Ask any New Yorker – this summer has been a scorcher. How can we survive the heat without compromising our style? Lucky for you, we’ve got the perfect free sewing pattern: the Evanthe Crop Top! With a gorgeous off the shoulder ruffle and a cropped length that hits just right, this top can be dressed up or down. It would look gorgeous in nearly any fabric – linen for an effortlessly chic everyday look, a classic nautical stripe for vacation, or a statement print for a night out.
Purchase Materials Used Below:
- 2 yards of Mood Exclusive Garden of Earthly Delights Black Cotton Voile
- 1 spool of 10 Black 1000m Gutermann Sew All Thread
- 1 yard of White Elastic – 0.75″
- MDF319 – The Evanthe Crop Top Free Sewing Pattern (free download below!)
Alternative Recommended Fabrics:
How to sew the ruffle:
1. Place both ruffle pieces right sides together, pin along the short edges, and sew. I used a French seam here.
2. Sew a row of basting stitches ¼” from edge. Repeat another row ½” from the edge. We’ll gather those in a later step.
How to sew the bodice:
1. Sew a basting stitch along the front & back neckline pieces. We’ll gather those in a later step.
2. Place the front & back pieces right sides together and sew the side seams. I used French seams here.
How to sew the armhole bias facing:
1. Place the armhole bias strips right side down, then fold up each side lengthwise and iron so you create a ½ inch bias strip.
2. Take a strip and unfold one side. Line up the raw edge to the armhole’s edge, right sides together. Sew 3/8″ from edge. Repeat on the other side.
3. Fold the entire bias strip inside the armhole, pin, and sew the remaining ironed edge. You shouldn’t see the bias strip from the right side of the bodice. Trim any excess bias strip. Repeat on the other side.
How to sew the casing strips:
1. Place the casing strips right sides down, fold up each side, and iron so you create a 1 ⅛” casing strip.
2. Unfold the two casing strips and place right sides together. Lay the top edge of a bodice piece in-between the two strips. Gather the bodice so the finished armholes match with the notches in the casing strip. Repeat on the other side of the bodice.
3. With the right sides together, unfold the casing strips and sew the ends of the front & back. The shoulder piece should now be a closed circle.
How to sew on the ruffle:
1. Gather the ruffle.
2. Unfold the inner casing and with the right sides together, pin on the ruffle. Make sure the side seams are matched on the ruffle and shoulders, and the edges are aligned. Sew.
3. Turn the garment inside out with the wrong side of the ruffle facing up. Fold the outer casing over the raw edge of the ruffle. Pin, then stitch in the ditch, leaving a few inches for inserting the elastic.
How to insert the elastic:
1. After you’ve decided on a comfortable length for the shoulder elastic, insert it into the space you left open in the previous step. Sew the ends together, then sew the space closed.
2. Iron a 1 ⅛” double fold hem on the bottom of the bodice, then sew. Insert elastic as you did in step 1.
39 comments
Love the look and great instructions! This pattern may be one of the few good things about this summer heat.
I love this pattern, but there is no indication on how much the front and back of the top must be gathered by the blasting stitch, can you please assist?
Hi Charlize, just gather onto the bodice, adjusting the amount and distribution as you go. If you want to be precise, divide the ruffle into quarters, and mark with pins. Repeat with the casing that you’re gathering onto. Match the quarters by pinning (avoid your basting stitches) together, then pull the basting stitch and gather while the pieces are pinned together.
YES! Sweet, thank you so much I was super duper hoping you would make something like this!!! Wish come true!
The pattern says to cut 4 if the casing strips but the instructions only mention two???
Hi there! The pattern is correct, cut 4 of the casing strips. 😀
I made this. Thank you, it turned out beautifully I’m putting it on my Insta right now Considerable_Inheritence.
Thanks again.
Is there any chance there’s a video tutorial of the making of this top? I’m seeming to be stuck on the casing and beyond! Would love a hand
Hi Hannah! Unfortunately, in order to keep our patterns free, we don’t offer video tutorials at this time. But if you have any specific questions I’d be happy to help!
I love the pattern and instructions, thank you!
However, I found that the neckline came out super bulky
I don’t know if it is the cotton fabric I used or if maybe I should have trimmed away more if the seam allowance
But now I know for next time! ❤️
Love this pattern…. can I make it alittle longer?
Hi Jade, yes you can! This is an easy pattern to adjust! Just extend it to your desired length. Good luck! 🙂
My bust os 36 in. And my waist is 35 in. What size should I do…. I’m confused
Hi Deja! This top is generously sized so the elastic can create a nice puffed effect. For the same fit as the model, I would try a size 10. However, if you’d prefer a different amount of ease, take a look at the finished measurements for this style and choose the size based on your desired fit. 🙂 If you’re wanting to play it extra safe, I suggest sewing a quick mock up first!
How would you do a full bust adjustment on this pattern? My bust and waist are 8 sizes apart.
Hi Ali, I’m not even sure that you’d need to do a full bust adjustment since this pattern is essentially rectangles with elastic! There’s a lot of gathering so you don’t have to choose your exact size. Take a look at the pieces once they are printed out. Compare your measurements to the pattern and choose accordingly.
I really wish the instructions were more clear and better suited for beginners using the pattern. I find it so hard to follow along.
Hi Piper, if you have any specific questions I’d be happy to help!
Hello! I am quite stuck on the casing strips, step 3 and unsure how you get it to look like the picture above the instruction. Would you be able to clarify the instructions?
Hi Kay,
1. After you’ve made your bias strips, unfold one side.
2. Right sides together, align the raw edges of the armscye with the raw edge of the unfolded side of the bias stip (as seen above step 2 in the post).
3. Use the crease line on the bias strip as a stitch guide, and sew the bias strip and armscye together. In other words, sew right on top of that crease that you just unfolded.
4. Lay the armscye flat, and flip the bias strip over so you now see the right side of the bias strip and the right side of the armscye. Press.
5. Now flip the entire bias strip inwards towards the inside of the garment. You shouldn’t see the bias strip from the outside anymore, as it’s now completely inside the top.
6. Pin the folded bias edge to the inside of the armscye. Sew along the folded edge.
Take a look again at that image you referenced. The top edge of the bias strip is where I stitched along the fold of the bias strip in step 3 above. The bottom edge is the remaining folded edge that I stitched to the inside of the armscye.
Hopefully this helps!
Hi Elisabeth! Thanks for the additional instructions – I was actually referring to the casing strip section “how to sew the casing strips” step 3.
I might recommend adding additional steps in the instructions or updating the pictures to include the steps that they are referring to. Unfortunately, it was pretty challenging to follow the instructions and I spent a ton of time trying to interpret the photos, thank goodness for the help of my sewing teacher. Thanks!
Hi Kay, thanks for the feedback! This method can be a little tough to follow, and we get questions about it on our other posts too. I think this calls for a tutorial! In the meantime, I will update the instructions. 🙂
I wish the instructions were more clear as I’m starting sewing. However thanks for the pattern, I’ll struggle a bit but hopefully I’ll manage to get some sort of top from it
Hi Liv, if you have any specific questions regarding the top, I’m happy to help!
I agree with the comment about the instructions being lacking. I have sewn many of your patterns, never had a problem, but this pattern instructions are not good.
Hi Ingrid, if you have any specific questions I’m happy to help. 🙂
I can’t Finnish.. I absolutely don’t understand how I am supposed to do the neckline casing and the ruffles.
This is the second top I have made from this pattern and like many makers, I cannot figure out the casing instructions. The instructions need one or two more steps after sewing the ruffle on to the.inner casing with accompanying photos.
Those trousers are amazing as well! Any chance they are a Mood pattern?
Hi Rebecca! Those are our Linda Pants!
I have to agree with some of the other folks in the comments. Some of these instructions are pretty vague and kinda frustrating. Can you elaborate a little more on the casing and how to sew on the ruffle? The pictures aren’t really helping in how to apply it to hide the casing with the ruffle. Because I tried it with the directions, and the casing is showing, and my garment doesn’t match the pattern photo. I love this pattern, but I’m getting pretty frustrated. Thanks in advance!
Hi Mik, this confused too when I was sewing this top. When laying flat, the casing will show. But once the elastic is in, it’s taught against the body, and the casing is placed correctly, it should be hidden by the ruffle.
For the bias strip, I could just use single fold bias tape, right? It’s under arm and under the ruffle. The self fabric strip might look more professional, but bias tape seems like a quick substitute.
Hi Amanda, yes single fold bias tape!
I am making this top, in the largest size. So, on the A-RUFFLE pattern piece , it says to cut on fold, but, the fabric is way to short?! How to solve this? It’s a regular size fabric, never had this problem!
Hi Ingrid! If you don’t have enough fabric to cut on the fold, or you’ve got a directional print, I suggest cutting 2 pieces instead of 1 on the fold. Just sew together at each side. 🙂
Hi, I downloaded pattern but cannot get it to separate into layers in adobe so that I can select the appropriate size to print.
Thanks
Hi Lynda! In order to keep our patterns free, our PDF patterns are not layered. They are to be printed as-is. 🙂
For attaching the ruffle step two – I think what is happening here is that the body of the garment should be flat on the table, right side out, bottom hem towards you. Tuck the ruffle into the neck so the right side faces/touches the inside of the body. Unfold the casing that is closet to the ruffle (so there is stilll a casing visible that is on the exterior/ right side of the body). Align the top of the casing (the inside one close to the ruffle) with the top/ gathering part of the ruffle and pin and sew. That way, when you pull the ruffle out from the neck the right side of the ruffle faces out.