How to Make Bandanna Haltertops

Bandanna halter tops were popular throughout the '70s. There were several ways to wear bandannas as halter tops. The simplest, for children and young girls, took a single bandanna. Older girls used two bandannas, folded into triangles. The most endowed girls added a ruffle made from several bandannas, gathered and attached along the bottom edge of the triangle halter.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• For a child or junior teen size:
• One bandanna
• For a Misses size:
• Two bandannas
• For the well-endowed:
• Two bandannas for the halter
• Four to eight bandannas for the ruffle
• Sewing machine
• Spool of satin ribbon or a skein of 5mm single-crocheted string
• Safety pin

Children, Petites and Juniors

1. Lay the bandanna flat on your sewing table. Turn the top edge of the bandanna down 3/4 of an inch. Use a basting stitch across the top edge to make a casing. Gather the top of the bandanna by pulling on the thread of the basted casing. Stitch along the top seam of the bandanna so that it will stay gathered.

2. Turn the bottom edge of the bandanna up 3/4 of an inch. Stitch along the edge of the bandanna to make a second casing.

3. Cut a string about 8 inches longer than the circumference of the child's neck. Cut a second string the circumference of the child's chest, plus 12 inches.

4. Tie the end of the 5mm single-crocheted string or a length of 1/2-inch wide satin ribbon to a safety pin. Thread the string through the top and bottom casings, using the pin as a pushing tool.

5. Fit the halter top to the child who will wear it. Tie the top first, then the bottom. Cut the strings if they dangle longer than 6 inches when tied.

Misses Size Halter

6. 

   Fold two bandannas into triangles. Stitch along both open edges of the triangles to close them. Stitch the two triangles together at one corner.

7. Cut two 12-inch long pieces of 5mm single-crocheted string. Attach string to the top corner of each triangle. Stitch down several times to ensure that the string will not pull loose.

8. Fold the bottom edge of the double-triangle halter up 3/4 of an inch. Stitch into a casing. Cut a length of 5 mm single-crocheted string that is 18 inches longer than the intended wearer's chest measurement, under the bust line.

9. Attach a safety pin to the 5mm string and thread it through the casing. Tie the chest strings together in back, then pull the top up and over the bust to tie at the back of the neck.

10. Trim strings so that that they do not dangle more than 6 inches when tied in a bow.

11. For the well-endowed, measure the waistline. Gather eight bandannas along the top. Lay the bandannas side by side and stitch them together to make a long strip. Adjust the gathers until the bandannas fit the intended wearer from right hip to left. Stitch the bandanna strip to the bottom edge of the halter top casing, being careful not to stitch over the casing string. This makes a beautiful ruffle along the bottom edge.

Resources

• Fashion Timeline
• Halter Top Types

[missnye]

on 11/4/2009 Good instructions. Pics would be helpful.