the armhole. Match the raw edges and stitch the strip to the armhole using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Stretch the knit strip slightly as you go. This will draw the armhole in so they do not bag out when you are wearing your tunic.

Stretch the strip a little more as you go around the bottom of the armhole.

Notice how the fabric is slightly gathered by the knit strip.

Understitch around the armhole. Position the seam allowances of the knit strip and armhole toward the strip. Stitch through all the layers a generous 1/8 inch away from the original seamline.

Understitch knit strip to seam allowance

Understitching is an important step in garment sewing. It will encourage the knit strip to stay put on the wrong side of the armhole.

Here's what the understitching looks like.

Turn the knit strip to the wrong side of the armhole and pin. Topstitch from the right side to hold the knit strip in place.

Pin knit strip to wrong side, topstitch in place

Topstitch the armhole a generous 1/4 inch from the edge.

Trim the knit strip close to the stitching.

The row of stitching closest to the trimmed edge is the topstitching. The lower row is the understitching.

Press the armhole. Because this armhole is not attached at the shoulder seam, it's okay to press it flat. (If this were a traditional armhole, I would use a ham to maintain the curve while pressing it.)

See how nice and flat the armhole lies.

Pin the tunic onto your dressform to check the armhole. It should be nice and smooth without any gapping.

Pin the front and back sections of the tunic onto the yoke, between the marks you made earlier. Using a 1/2-inch seam allowance, sew the tunic sections to the yoke. Now you are left with unfinished seams and raw edges of the yoke. We will use the same technique that we used to finish the armholes to finish the edge of the yoke and encase the seam allowances of the yoke and tunic. Cut a 1-3/4-inch-wide strip of lightweight knit fabric. Match the raw edges of the strip with the raw edges of the seam allowance at the center back of the yoke. Sew the knit strip all the way around the outer edge of the yoke, continue past the start point 1/2 inch, overlapping the strip. Understitch the knit strip to the seam allowances.

Trim the seam allowances to 1/4 inch. Wrap the knit strip around the seam allowance. Pin in place and stitch the knit strip to the base of the seam allowance. Trim away the excess knit fabric. Press the seam allowance up toward the yoke. Now the raw edges of the yoke that forms the tops of the armholes are finished, and the seam allowances of the tunic and yoke are neatly encased. Topstitch the seam allowances in place.

pin front and back sections of tunic back on yoke

The front yoke is pinned to the front section of the tunic.

To finish the hem, even up the hem at the side seams, if necessary. Clean-finish the raw edge using a three-step zigzag and turn it under 1/2 inch. Pin in place and stitch a scant 1/2 inch from the folded hem. Press the hem and you're done!

posted in: sewing, fashion, restyle, embroidery

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Comments (6)

MichaelaMurphy writes: Hi Thelazymilliner, The links to Jen's previous posts are in.
Posted: 12:42 pm on August 11th

thelazymilliner writes: I like it too, but I'm a little lost here. Where's the original garment? I feel like there's a Part 1 that's not mentioned or linked....
Posted: 11:25 am on August 11th

JenniferStern writes: Thanks ladies!
Posted: 9:18 am on August 11th

Cyndora writes: I love what you did. It is awesome. Now I need to shop the thrift stores for some ideas. My youngest daughter would love something like this. Great job!!!
Posted: 1:09 pm on August 10th