Dallas Top Written Directions

Materials

- Dallas Top PDF Pattern

- 1/4 yard swimwear fabric

- 1/4" swimwear elastic

- Cutting tool like scissors or rotary cutter

- Loop turner

- Sewing machine capable of a straight stitch

- Overlock machine OR zig-zag stitch on a regular sewing machine

Cutting

First, assemble your pattern and then cut out your desired size.

There is one bust piece in this pattern and you will want to cut 4 in your fabric total.

If you'd like yours to be made reversible, pick out two different fabrics and cut two bust pieces in each fabric

At this step you will also cut your straps. Refer to the measurements inside the pattern for the exact strap measurements.

Step 1

Now we have all our pieces, and we’re first going to sew and attach elastic to our bust pieces and our straps.

For the straps you will treat them all the same and fold them in half lengthwise with right sides together. Sew and attach elastic to the raw edges.

You will use either an overlock stitch or a zig zag stitch for this, attaching elastic at this step. For more information on how to sew elastic, click here.

For the bust pieces, match them with right sides together and sew and attach elastic to each of the following areas marked in the images below. Notice you will NOT sew about 1/2" before approaching the bottom edge on both sides of the bust pieces, as shown.

This is essential because it will create room for our strap channel, and we need these holes to take the bust pieces to the right side in the next few steps.

Step 2

Now we've attached our elastic and sewn up most all of our pieces, and the next step is taking each of the straps to the right side. To do this you will use your loop turner, but if you don't have one you can use a safety pin instead.

Step 3

For the next few steps you will do the same thing with your two bust pieces, but we will just be displaying one.

Insert your neck strap into the strap opening at the top of the bust piece. At this time your bust pieces should still be inside out. Since the bottom edge of our bust piece is not sewn we will be able to easily reach the strap through.

Pin the strap into place, then sew each strap down. You can use either a straight stitch for this or an overlock stitch. We recommend using a straight stitch and then trimming the excess, as this will make the cleanest seam.

Step 4

Next we want to sew the last seam in our bust pieces, the bottom edge. First, tuck in your neck straps so they're completely sandwiched inside the bust piece. Do not attach elastic here. You will use an overlock stitch for this, or you can use a zig zag stitch.

Step 5

Now we need to take our bust pieces to the right side. To do this, use one of the 1/2" holes we left for the strap channel and bring the whole bust piece along with its attached strap to the right side.

Step 6

Almost done! We now need to sew in our strap channels with a straight stitch. With your bust pieces to the right side, sew a straight stitch from edge to edge, just a hair over 1/4" away from the bottom edge. Do this with both bust pieces.

Step 7

Finally, take your loop turner and your band strap out. One at a time, thread the band strap through each of the bust pieces inside the strap channel we made.

That completes the Dallas Top!