Empire Waist Maternity Top

Name: Empire Waist Maternity Top
Brand: Minerva Patterns
SKU: 5613
Price: 5.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Pattern #5613

A sleeveless women's maternity top with a V-neck, a darted bodice, a double band under the bust that forms a channel for a drawcord, and a gathered lower part that flares to the hip. Drafted to your own measurements. Recommended fabric: thin silk and viscose fabrics.

Tech. Description

Empire Waist Maternity Top

A sleeveless women's maternity top with a V-neck, a darted bodice, a double band under the bust that forms a channel for a drawcord, and a gathered lower part that flares to the hip.

When To Wear

During pregnancy in spring and summer, with maternity trousers, leggings or skirts.
Under a cardigan or jacket in cooler weather.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Fitted bodice with a high waistline under the bust; the lower part is gathered onto the band and falls loose over the belly.

Length: Hip length.

Neckline: V-neck finished with interfaced front and back facings, understitched 0.2 cm from the seam and tacked to the shoulder seams.

Sleeves: Sleeveless; armhole edges serged, turned to the wrong side and topstitched.

Front: Bodice cut in one piece with darts pressed towards the centre front.

Back: Bodice in two pieces with a centre back seam and darts.

Waist: Band made of an outer and an inner insert with the bodice sewn between them. Buttonholes on the front band take a decorative cord with cord ends that ties at the centre front.

Finishing: Lower front and back gathered evenly to the band (the gathered length is marked on the pattern piece); hem serged, turned up and topstitched.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. Darts, even gathering, a two-layer band enclosing the bodice seam, buttonholes and a faced V-neck.

Fabric Recommendations

Thin silk and viscose fabrics.

Additional Supplies

Fusible interfacing (front and back neck facings)
Decorative cord
Cord ends

Cutting Plan

From main fabric:

1. Front Bodice – 1 piece
2. Back Bodice – 2 pieces
3. Front Neckline Facing – 1 piece
4. Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece
5. Front Insert – 2 pieces
6. Back Insert – 2 pieces
7. Lower Back – 1 piece
8. Lower Front – 1 piece

Sewing Instructions

Fuse the front and back neckline facings with interfacing.
Mark and stitch darts on the upper front bodice, press darts towards the center front.
Mark and stitch darts on the back bodice. Press darts towards the center back.
Stitch and finish the center back seam. Press the center back seam to the left side.
Stitch side and shoulder seams. Finish seams and press towards the back.
Stitch side seams on the lower front and back pieces. Finish seams and press towards the back.
Stitch side seams on the front and back inserts. Press seams open.
Along the upper edge of the lower back and front pieces, stitch at 0.5 cm from the edge with loosely tensioned stitches (basting stitch). Gather the upper edge of the piece to match the length of the lower edge of the front and back inserts (the gathered length of the lower front and back pieces is indicated on the pattern piece), distributing the gathers evenly along the entire length.
On the upper front insert, mark the position and make buttonholes. Overlock the lower edge of the inner front and back inserts. Attach the outer front and back inserts to the upper edge of the lower front and back pieces. Attach the upper front and back bodice to the outer and inner front and back inserts so that the upper of the top is between the inserts. Fold the inner insert of the top down and topstitch into the seam attaching the outer insert.
Stitch the shoulder seams of the facing. Overlock the outer edges of the facing. Place the facings and top right sides together and stitch the neckline edge of the front and back. Understitch the neckline seam allowance to the facing at 0.2 cm from the stitching line. Press the front and back neckline. Secure the front and back neckline facing at the shoulder seams with a 1 cm tack to the top shoulder seams.
Overlock the armhole edges, fold to the wrong side and topstitch.
Overlock the hem of the top, fold to the wrong side and topstitch. Thread cord through the buttonholes and attach cord ends.