I wanted to make one more top for SMOT since it coming to an end. This would make top #4 for me. I was trying to figure out what to make when I came across some inspiration from the LOFT.
I really liked the way the top was embellished and thought to myself, I'd like something like that but in a basic top/t-shirt. Since I didn't have a pattern for the basic t-shirt, I decided to come up with my own. Now, I did promise a tutorial of how I've been coming up with the self-drafted tops I've been making lately. I didn't want to disappoint anyone so, here's a little look see of how I've been doing it.
I started out with a t-shirt that I've had for quite some time. I liked the neckline and cut of this shirt. From there I place the shirt on my drawing table/workboard. I lay my tracing paper over it and place drafting tape at all 4 corners.
From there I use my blunt edge tracing wheel by Clover(If you don't have one of these, get one, they're great). 
I then trace the outline of the top front and back. 
It looks a little something like this when you're done. 
Next, draw the lines in with a pencil. 
I then double check what I drew by folding the top in half and laying the drawing up against it.
I start making any corrections there. Lastly, I lay the back and front pieces against each other to make sure they match, 
if they don't(which they normally don't), I make any necessary corrections to make sure that they do. From there, I drew in my seam allowances and cut the pattern out. I then sewed my top together. 
For the neckline embellishment I cut 2 inch strips 60 inches long, or however long the width of your fabric is for bias-tape trim. 
Fold the strip in half lengthwise and iron. 
Open the strip back up and then fold the edges in to the center fold and iron. 
Now fold the piece in half again and stitch it closed. 
At this point you are now ready to start pinning your bias stripes on to your blouse. Make sure to finish off your neckline first, even though you don't see that in these 2 pictures. I tend to work backwards sometimes. If you have a dressform, use her. If not, lay your blouse on a table or your ironing board, it's just as good. That way you can get a sense of what the blouse will look like as you go along. Pin the edge of the bias stripe to the blouse then fold the bias strip in a zig zag formation forming a loop and pinning as you go. 
The first row should be about a quarter to a half inch from the edge of the blouse. 
When it looks the way you want it, baste the strip to your blouse and then take it to the machine. Do the same thing again, but this time, make sure that the bias strip is covering the edge of your blouse. 
Pin, baste and then stitch it to your blouse permanently. 
That it. Enjoy, and Embellish to your heart's content.
I started out with a t-shirt that I've had for quite some time. I liked the neckline and cut of this shirt. From there I place the shirt on my drawing table/workboard. I lay my tracing paper over it and place drafting tape at all 4 corners.
From there I use my blunt edge tracing wheel by Clover(If you don't have one of these, get one, they're great). 
I then trace the outline of the top front and back. It looks a little something like this when you're done. 
Next, draw the lines in with a pencil. 
I then double check what I drew by folding the top in half and laying the drawing up against it. I start making any corrections there. Lastly, I lay the back and front pieces against each other to make sure they match, if they don't(which they normally don't), I make any necessary corrections to make sure that they do. From there, I drew in my seam allowances and cut the pattern out. I then sewed my top together. 
For the neckline embellishment I cut 2 inch strips 60 inches long, or however long the width of your fabric is for bias-tape trim. 
Fold the strip in half lengthwise and iron. 
Open the strip back up and then fold the edges in to the center fold and iron. 
Now fold the piece in half again and stitch it closed. 
At this point you are now ready to start pinning your bias stripes on to your blouse. Make sure to finish off your neckline first, even though you don't see that in these 2 pictures. I tend to work backwards sometimes. If you have a dressform, use her. If not, lay your blouse on a table or your ironing board, it's just as good. That way you can get a sense of what the blouse will look like as you go along. Pin the edge of the bias stripe to the blouse then fold the bias strip in a zig zag formation forming a loop and pinning as you go. 
The first row should be about a quarter to a half inch from the edge of the blouse. 
When it looks the way you want it, baste the strip to your blouse and then take it to the machine. Do the same thing again, but this time, make sure that the bias strip is covering the edge of your blouse. 
Pin, baste and then stitch it to your blouse permanently. 
That it. Enjoy, and Embellish to your heart's content.
