Happy September! It’s a brand new month of the year and one step closer to my favorite season, fall. It’s still technically summer and Los Angeles makes it known with the triple digit days experienced earlier this week. I’m excited about today not only because it’s September, but also because I’m attending my first official Dodgers game today.
Being a Northern California girl I can tell you that I’m not a big Dodgers fan. I appreciate that the Dodgers were Kobe’s team and I also appreciate the team colors blue and white. Outside of that, it’s just baseball. Speaking of Kobe, he is the whole reason behind my attendance for tonight’s game. Tonight is Laker’s night at Dodger’s stadium and they are giving away special baseball jerseys in honor of Kobe. Natalia Bryant, Kobe’s oldest daughter, is also throwing the first pitch of the game so this should be exciting. Since this is my first time attending a southern California baseball game and I can’t pick up my jersey ahead of time, I had to think of something snazzy yet cool to wear tonight. I wanted to represent the blue colors of the Dodgers team, but I also wanted to be stylish and comfortable. I remembered I already had the perfect stylish solution.
Last year during August, also known as Black Business Month, I purchased this lovely navy blue Black owned casual chic top from Nordstrom. This hand made dual toned blue top was handmade is Ghana and perfect for the game. The only problem is I purchased the top in what I thought was my size, but it was clearly too small. I decided to let the top stay in my closet for a year as I continued to work on my fitness. A whole year later and the top remains too small for me to put on this curvaceous body. I refuse to give up and decided to create a solution and up-cycle my ensemble.
I went to the fabric store and purchased some similar stretch denim fabric to add to my top. The idea is to expand the width but still keep it stylish enough not to know the top had been maneuvered. The entire process of reforming and recreating my top was super easy thanks to my sewing machine and a simple hand stitch. I was able add the fabric and form this top to my body.
I loved how this top came out. I must say I look like a strike out and a knock out. I decided to share the process and pictures below.
See my step by step video and instructions below.
Here’s what I did:
Materials
Cotton stripe puff sleeve crop top by Sika (purchase similar here)
¼ yard of stretch denim fabric in shade of your choice
seam ripper
fabric shears
matching blue thread
sewing needle
sewing machine (optional if you opt to hand sew everything)
fabric pen/ pencil
dressmaker (straight) pins
fabric measuring tape
iron-on hem tape
iron
Instructions
- Use measuring tape to measure width of blouse and width of your bust. The difference in measurements is essentially the amount of fabric needed to make your top fit.
- Fold fabric in half so top of denim fabric is facing outwards on both sides.
- Take number from your width measurement difference and divide that in half.
- Measure the length of the top where you’ll be cutting to determine the length of denim fabric you need.
- Use fabric pen and draw your measurements onto your fabric.
- Cut folded denim fabric into two identical panels for each side of your top.
- Remove hem from crop top where you’ll be adding addition denim fabric.
- Take iron-on hem tape and iron two folded sides of denim together for each panel.
- Use straight pins to add and secure denim panels to your crop top.
- Carefully try on your top with the new fabric in place to make sure it fits properly.
- Once you’re satisfied with the fit and made the proper adjustments with your denim panels, sew them in place on your top where the previous seams were opened.
- Once denim panels have been secured in place using sewing machine or hand sewn, hand sew any additional details to make sure your top is top notch and chic.
13. Wear your new upgraded, up-cycled and on trend crop top proudly.
Confections, Crafts, Couture 