It’s Tank Top Tuesday!

In Houston, Winter lasts for about 1 week, so we’ve already progressed into Spring. Following my recent Marie Kondo-esque purge of my closet, I discovered I didn’t have a lot of tank tops that could be both casual and professional (specifically: perfect for jeans and shorts but also when paired with slacks). On a recent Etsy binge, I ordered a lot of patterned rayon from Stevie Saint Fabrics, which included this super cheap blue floral rayon ($2.38 per yard you guys!!!) This was my first time working with a lightweight rayon so I decided to start with a quick blouse with plenty of drape.

I had previously attempted the Peppermint Peplum Top with a quilting cotton, but I think I made it in a size too small because it was quite tight across my bust and it was definitely more of a crop top than a tank top.

Review: 

Fabric: blue floral printed rayon from Stevie Saint Fabrics on Etsy – link here! Right now it’s $2.38 per yard :O

Pattern: Peppermint Peplum Top from In The Folds – link here!

Changes: I went up 2 sizes from what my measurements would be, though I will probably only go up 1 size the next time I make it. I lengthened both the bodice and the peplum by 1 cm to avoid the crop top situation as well.

Final Pattern Thoughts: I encountered some trouble with the V-neck at the back – I think this is because I was trying to avoid pressing the bias tape, so I think my problems were a consequence of my own laziness. It sews up relatively quickly in one evening, and the construction is simple: assemble the bodice + shoulders –> gather peplum –> attach peplum to bodice –> finish neck and armholes with bias tape. I generally prefer tanks with an all-in-one facing (such as the Ogden Cami from True Bias) but this definitely uses less fabric which is great. Lastly, the sizing I went with resulted in a very loose look, which I was aiming for! If you want a closer fitting piece, I would choose your sizing based directly off of the size chart.

Fabric Thoughts: I love love love the fabric that I chose!! It is more opaque than I initially thought it would be, so I’m quite pleased with the result. I love the drape, and it definitely shows off the peplum better than quilting cotton. Rayon is more finicky to work with as it is more slippery, but I aim to get better with this substrate over time.

If you’re interested in other free patterns, I have a roundup of free patterns that I love here – free pattern round-up.

What’s your favorite fabric substrate to work with? Any Etsy fabric stores that you’re obsessed with? Let me know below!

Stay warm!

Danica