Solee Top by Natalie Ebaugh
This top has to be one of the most satisfying and simple makes. After seeing Natalie Ebaugh post the steps to this simple Solee Top on Instagram, I realised it would be the perfect way to use the linen leftover from my Zadie Jumpsuit. All that is needed to make this top is the fabric, some matching thread and wide elastic to use around the chest and waistbands.
It’s not often that I make something from start to finish in an afternoon. In fact, that has pretty much never happened until I made this top! The fact that it is made from simple rectangles without a pattern is a big bonus and saved a lot of time in the cutting out phase. The top also doesn’t have any fastenings- just the simple shoulder ties. The most time-consuming step is probably turning the ties inside out.
If you would like to make this cute and easy top, all you need is about 70cm of 112cm wide fabric to cut the tube and the straps. You will also need about 1.8m of 2.5cm wide elastic. I followed the same sizes that Natalie used, although my dimensions are slightly smaller than hers so I could have gotten away with making the top slightly smaller. For reference, I have a 27-inch waist and 31-inch bust. Natalie lists her measurements as a 29-inch waist and 34-inch bust so these fabric requirements should work anyone who falls somewhere between a UK size 8-14.
The instructions are totally free - just head to @natalie_ebaugh on Instagram and look for her Solee Top story highlight. The top is made by creating one tube from a large rectangle of fabric with a centre-back seam. The top and bottom edges are then folded to create hems. The elastic is inserted into these hems and then a row of stitching is added to separate the elastic from the edge - this is what makes the frill. The straps are made using the standard technique of sewing the long edge and one end before turning them inside out.
If you like colourful handmade clothes with lots of big sleeves and frills, she is definitely worth following. This is a great project to use up some of the leftover fabric that most sewists have lying around.
