Sewing Tutorial: Easy halter top w/o pattern (images fixed)

This was requested by some of my lovlies in the BBB/RS thread so here it is! Halter top without a pattern! I'll mark alternative methods with an * so they are easy to find!

Edit: After Starting to fix my photo bucket so these images would show again, I read through the tutorial and realized I made a clarical error. I was telling you to roll over 1/4 inch for the seams.. when I had measured out for 1/2 seams. If you have already tried this and like the broader bra, just imagine I said that the seams were 1/4" but I did intended to say 1/2". I've also added a little more to the "satin" bullets. Being that satin is hard to work with and can make SUCH a lovely top I made one... and then totally changed it half way through and so a lot of the pics I made are totally useless.

Start off.. gather up your stuff!

I'm going to be using cotton on this one, and snaps to fasten. A person could use ribbon to make a tie closure and I'll indicate that when we come to that part but we're certainly not there yet So now that you have all your stuff, lets move on.

Get your fabric and your victim

Measuring time! First measurement is for the width of the "bra" portion of the halter. Measure the bust, from one side of your doll to the other across the thickest part of the bust. Cassie dear measures 4 inches as you can see. Take half that and add a half an inch. So 2 1/2 inches
* For satin, ALWAYS add extra seam allowance past what I'm talking about for cotton. When I use satin instead of using fray check I always double roll my seams. Add anywhere from a 1/2 inch to a whole inch to each measurement simply because that stuff is a PAIN to deal with.

Now for the length, measurement is from the back of the neck to under the breast. Add about an inch to this measurement, so cassie is 5 inches!
* Ribbon tie users, you'll want to shorten this length measurement so there's room for your ribbon to tie naturally. Measure from where you want the ribbon to start on the top (so instead of the back of the neck measure from say the shoulder or the collar bone) down to the underbust then add about 1/2" to the measurement for seams.

Last measurement is the ribs right under the bust. For the length to have enough to have a snap, we'll have to add about a half inch to that number so it over laps then another half inch for seam allowance. Cassie is 6 and a half, so I went with 7 and a half inches.
*If you're using ribbon to tie the back you'll want to shorten this number, Either just add seam allowance so the fabric will just touch or if you want a space leave it at the exact measurement of the ribs or shorter.
*If you want to use the fabric as a tie then add the length you'll need to make a knot to this measurement.

So cut your fabric! One of the wonders of cotton is that you can snip and rip, so thats why my fabric has rough edges ^_^ You'll need two Bra type pieces, Mine were 5" by 2 1/2". Now for the ribs we never measured for the length of that band, it's because that is totally up to your discretion. I like the band a little thicker, Want the finished piece to have a bout an inch thick band, So I started with 2 1/2" of fabric, Whatever you want the end width to be, double it and add a 1/2". Don't make the end width less than 1/4" because that would be too small for what we'll do later. My band measures 2 1/2" by 8" (I cut this one long, I should have cut it 7 1/2")
Note~ that bottom piece of fabric in the pictures is going to magically get longer in the next few steps >.> I'm a little sick right now so there were several mistakes that got corrected as I went along.

I'm using cotton so I can Iron my seams down before I sew them. Lay your fabric wrong side up and fold over 1/2" on all the long edges, Iron that fold till it's crisp. Make sure >.> You have water in your iron cus the steam really helps get that fold in there.
*If you're using a fabric other than cotton you might have to pin your seam allowance in, Which will make things more difficult for you later but is necessary.
* Those of you brave ones using satin, now is the time to take up some of that extra seam allowance you put in there... Fold the seam over twice so that fuzzy edge is hidden even on the back side of your work. Cant figure how far to fold it over? remember all that "add and inch" "add atleast a half inch" stuff I said earlier? Take the total amount you added to the direction we're going, So thats 1 1/2" or 2" or something in between, And devide it in two. Now you have how much seam allowance you have on either side.. So 3/4" to 1". Now the easy part, Iron a fold into your fabric, that distance in, then to get the double roll part.. Fold the edge of your fabric into the fold line, fold the fold line back in again and iron again. TADA!! Ok not terrifically easy but it works.

Like this! Oh irons are so lovely!

Now to do some more Ironing on the band, We want finished edges on the ends so Fold over about 1/2" on either short end. Make sure you get it to the correct length, 7" for mine (ribs were 6 1/2" and I want a snap closure so added 1/2" to the finished length)
*Satin users, Continue to double fold your seams, Rolling them over twice will keep those nasty frays from messing up your seams later when the doll is wearing the piece.

After you have the ends rolled over then fold the band in half longways and Iron again! It should be the width that you were trying to get with all that baloney I was talking about earlier about the finished size of the band.

~Continued on next post~
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Now we actually start doing some sewing! But as I said earlier... I was a bit sick when I made this tutorial... So there are some boo boos... I'll note them >.<

Now we want to secure those lovely seams we rolled over, back on the bra pieces I want you to sew one of the seams on each... No not both, One. The outside ones to be exact. This is one of the places where my sick brain messed up, See we're gong to sew the two pieces together in the middle, but that doesn't come till later. So Hem down one side so you don't have to deal with that later. If you're using fabric with a direction (like a patterned or an image) be especially careful to hem the outside edges and not the same edge or the inside edge.
Note~ as you can see I made the mistake of seaming both sides of each piece, then had to seam ripper it when I got the darts in...

Now it's time to shape this fabric so that it won't just slide everywhere. You're going to want to put a dart in the fabric so lay the fabric across the bust of your doll and fold it under the bust on the outside.

Now pin along where you want the dart, then repeat with the other piece of fabric. For some unknown reason I put the fabric right side up on the doll which made life much harder for me when I went to pin the fabric, So I suggest you put the fabric wrong side out on the opposite breast that it's going to be on so you can pin it more easily. And make sure you let the fabric come down onto the dolls ribs so that your dart will be long enough to stick outside of the band.
After you have both pieces pinned, sew along side the pin!

Now we have the dart in, the outside edges sewn but we don't want the halter to gap all the way to the band at the ribs so we're going to seam this bad boy into one piece. Lay the fabric right sides together and open up that seam we Ironed down. Sew along the crease about the same length as the dart. I usually do about 1 or 2 stitches shorter because I'm looking for a slightly revealing halter. If you're looking for a more modest halter, take this seam further.
*satin users Make sure with your double folded seams that you do this seam in right one. It will be the first fold you're unfolding.. so there should still be a fold that runs the raw edge of the fabric up to where you're seaming.
Note~ You can see here that I had to take out the two center seams I put in because you can't open the fold while it's sewn down >.< also... make sure to back stitch... I forgot in my sick haze and the damn thing came apart while I was doing the next step >.<

Now fold those seam allowances back over and seam up those inside seams. As one can see, I like to do one continuous seam, Fewer threads to cut ^_^

Tuck the bra part between the two layers of the band part, and try it on your doll to make sure it fits right so far.

Now pin! Should look something like this

And sew! Start where I have, down on one of the corners so you can do all three open sides of the band in one fell swoop, fewer strings and all ^_^
*If you are using Ribbons to tie off your band sew them in the sides on this step.

tada! All sewn up nice and pretty!

Now try it back on your Victim and mark your clasp. I'm putting a snap on so I just mark where the one end comes to on the other end and start sewing.

more excessive pictures to show how mine looks.

~Continue on next post~
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Now we're on to the last part to finish, the straps part of the bra.

Try it back on your dear victim and arrange the fabric to lay how you want it to lay, then pin it.
* if you're using ribbons to tie off the top you're going to want to Pin the fabric further down than I did.

Now this part could be a little confusing. What you want to do is fold the end of the fabric over while it's flattened out like I have pictured up top, then get it to fold back up naturally according to the folds you put in it so it would narrow near the shoulder. Alternately you could fold the fabric over, hem the top and gather it but gathering can be so bulky I prefer doing it this way.

Now stitch that bad boy in place. I was getting tired and lazy at this point so instead of doing a rectangle like I normally would I just did a v to make sure everything was secure. Repeat that with the other strap and we're almost done!
*Ribbon tie people will want to put the ribbon in the folds so that when they sew the end to secure it they are also sewing the ribbon in. Make sure you give it a few extra stitches cus those things do fray. But lucky you! This is your last step!

If you're like me and you're using snaps then mark where they go and sew those bad boys on.

Enjoy!

I'm sure that some of this is less than totally coherent so please feel free to question my sanity. I'm sure if you're wondering what I was talking about someone else is just as confused ^_^

 

Post for FAQ's and for some pictures for variations >.> When I get around to making them >.>

 

Yea it shouldn't be too hard on the hand. Only got about... what 10 seams? And no huge hems ^_^

 

^_^ thanks! I'm glad people are understanding it ^_^

 

^_^ Thanks guys! Make sure to post any attempts you make! I love to see what other people do with the patterns I make ^_^

Hell Kitty~ ^_^ Love you too hun ^_^

 

^o^ Silvennia it's adorable! I love the lace! And doing stuff on the fly can be some of the best stuff ever!

Delbelcoure~ ^_^ well that's the plan at least ^_^

CraftyGeek~ ^o^ Thanks! I couldn't help myself I had to get soem quips in ^_^

 

Silvennia~ ^_^ I'll love to see any attempts made!! It doesn't look like an apron to me! ^_^

Applestruddles~ Thank you!

 

Autumnrain~ ^_^ YAY! I'm glad you like it! I hope to see your version soon ^_^

Silvennia~ OOoooOoooo Neat! I love the color!

 

^_^ I'm glad to hear that people like it ^_^ I can't wait to see more photos

 

LOL! well He looks smashing in his new halter! I love what you used for fabric!

 

^_^ Thanks guys ^_^ I'm glad people like it! If you make some be sure to show me pics! I love seeing them!

 

^_^ look forward to seeing it Minakali!

It was very required Pamdora, even on a pattern as easy as this I still almost inevitally have to take at least one seam out.

 

^_^ thanks for sharing it over here too! I'm still quite smitten with it!

 

^_^ not a problem

 

If you had looked at this before the images had been fixed I actually made an error that I caught while fixing the images. The 1/4" seams were supposed to be 1/2" and I added more detail to the Satin bullets. But the images are all fixed now and hopefully everything it 100% correct now >.<

 

Oh wow, awesome everyone ^_^ WHen I have more time I'll actually get a chance to reply to people individually T_T

 

Rumiko, Willowinghydra, bubblegum_phoenix~ I'm glad everyone liked the tut ^_^

NataliaTika~ Just a simple cotton ^_^

Delbecoure~ Those are all lovely! I'm so happy you had fun!

RROSS~ Oh that is fun! She looks GREAT!