Sabrina sports top: Sewing Instructions
As with all knits and stretch fabrics, but especially with slippery sports fabric, a serger/overlock will make your life much easier. If you don’t have one, use a stretch or zigzag stitch instead.
For the topstitching steps, a coverstitch machine works best, but if you don’t have a coverstitch, a twin needle will also give good results. Of course, you can also use a zigzag stitch.
If you only have a standard sewing machine, and it is skipping stitches, try using a walking foot.
Introduction
Sabrina can be constructed in multiple ways.
The first method of constructing the top requires you to use knit binding or fold-over-elastics to finish the armholes and neck opening.
Another popular method is the burrito method, which won’t require fold-over-elastic or knit binding on the openings and results in a cleaner look, but might be less intuitive to construct.
If you want to use the burrito method, change the Seam allowance style option accordingly.
There are some great YouTube videos I can recommend if you want to follow a visual guide.
Michele Nel @ Hesketh Emporium has created an in-depth video tutorial (part 1, part 2) on how to prepare and sew a Sabrina top with fold-over-elastics.
Just be aware that you should enable or manually add seam-allowance (which the video skips over) and that they skip adding the elastic inside the waistband.
This awesome YouTube video by Kim Dave follows constructs a similar top with the knit binding method and was used as inspiration when developing the Sabrina design. This video also shows the intended way of constructing the waistband.
The main difference between Sabrina and her design is that we’re using additional side pieces for a better fit across the body.
If you want to follow a visual guide for the burrito method, this YouTube video shows the basic steps.
Again, we’re using additional side pieces for a better fit across the body, so join the sides to the fronts first, and then follow their steps.
Construction using knit binding
Follow the steps below to construct the body using knit binding or fold-over-elastics. If you want to use the burrito method, skip ahead.
Knit Binding Step 1: Create two bodies
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Serge both sides to the front, matching the notches, .
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Serge the back to both sides, matching the notches, .
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Join both shoulders, .
Do this twice to create one outer layer and one lining layer.
Align the seam allowances of the main fabric and the lining to opposite sides, to reduce bulk.
Optionally topstitch the seam allowances so they lay more flat.
Knit Binding Step 2: Join the bodies
As Kim Dave demonstrates in her video, you can remove some fabric near the armholes of the lining piece to create holes that allow inserting removable foam padding into the bra.
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Turn the outer body good-side-out and insert the lining body (wrong side out) so the seams and wrong sides are hidden between both layers.
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Match up all the seams and raw edges and align them together using clips. I do not recommend using pins, as they can create permanent holes.
Knit Binding Step 3: Finish the neck and armholes
Finish the neck and armholes using knit binding.
For this, cut a strip of your main fabric that is about 4 cm wide and as long as the neck opening circumference. (We will attach the binding with some stretch, so technically you’re only using maybe 90% of the length, but having a bit extra makes closing the back easier.)
First, match up a long side of one of your strips with both layers of the neck opening of your body, starting in the back of the neck. The good side of the strip should face the good side of the outer fabric, all three raw edges should be aligned.
Serge all three layers together without using the knife, keeping some fabric in the back of the neck unattached.
Join the binding on the back of the neck and join the remaining binding to the body.
Fold the fabric strip to the inside of the top and topstitch from the outside to secure the inside. Make sure to use a stretch stitch or cover stitch for the top-stitching.
Repeat the same for the armholes, starting at the bottom of the armhole.
Trim surplus fabric on the inside.
Or use another method to finish the raw edges, like sewing on store-bought fold-over-elastic.
Whatever you do, make sure to stretch the binding you’re attaching to the main body, so that the openings are pulled together and don’t stick up.
The burrito method
The following steps outline the burrito method. If you’re doing the knit binding method, skip to step 4 below.
Burrito Method Step 1: Create the neck opening
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Serge both sides to the front, matching the notches, .
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Join shoulders front to back, .
Do this twice to create one outer layer and one lining layer.
Optionally topstitch the seam allowances, so they lay more flat.
Align the main fabric and lining with and sew together around the neckline. Trim/snip seam curves.
Optionally, topstitch an elastic band with some stretch onto the seam allowance using a zigzag stitch. This will add some compression and reduce gaping.
Turn good sides out.
Burrito Method Step 2: Sew the armhole
We’re sewing the left armhole first.
With good sides out, take the right strap and put it on top of the left strap. Bring the good side of the left side lining around and up, so that the right strap is in between the main fabric and the lining of the left armhole facing each other with . Pin together (or use clips) the whole armhole seam, squishing down the right strap inside toward the neckline seam so it doesn’t get caught.
Sew the seam, paying attention so you are only sewing the side of the tunnel together and not the “filling”. Snip curve.
Optionally, topstitch an elastic band with some stretch onto the seam allowance using a zigzag stitch. This will add some compression and reduce gaping.
Reach into the tunnel and pull to turn good sides out. Finger-press the strap and armhole, to flatten.
Repeat for the right armhole.
Turn the entire top good-side-out, and topstitch the neckline now if preferred.
Burrito Method Step 3: Sew the sides
Pin and sew the sides pieces to the back pieces: Lining to lining, main fabric to main fabric, . They will already be connected at the bottom of the armhole, so it will be one pass each. Turn main fabric out, lining in, and topstitch the armholes if you want.
For both methods
The following steps are the same, regardless of the chosen construction method.
Common Step 4: Attach the waistband
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Join the short sides of the waistband, , to create a loop.
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Fold it in half along the long side, so the wrong sides are together and hidden.
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Place and clip the raw edge of the loop onto the outside bottom raw edge of the body, matching the waistband seam to the center back.
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Serge through all four layers on the bottom of the body. Make sure to not skip a layer. Leave an opening of around 5 cm (2 inches) on the center back.
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Cut some length of elastic to a size that feels good (is still comfortable while giving enough support) when you put it around your body at the height of your waistband. Add two seam allowances to that length. This length should be a bit shorter than the waistband rectangle you’ve cut previously. Don’t join the elastic into a loop yet.
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Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and feed it through the waistband tunnel.
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Once you’ve made sure that the elastic sits flat inside the waistband (and you haven’t accidentally twisted it), join both exposed ends of the elastic with your serger or sewing machine.
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Stretch the waistband to pull the elastic completely inside the waistband and close the remaining opening on the back with your serger.
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Optional: Topstitch the waistband seam allowance with a stretch- or cover-stitch onto to body pieces.
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Optional: Topstitch onto the waistband to stop the elastic from moving or twisting inside the tunnel.
If less support is okay, you can also attach the waistband in one step, without inserting the elastic band.
In this case, you may prefer using a wider waistband and reduce the length of the long side (reducing the circumference), so your main fabric itself will give you sufficient compression.
Common Step 5: Enjoy
Hooray, your Sabrina top is finished!