The Lindy top will fill "that" gap in your wardrobe, make it in a lively vibrant fabric and team it with jeans, trousers or a skirt for a dressed up look. Keep it casual and wear the Lindy with shorts or cropped trousers. Cover the Lindy with a jacket or hoodie on cool days, slap on some sunscreen on hot days. This is the "one" you will make time and time again. The Lindy only takes an economical 70cms, raid your stash and use up fabric from previous projects.The relaxed fit with the option to add some elastic across the back, makes the Lindy very versatile. The Lindy would also work as a camisole top worn with short or long pajama bottoms.
Fabric Suggestions.
Light to medium weight drapey fabrics, such as cotton lawn, light weight cotton, viscose (rayon), silk or poly crepe de chine.
Free tutorial -Beginners sewing project _ learn to sew and make the Lindy Top
Materials and Equipment
70 cm x 146 cm of cotton lawn - I got mine here
20cm of lightweight interfacing optional
31cm (33) (35) (37) (39) (41) (43) of 0.5cm wide elastic
Matching thread or contrast thread, pins, tape measure, chalk and scissors.
Tips for beginners
Seam allowance 1 cm this is the distance between the edge of the fabric and the stitch line. You will find a series of parallel lines engraved on the needle plate of your sewing machine pick the one marked with the measurement you need and keep the edge of the fabric to this guide
RS = right side of fabric WS = wrong side of fabric.
Sewing Terms
Pivot - to stitch around a corner by leaving the sewing machine needle down in the fabric, raising the presser foot, and turning the fabric.
Tailors Tack - Use a contrasting thread doubled through your needle. Bring your needle through both layers of fabric, coming back up as close as possible. You can do this through your pattern as well as your fabric. Coming from the same direction, bring your needle through the same points to create a loop. As you pull the thread taught, make sure that you keep a loop of thread that’s about a finger in size. Gently pull the layers of the fabric apart…and snip the tailor’s tacks.
"Stay stitching" means to sew a row of stitches on a single piece of fabric to help it keep its shape. It's useful on curved or diagonal edges that may otherwise stretch out during the sewing process. ... Keep the edge of the sewing machine foot to the raw edge of the Lindy top and following the shape, sew a row of stitching close to the edge.
SIZE GUIDE
BUST MEASUREMENTS.
size 8 = 83cm size 14 = 98cm
size 10 = 88cm size 16 = 104 cm
size 12 = 93cm size 18 = 110cm
size 20 = 116cm
Select your size and after you have join the pdf pattern pieces together cut out in your size. The pattern runs 1 to 5 which you need to trim and glue together,
then start a new row and glue 6 to 10 together, then start another new row and
join 11 to 15. PLEASE NOTE the front facing A and B are joined to each other and not part of the main pattern.
Fold your fabric in half, and iron on the fold, open your fabric and place both selvage edges to the middle crease line as shown. Place the pattern on the fabric the back front and front facing are on the fold and cut out. The straps are cut on the straight of grain.
Mark the notches. Cut out. Iron on the interfacing to the WS of the front facing
Front
Mark the bust dart with tailors tacks.
Stay stitch the top raw edge of the front of the Lindy top.
With RS facing, bring the notches together on the bust dart as shown, and pin, from the notch to the tailors tack.The pins are on the WS of the fabric.
Sew from the notch, to the tailors tack; secure both ends of the dart with a reverse stitch. It is very important to stitch the end of the dart sharply, to avoid making a tuck or point.
Press the dart down towards the hem.
BACK
With the WS facing on the back turn the top raw edge over for 1cm, press, turn again for 1cm. Stitch into place. Stitch close the folded edge as possible to allow space to insert the elastic.
Insert a safety pin onto one end of the elastic and thread it through folded seam you have just sewn as shown.
Pull the elastic through until it's also not showing at one end ,pin (as shown and machine stitch to secure it) continue and secure the elastic at the other end with a safety pin.Do not stitch this end yet.
Over lock or zig zag the side seams on the front and back of the Lindy top and both the front and back hem.
With RS facing pin the front to the back. YOU WILL NEED to start pinning 1cm down on the front as shown. Stop pinning 5cm before the hem as marked, by the dot on the Lindy pattern.
Using a 1cm seam allowance join the front to the back DO NOT SEW OVER THE ELASTIC held with a safety pin , this will allow you to adjust the fitting later.
Press the seams flat. Press the slit back for 1cm.
THE STRAPS
Fold each strap in half and press.
When stitching, keep the foot of the sewing machine to the edge of the fabric as shown.
Make a small “pocket” in the sewn end of the strap pushing some of the strap back inside its self, when you have made the “pocket” continue using a knitting needle or a chopstick, to push the WS of the strap to the RS, press.
With RS together pin the raw end of the strap to the shaped top of the Lindy as shown, secure with a few stitch.
With RS facing pin the front facing on to the front of the Lindy top. Machine stitch into place, using a 1cm seam allowance. Start stitching close to the back. The top of the elastic must line up with the 1cm seam allowance that you will use to stitch the front facing to the front.
When you come to the shaping on the Lindy top, leave the needle down in your sewing, lift up the foot and pivot your sewing, continue to the end.
Clip the seam you have just sewn and under stitch.
Zig zag or over lock the hem on the front facing.
*Lay the front facing over the back and front seam as shown, ON THE SIDE WITHOUT ELASTIC being held with the safety pin
The facing will fold over the finished edge with the elastic casing. Pin the 3 pieces together. Stitch this small section only using a 1cm seam allowance.
Clip the top corner, and fold the facing back.. Just below the end of the facing as shown, clip the seam, so the seams can lay flat *. DO NOT repeat just yet on the remaining side.
Press the facing.
Measure in from the side seam on the back for 6cm and pin the straps in to place.
Try the Lindy top on. Adjust the elastic, and adjust the straps if needed.
Now repeat from * to *. On the RS of the back carefully sew the straps on, under the elastic casing.
As marked by the pin the the image.
The Hem
Unfold the folded side seams then turn up the hem for 1cm, fold the seam back as shown, repeat on the 4 slits.
Using a 0.5cm seam allowance stitch in to place as shown, sewing up each side of the slit, across the top and down the side.
AWESOME……………………. Celebrate you have just finish the Lindy top ! Sew well done.