I have a habit of buying single yards of beautiful fabric. An Italian double gauze, a Belgian linen – I can’t seem to leave the store without them, always convincing myself that one yard will be just enough to sew something!

I came up with this pattern after seeing a tunic my friend was wearing on a trip a few summers ago – simple straight lines, with a few shoulder pieces making up a flattering square neckline. It is the perfect beginner project, using just a few types of hand stitches to create a lovely, drapey top. And as a bonus it is almost zero waste. What little is left can easily be used as a pocket, embellishment, or saved for mending another of your favorite garments.

This pattern is ONE SIZE, the body width is determined by the width of your fabric. There are no pattern pieces. The length can be modified to your liking – from a tunic to a more cropped tee. The design has been tested on a wide range of body types, but we will also be covering how to make any modifications to best fit your frame and style.

Finished Measurements:

Based on fabric that is 56“ – 61” [142cm – 155cm] wide:

Dates:

Two sessions

Thursday, May 11th and Thursday, May 18th, 2023

Time:
12 pm – 2:30 pm ET

Location:
Zoom, a link will be sent to participants 
the day before class.

Cost:
$100

Materials needed:

• 1 yard of woven fabric 57”-60” wide. Light or medium weight linen or linen blend works best as the fabric should have some drape to create the dropped shoulder caps.

• Cotton hand sewing thread in a color to match your fabric.

• Sewing thread in a contrasting color to use for basting.

• Hand sewing needle

• Fabric Scissors (or rotary blade and mat with a plastic cutting ruler)

• Straight pins

• Thimble (optional)

*Note: if you are having trouble finding wide width fabric, you can use a standard 44” width fabric, but the length of your top will be 22-23.5” from shoulder to bottom hem. 

OUR TEACHER
Karen Stevens

For the last 25 years, Karen has been a freelance CAD instructor, training textile and fashion designers to create knits, prints and wovens for the garment industry. But these days you are more likely to find her in her creatively cluttered studio than on her computer, adding one more vintage patch to a favorite pair of jeans or double gauze shirt. Her love of visible mending, natural fibers, hand dyed fabrics and slow stitching has recently turned into a small side business, creating one of a kind stitched curiosities.

Karen lives in rural Northwest CT with her family, a menagerie of pets wearing party hats, and an indigo dipped laundry line.

“You repair the thing until you make it completely.”    – Louise Bourgeois