Today  it's my turn to play with the basic bodice pattern. This is what I have come up with – the Colour Pop tunic. It has a contrasting facing (the “Pop” bit) and some sleeves with some inverted pleats at the shoulder. I’ll show you how to draft and sew both of these features in today’s tutorial.

I am still so happily amazed at the variety of permutations and combinations you can make with a good basic pattern. If you haven’t checked out Caroline’s Modern Vintage top you can find it here. We have used the same bodice pattern to make both of these tops.

Watch out next week for our Basic A line dress round up and tutorials from both Caroline and I. We'll show you how to vary this pattern to make two very different dresses

If you would like to make your own Colour Pop Tunic grab your basic bodice pattern and click on the Read More button to find out how.

  Before we start, here are a few ideas I think it is worth thinking about:

• If you are not sure what a basic bodice pattern is check out Caroline’s Bodice Round up
• Our bodice pattern widens out over the hips a little. Make sure yours does too. If it doesn’t do it yourself.  This tunic only has a neck opening, if you don’t do this your little one may never get into the sweet tunic you have made for them!
• During the drafting stage I always work on my pattern without seam allowances, make my alterations and then add the seam allowances back before I start cutting.
• Consider making a “master pattern” for all your basic pattern pieces. A master pattern is one without seam allowances that you never cut or alter. When the inspiration strikes, trace off your basic patterns from your master, make your alterations, add back your seam allowance, cut and get sewing!
• If you’re lazy like me and can’t be bothered adding back your seam allowances to your pattern invest in a seam allowance guide. This is a cheap and nifty gadget that is magnetic so it sticks to your scissors. You can cut any seam allowance you like quickly and easily.
  

So lets get started with the drafting...

Facings

Trace off the neck line and shoulder seam for your front and back.

My facing is 3.5cm wide. You can choose whatever width you like. Mark out this width so it follows the neck line curve on the back. Add your seam allowances to the shoulder and upper and lower curve. Cut one on the fold and you have your back neck facing.

_ Now, do the same for the front . You will also need to add the tab piece. I kept mine at the same width  – 3.5 cm + 0.5 cm for the seam allowance on the split at the neck opening. You will need to round out the square corners. It would be close to impossiple to sew the lower corner and I just like the curvey aesthetic. Add your seam allowances and then cut one on the fold. Don’t cut down the centre front of the facing yet. It will be easier to do this once the facing has been sewn to the neck of the tunic. (My apologies - wrong white balance on the camera for these photos!)

_ Sleeves

You will need to work out a few measurements:

• The length of your sleeve, from shoulder tip to hem
• The width of your sleeve at the hem
• The sleeve cap height – (the cap is the curvey bell shaped bit at the top of your sleeve) Measure the height of your arm hole – for me 6 inches (sorry,  I don’t know why this photo shows inches – 15cm for the metric users among us - my brain seems to flip between metric and imperial in a fairly random way!). A good cap height to work with is 2/3s of this (4inches/10cm)

_ Grab a piece of paper and mark off the length of the sleeve on one of the straight edges. At the bottom point, draw a line at right angles to the paper edge ½ the width of your sleeve. From the top point, measure down your sleeve cap height. Draw a line here at right angles to the paper’s edge. Extend it out 3 cm more than half your width of the sleeve at the hem. Using a long curve connect the upper part of the sleeve to this point with a long even curve, making sure the beginning and end 1.5cm is parallel to the lower edge of the sleeve.

Phew...

In summary – look at the picture!!! It is a lot easier to do than describe!

_ As a check point - measure the arm hole of your bodice front. The curved piece of your sleeve should be at least 2 cm longer than the arm hole. If it is not make your curve curvier!
Add your seam allowances and cut out two sleeves on the fold.

OK, let’s get on with sewing...

Sew your shoulder seams together. Finish the seams in any way you like.

We’ll do the neck facing first. I didn’t interface mine. Why?  Well... I didn’t have any interfacing! You could though, just make sure you cut the interfacing without any seam allowances to reduce bulk.

Baste a line of stitches around the lower edge of the back and neck facings at the width of your seam allowance. (For me 1cm)

Sew the facing shoulder seams together and then iron these seams open. You don't need to finish these seams as they will all be enclosed in the facing.

Yes, I know... That neck hole is looking too small for a head, maybe even too small for a neck. Don't stress - we will rectify that very soon!

Using your basting stitch as a guide to turn the seam allowance of the lower edge to the wrong side and iron it flat. Take your time - you will want this to look good as you will see this edge on the tunic when it is all done. You will need to clip the concave curves to make them sit well.

_Now, you will need to draw the sewing line on the wrong side of the front facing where the neck splits at the centre front. Use your pattern pieces to mark it, but don't cut anything yet.

Pin the neck facing to the neck of the tunic - right side of the facing to the wrong side of the tunic.

Sew the facing in place. Start at one shoulder seam and head all the way around. When you get to the centre front - sew along the lines you have drawn that  mark the opening of the front neck facing.

Now grab your scissors and trim back the excess seam allowance and cut down into that opening you have just sewn. You will need to clip into the lower corners (carefully!) and give it a gentle stretch (carefully!) so the facing sits nicely when you flip it out to sit on the right side of your tunic.

_When you are happy with the way it is sitting top stitch it in place.

Facing done!
Let's move on to the sleeves...

Pin your sleeves to the arm hole.
Pin from both ends. When you get to the middle there will be a fold of excess fabric we can turn into the inverted pleat.

Pinch the excess fabric to find the midpoint, lay the fold flat so the midpoint lines up with the shoulder seam (the purple pin in the next picture) and pin in place.

Sew the sleeve to the bodice with your regular seam allowance and you will have created a cute little inverted pleat at the top of the sleeve.

Well, I think my work is done...
I am sure you can sew the rest without me.
All you have left is the under arm seams, side seams and hems.

Have fun!