Long Top with Front Lacing
A women's sleeveless tunic-length top with a deep V-neckline edged by a double facing, a waist insert, and a gathered lower part. The front is laced with a cord through eight eyelets, and fabric ties are threaded through the shoulder seams.
When To Wear
- In summer with shorts, slim trousers or leggings.
- On holiday and on hot days, in thin silk or viscose.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted bodice with darts on the upper front, joined to a gathered, flared lower part.
Length: Tunic length, below the hip.
Neckline: Deep V at the front, round at the back, finished with an interfaced inner and outer facing; the facing seam is topstitched 0.2 cm.
Front: Lacing through eight eyelets on the upper front and the waist insert; the lower front panels meet edge to edge.
Sleeves: Sleeveless. The armholes are overlocked, turned and topstitched.
Waist: A straight insert front and back at the waist; the lower front and lower back are gathered evenly into it.
Back: Centre back seam through the upper back.
Finishing: Shoulder seams stitched 1 cm on both sides to form a channel for the ties, which gather the shoulder. Hem overlocked, turned and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Thin, slippery fabric, a double-faced V-neckline, gathering into an insert, shoulder channels with ties and setting eyelets.
Fabric Recommendations
Thin silk and viscose fabrics.
Additional Supplies
- 8 eyelets
- Cord for the lacing
- Fusible interfacing (front and back facings)
Cutter's Must
From main fabric:
- 1. Upper Front – 2 pieces
- 2. Back – 2 pieces
- 3. Front Facing – 4 pieces
- 4. Back Facing – 4 pieces
- 5. Front Inset – 2 pieces
- 6. Back Inset – 2 pieces
- 7. Blouse Lower Back – 1 piece
- 8. Blouse Lower Front – 1 piece
- 9. Ties – strips cut to size from main fabric
- From fusible interfacing: Front Facing, Back Facing.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Front Facings and Back Facings.
- Mark and stitch the darts on the Upper Front and press them towards the centre front.
- Stitch the Front Inset to the Upper Front. Overlock the seam and press it towards the inset.
- Stitch the Back Inset to the Back. Overlock the seam and press it towards the inset.
- Stitch the outer Front Facing to the Upper Front. Press the seam towards the facing.
- Stitch the outer Back Facing to the Back. Press the seam towards the facing.
- Overlock the centre back edges, stitch the centre back seam and press it open.
- Overlock the armhole edges of the front and back, turn them under and topstitch.
- Overlock the shoulder edges. Stitch the shoulder seams and press them open. Stitch 1 cm from the shoulder seam on both sides of it to form the channel.
- Cut strips of main fabric for the ties. Fold each tie in half lengthwise, right sides together, match the edges and stitch 0.5–0.7 cm from the edges. Turn right side out, roll the seam exactly to the edge and press.
- Thread the ties through the channels at the shoulder seams.
- Stitch the centre back seam of the inner Back Facing and press it open. Join the inner Front Facings and Back Facings at the shoulders and press the seams open. Overlock the free edge of the inner facings. Place the inner facings on the outer facings right sides together, matching the shoulder seams, and stitch. Understitch the seam allowances onto the inner facing 0.2 cm from the seam. Stitch the overlocked edge of the inner facing in the ditch of the outer facing seam.
- Along the upper edge of the Blouse Lower Back and Blouse Lower Front, sew a row of long, loose stitches 0.5 cm from the edge. Pull up the gathers to match the lower edge of the Back Inset and Front Inset, spreading them evenly along the whole length.
- Stitch the Blouse Lower Back to the Back Inset. Overlock the seam and press it towards the inset.
- Stitch the Blouse Lower Front to the Front Inset so that the front edges meet edge to edge. Overlock the seam and press it towards the inset.
- Stitch the side seams and overlock them. Press the side seams towards the back.
- Overlock the lower edge of the top, turn up the hem and topstitch.
- Mark and set the eyelets on the front. Thread the cord through the eyelets.
