Sweetheart Halter Tutorial

***update: this pattern is now available in the pattern shop. Just in case you'd rather have every measurement you need at your fingertips instead of guessing:) Includes sizes 6 mos. up to 6 years, a yardage chart, and improved instructions.***

Bring on summer! The sweetheart halter is ready to take on the heat in style!

"oh my! Am I looking cute or what?!"

And of course it ties in the back with a nice big bow. 

Ready to sew?

***And yet another outfit brought to you by the Studio Plus West Des Moines aka horrible lighting hotel. Sorry about that...

Materials:

• 1/2 yard main fabric (for size 18 mos)
• Scrap of contrast fabric
• 1/2" ish elastic

1. Cut out your pieces. The strap needs to be cut along the bias (diagonal to the selvage), so it has some stretch. I sewed 2 pieces together. My strap was pretty long, but I wanted the tails of the bow to hang down in the back. I did a narrow hem, so if you like a chunkier hem I'd make the body piece a bit longer. And as long as we're changing things up I'd suggest making the front body piece a little narrower (13") and the back a bit wider (15"). Trust me on this:) 

2. Gather the front body piece to match the length of your bodice (7" for me).

2. Fold the front tie in half with right sides together (RST) and sew up one short edge and the long edge. Turn right side out and press flat.

3. While you're ironing let's make bias tape:) The long strap is really extra wide bias tape. Iron the top and bottom edge in 1/4". Then fold it in half and iron again.

4. With RST sew the gathered body to the bodice- tuck the front tie in the seam right in the center (it doesn't matter which end you use).

5. Cinch the front tie in a bit to form your sweetheart neckline.

 6. Tuck all of your raw edges up inside the bodice (including the front tie) and then topstitch in place (it will look like the photo in #5 when you're finished).

7. With RST sew the front to the back along the side seams.

8. Find the center of your strap and pin to the back, so that it encloses the raw edge. Wrap around to the front and up the sides. The bodice will lay best if at the bottom you enclose just the edge with the strap and at the top you enclose as much as possible (I hadn't done that and you can see mine is a bit bubbly). Stitch along the bottom edge of the strap just past the bodice

9. Thread your elastic through the strap. Pull it slowly until the end of the elastic is about to move from the front to the back of the shirt. Tack the end of the elastic in place by sewing across the strap in a diaganol starting at the side seam. Pull your elastic to the desired snugness (you don't want the back to gape open) and then tack the other end in place. Pull up on your elastic as far as you can and trim the excess

10. If your bodice seems to be moving around a bit you can sew along each side of the tie to keep it in place

11. Sew along the rest of the edge of your strap. Hem the bottom and you're done!

Wow- I think she's looking even more mischievous than normal!