Sewing tunic for beginners - DIY instruction + free sewing pattern

• Material and preparation
  • material selection
  • Amount of material and the pattern
• Instructions 1: the often seen strip cleaning
• Instructions 2: the classic strip cleaning
• variations
• Quick guide

A Tunkia is very practical especially in the warm season, as it can be worn in the longer version as a short dress. The big advantage is that it is also used as a blouse in winter. There are many different versions. When it is stitched short, it looks youthfully playful and is a great complement to airy skirts or shorts. Even over bikini or swimsuit, she makes great.

Since this tutorial should be suitable for beginners, I have come up with a very simple version for which you can even create the pattern itself. As a small candy, I then added a variant in which you can use the same pattern for creating a cardigans with a small change.

In addition, there is a mini-breakdown assistance with respect to the sleeve length and I describe in detail how the Streifenversäuberung is implemented in a neckline.

Difficulty level 2.5 / 5
(with this guide and a little patience suitable for beginners)

Material costs 1/5
(depending on fabric selection)

Time required 2.5 / 5
(for beginners including sewing pattern creation 2h)

Material and preparation

material selection

In principle, any kind of lightweight clothing material can be used for a tunic. But I have some small tips for you:

• The fabric should not be made mostly of polyester, otherwise you will sweat a lot.
• The fabric should be soft and flowing, not too light.
• If the fabric is very light, it often falls more beautiful if the lower hem is sewn wider. In this case, please plan the extra length in your cut.
• The fabric should not scratch as it is worn unlined directly on the skin.

I opted for a beautiful, lightweight viscose jersey in cream color with colorful floral and butterfly print .

For beginners, stretchy fabrics are often easier to process, forgiving small mistakes. However, this pattern is basically also suitable for non-stretchable fabrics.

In my example, the entire tunic is cut in one piece. If this is not possible due to the subject or the length of the material, and you cut them separately (especially for heavier fabrics), you should reinforce the shoulder seams with ironing insert (without volume), as these areas are particularly stressed and can soon embarrass. For very thin fabrics, this is not necessary because they do not hang by their own weight. Thin fabrics are not usually not opaque and you would see the ironing insert, which of course makes less good.

In addition, you need fabric or bias tapes to border the neckline, if you do not want to do this by striping with the main fabric. Of course you can trim the neckline as well, but I would like to show something new in every tutorial. Especially with such simple cuts, it makes sense to take the time to broaden your horizons. Depending on the type of fabric, you can also put on the decorative tape, so that nothing slips when you sew it together.

Amount of material and the pattern

The pattern is very simple: Measure for the width once with your arms outstretched from elbow to elbow and add about 10 cm, so that the sleeves are slightly longer and can be hemmed. For the height, measure from the shoulders to the point where your tunic should go. I would like to sew a short tunic, so about 50 cm is enough for me. The whole thing you need now 2 times or in the bow and the pattern is almost done!

Now rectangles are cut away at the two lower corners, and the sleeves should be about 35 cm wide and the body circumference is about 76 cm. Thus, in each case a rectangle with a height of 15 cm and a width of 12 cm come off to my right and left.

So you should get along with 1.5 m of fabric with a width of 1 m wonderful. Of course, the cut can be divided at will. You can put together different fabric remnants, attach braids and lace, sew on appliqués and much more.

If you do not want to measure, just take these measurements:

• Fabric width: 100 cm
• Fabric height: 75 cm (2x or in break, so 150 cm)

This is the "classic" tunic length, but it can also be stitched for longer - up to the middle of the thighs. Also a shorter version as in this tutorial is possible at any time. Just the versatility makes this simple pattern particularly interesting.

In the next step, draw the neckline. You can either use a matching T-shirt as a template, or you can draw it to feel. It should, however, fit her head with only slight stretching of the fabric. So I would put at least 90% of the head circumference . If you are unsure, first cut only a slightly smaller hole in the fabric and see if your head fits through it. You can enlarge as needed. For example, with a Carmen cut you do not have to worry about anything at all. Just measure from one place to another and add a little bit more rounding to the front.

I opted for a Carmen neckline and mark myself first the fabric center at the bow with a pin. On my body I measured a section of about 30 cm. Now I measure from the middle so each 15 cm to each side and mark these two points also.

Since my neckline should be symmetrical (yes, they also like to make it asymmetrical), I put the fabric together again so that the two 15 cm marks are on top of each other. Now I cut a narrow strip from the fabric, which narrows towards the mark until it ends completely at the marking needle.

I now unfold and lay the fabric between the markings on the front of my tunic in the break (ie already along the neckline). Here again I cut away a narrow strip that ends at the markings, so that the front neckline sits slightly lower.

The same is the case when you put the tunic together in two parts. Except that in the case above are the open edges instead of the bug.

Tip: If you want to strip clean, you do not need to consider seam allowances. If you want to hem or crease the neckline, add about 0.7 cm of seam allowance all around.

If you cut the front and back separately, sew the shoulder seams together first. In this case, a few centimeters should be strengthened with ironing insert.

Now sew the sleeves and the sides together along the cut rectangles right to right.

You can already imagine what the finished tunic will look like. Then you line the sleeves and the bottom hem. With thin fabrics, you can fold the edge only once with the help of Wondertape (or by simple ironing) and then stitch it. So the hem does not get too thick and the fabric is nice.

Then it goes to the Streifenversäuberung the neckline, if you choose this variant. How to sew on a cuff I have already shown in detail in the manual "sewing bloomers", that's why I would like to go into the strip robbery today.
Instructions for stripping the neckline for beginners in two variants

Instructions 1: the often seen strip cleaning

I would like to describe this variant first, as it is also suitable for sewing with a normal sewing machine. For strip cleaning you need a strip of fabric. If the purge is 1 cm wide, you need 4 cm width. So always with the factor 4 is counted. If you only want to miss in seam allowance width, normally 4 x 0.7 cm, that is 2.8 cm. If you want to make the border 2 m wide, you need 8 cm. The fabric length of the cleansing strip should be a few inches more than the neckline handling.

So that you can better understand the following steps, I now use fabric pieces with different motifs to explain.

Tip: Always iron between steps for a nice, clean result.

Turn your tunic on the left. Place the squeegee strip with the right side down on the left side of the tunic, with the edges at the top flush.

Start after 2-3 cm and sew the strip all the way around. When you get back to the beginning, fold the beginning of the strip down (the edges must rest again), lay the strip end flush over it and sew over it. Lock the seam.

Tip: If you have round necklines, you should put on the strip clearing slightly pulled. That's easy with stretchy fabrics. When sewing, lightly pull on the scouring strip. This may require some practice. If you pull too tight, the underwear will curl. If you pull too little, it may be that the Versreiferstreifen protrudes later.

Flip the strip up and turn the tunic to the right. Fold the Versäuberungsstreifen to the neckline in the middle twice and put everything firmly. Sew with a short elastic edging using a narrow edging.

Instructions 2: the classic strip cleaning

The classic variant is less effective with one layer of fabric and thus contributes less. Unless you are the proud owner of a coverlock sewing machine, the inside of the neckline does not look so pretty, as it is not cleared. Jerseys are not that bad, because they do not have to be finished, but it's a matter of taste, whether the open end bothers or not.

Place the squeegee strip right to right on the outside of the neckline (ie with the "nice" sides together). Stitch it flush with the upper edge using a narrow edging (always stretch with an elastic stitch).

Fold the strip up and iron the edge straight. Turn the tunic to the left and fold the strip over the seam allowance. Iron now also the newly created edge short. Apply the tunic again and fix the strip in the seam shadow with pins. It is now also sewn in the seam shadow.

Tip: An eye shadow is the point between the two fabrics on which the previous seam runs. While sewing, you can easily pull the fabrics apart, then you can see the new seam after almost no more. Use matching yarn. I have omitted this for better visibility.

Carefully cut the excess seam allowance back to the seam.
And the tunic is ready for beginners!

variations

A nice variation of this tunic pattern is a cardigan. Create the pattern as well as the tunic. Instead of the neckline cut only from the bow down (to the level of the corners of the two cut-away rectangles) a triangle and then straight down, so that the fabric is divided and front can open like a jacket.

Seam all open spaces. And already a brisk cardigan is ready. You can wear these either open or with a belt. If you do not have a belt ready, it looks great with a ribbon or thin scarf.

If you would like to have longer or shorter sleeves, simply vary the fabric width. At the first try it may sometimes look a bit different than you imagined, so here are some tips:

If the sleeves are too long, you can easily shorten them later or sew a wider hem. You can also cut slits on the top and sergeant them, then the fabric falls down and no longer along the arms.

If the sleeves are too short, just sew on lined strips of fabric, for example as an eye-catcher in contrasting colors. These can have any desired width and enhance the finished Keidungsstück largely even immensely. For example, if you use gold or silver satin for it, the tunic suddenly looks very elegant and can be integrated into the evening attire. In the case of a cardigan, it is also advisable to use the same material for the neck edging and the leading edges. For the beach, this top is then perhaps too good for you.

Or they put on a playful hole lace border in a matching color. Even fabric remnants of your main fabric across the threadline can do well depending on the subject.
And now: have fun sewing!

Quick guide

1. Take measurements or use given dimensions and cut fabric
2. Plan neckline and cut
3. Possibly close shoulder seams (ironing insert!)
4. Sew sleeves and sides together
5. Attach hems and / or strip cleaners
6. And done!

The twisted pirate