My middle daughter requested a crop top or two. Her most requested pattern is the Kid’s Easy Tee, so I went to work to make it a cropped easy tee. It’s a quick and easy adjustment and works on most tops.
Before you start, you will need to print out and assemble your Easy Tee pattern, or any other pattern you are wanting to make into a crop top. Some other great options for this would be the Women’s Easy Tee, the Sara Everyday Tank, the Sheila Everyday Tee, the Nancy Raglan, the Kid’s Rocket Raglan, and the Kid’s Sara Everyday Tank.
Deciding on length
- To determine the length to cut my crop top, I started by holding the pattern up to my daughter. She put her finger in the approximate place she wanted her finished shirt to hit.
- I will be putting a band on this, so I measured up about 2 inches from that and marked it. The total length of the front bodice piece from neckline to bottom is 9 inches for this one. (I made a kid’s size 8) Yours will be different depending on the size you make and where you want your finished garment to hit.
- Next, you will make your back bodice the same length as the front.
- I lined up my front bodice piece on top of the back bodice and drew a line across.
Determining Band Lenth
- I am adding a bottom hem band to this top. To determine how long to make it, I laid out both of my bodice pieces side by side and measured all the way across. Mine is a total of 15 inches.
- I am making my band 90% of the total, for a final measurement of 13.5 inches. This is only half of the final length as I only measured half of each piece.
- I want my final piece to be 2″ tall, so I will make my band piece 13.5″ x 4″ and cut one on the fold.
You should now have both front and back bodice cropped pieces, your hem band, and any other options you chose.
Putting it all together
- Construct your pattern per the pattern instructions.
- When you get to the hem band portion, you will quarter both the band and top, slide the hem band over the shirt with raw edges together, and sew with a stretch stitch or serger.
- Press your seam allowance up and topstitch if desired.
Tada!
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