Denim Corset Style Top
A sleeveless women's corset-style top in denim, shaped by princess seams at the front and back and laced at the centre front with a cord through fabric loops. All seams and edges are topstitched 0.5 cm from the seam or edge.
When To Wear
- In summer on its own, with jeans, denim skirts or shorts.
- Over a shirt or a T-shirt in spring and autumn.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Close-fitting, shaped by princess seams; the hem sits below the waist and dips slightly towards the centre front and centre back.
Neckline: Square neckline with a small point at the centre front, on wide shoulder straps.
Sleeves: Sleeveless.
Closure: Centre front lacing: an interfaced placket on each front edge carries a row of fabric loops (6 cm each, made from a 3 cm wide strip of the main fabric), and a cord is laced through the loops.
Back: Centre back seam and princess seams, all topstitched.
Finishing: Princess, centre back, shoulder and side seams overlocked, pressed to one side and topstitched 0.5 cm from the seam. Neckline, armholes and hem are overlocked, turned and topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge, with no facings.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Princess seams with even topstitching, plackets turned at the corners, and rouleau loops set evenly into the placket edge.
Fabric Recommendations
Denim.
Additional Supplies
- Cord for the lacing
- Fusible interfacing (plackets)
Cutter's Must
From main fabric:
- Center Front – 2 pieces
- Placket – 2 pieces
- Side Front – 2 pieces
- Center Back – 2 pieces
- Side Back – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing: Placket.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse fusible interfacing to the Placket.
- Stitch the princess seams on the front and back. Overlock the princess seams on the front and back. Press the princess seams towards the centre. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the princess seams.
- Stitch and overlock the centre back seam. Press the centre back seam towards the right back. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Stitch the shoulder and side seams. Overlock the side and shoulder seams. Press the side and shoulder seams towards the back. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the seams.
- Overlock the neckline edge of the front and back, the armhole edges and the lower edge of the corset. Turn the overlocked edges to the wrong side and topstitch them 0.5 cm from the edge.
- Press under 1 cm along the outer edge of the Placket. Fold the Placket in half lengthwise, right sides together, and press. Stitch across the upper and lower ends of the Placket. Trim the excess fabric at the corners and turn the Placket right side out. Press the Placket. Stitch the unpressed edge of the Placket to the centre front edge of the Center Front.
- Cut a 3 cm wide strip of the main fabric for the loops. Fold the strip lengthwise and stitch 0.5 cm from the fold, closing one end. Turn the strip right side out and press. Cut the strip into 6 cm loops.
- Baste the loops to the pressed edge of the Placket. Topstitch the Placket onto the Center Front. Remove the basting. Turn the loops towards the centre front and topstitch them onto the Placket. Lace the cord through the loops.
