I have come across this simple square silk top during one of my shopping trips. And I rather like the fact that it has very simple lines and very comfortable to wear. You can dress it up for a simple night out or dress it down with a pair of jeans.
For the purpose of this tutorial, I have followed the dimensions of a sample top that I already have. You can use any soft flowy fabric for this top – I find that silk or satin with a floral pattern works best. However if you are completely new to sewing, you might want to try out a less expensive fabric for this project.
These are the dimensions of the top
Use a tailor chalk and a ruler to mark on the wrong side of the fabric. You need to give at least one inch allowance for the hems. There’s no need to be very specific as you can trim away the excess fabric later.
Cut out the silk fabric
Use a pair of sharp dressmaker scissors to cut out the fabric. You need two copies to make the front and back of the top. The V shaped collar is a little tricky to make but once you got the idea, it’s not that difficult.
Tack the collar with pins before you sew
Sew the smaller V wrong side up. Then iron the fabric flat. The larger V is aligned and hemmed together with the silk top.
This is how the inside out looks like
A serger is used to sew the rolled hem along the sides
A serger (also known as overlocker sewing machine) is extremely useful for this project. It is able to sew a beautiful rolled hem for the sides; the ones you see along the edges of a silk scarf. This machine is a must have for dress makers. I use it often to neaten hems. But if you do not have one, fret not – you can still use the zigzag hem function in a normal sewing machine.
The narrow rolled hem
The completed square silk blouse
You can pair the top with a matching or contrasting silk sash. And the result is great.
Hope the above tutorial is useful to you. If you have any questions, please post under comments.
