How to Make Tube Top Dresses

A short dress or skirt is a perfect alternative to shorts during the summer time. To make the dress even cooler for the hot weather, cut out the sleeves and go with a tube top design. Tube top dresses are incredibly easy to make, as long as you have basic sewing skills. Plus, with all of the money you're saving by making your own dresses, you can afford to make several tube top dresses in different colors.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Measuring tape
• Two yards of fabric
• Matching thread
• Fabric scissors
• Sewing machine
• Elastic
• Ribbon

1. Cut a piece of fabric that is long enough to reach from your collar bone to your knees (plus two inches) and is wide enough to go all the way around your bust (plus two inches).

2. Fold the fabric in half (right sides together), bringing the two long ends together. Sew the fabric into a tube shape by sewing those two edges together.

3. Hem the top and bottom of the dress, leaving an opening of about one inch on the top hem. Cut a piece of elastic that is just barely long enough to wrap around your body, right under the arms and just above the breasts.

4. Thread this elastic piece through the one-inch opening in the top hem, gathering the fabric slightly as you go. Once the elastic comes out the other end, sew the two ends together and hand stitch the one-inch opening closed.

5. Put the dress on and tie the ribbon around your waist. You may tie the bow in the front, back or at the side.

References

• How to Make a Tube Dress
• Tube Top Summer Dress