How to sew a Festival summer triangle top

As I promised in my Bum Bag Thrift Flip tutorial, here is a sewing guide on how to make a simple festival summer triangle top to match any outfit. If you remember I found a cool snakeskin knee-length skirt at a second-hand clothing store which I reconstructed to make a bumbag, mini skirt and a triangle top for a complete fashion look.

This design can be used for swimwear, underwear or a summer top if you are game!

TUTORIAL DETAILS ON HOW TO MAKE A TRIANGLE TOP

Sewing skills - Beginner to Medium level
Approx cost - $5
Approx time - 1 hour

SUPPLIES TO MAKE YOUR TOP

Fabric or an old garment in a print of your choice. The bright or fun the better I say!! Buy from a secondhand clothing shop, garage sale, hunt for an old piece of clothing in your wardrobe or fabric shop.
Sewing machine
Scissors, pins
Old triangle bra or measuring tape

STEP 1
Select your fabric, I have used a stretch pale blue lycra lining from a skirt and a vinyl snakeskin from the same skirt. If you are not doing a fashion upcycle, you do not need too much fabric, small scraps would be fine.

STEP 2
With a bra, bralette or triangle bikini top that fits, make a pattern with some paper by tracing around the edge to get the right shape and fit. If you do not have a bralette, you can measure from one side of your breast to the other side and divide it in half for your centre seam.

For the length of your triangle top, measure from the centre of your underboob to the top of your breast where you want your top to finish. Remember the centre panel of your top is on a curve to enhance your assets ;) Look at panel pieces for reference of the curve below.

STEP 3
Once the pattern is made, pin and cut panel pieces from your fabric.
You will need 4 panels per triangle, 2 for the outer view and 2 for the lining. You do not have to use different fabrics or lycra for the lining, use what you have as long as it is soft.

STEP 4
Cut long strips of fabric for your straps/ties.

You need two neck straps and one long body tie. So you can measure around your body for the required length and add at least 30 per cent extra to tie with and your neckties can be any length that you are comfortable with, short, super long with beads hanging off them, get creative!.

Fold and sew a straight line along the edge, backstitching at the beginning and end to keep the stitched line from unravelling.

Attach a safety pin to one edge and turn it inside the hole and glide the pin all the way through.

STEP 4
Sew the centre of your triangles together.

Cut the hem close to the sewn line.

Place the outside panels facing each other and pin the edges.

Place one of your neck straps through the top point of your triangle and pin it in place. It should now look like mini stingrays with a long tail :D

STEP 5
Sew all the way around the side hems

Cut the edge clean and turn the right way around

Fold the bottom of the triangle up on the back and pin.

STEP 6
Sew a straight line across, making sure you leave at least 1 cm for the tie to fit through

Cut the corner edge clean

Place a safety pin on your body-length strap and weave through the hole in both panels.

Tie knots at the end of your straps.

And you are now summer fashion ready!!
Ready for Music Festivals, Beach Picnics, Backyard BBQs and even tropical holidays (okay we can dream can't we).

This is probably one of the easiest tops to make and great for beginners to try, I love how you can customise it any way you like with prints, embroidery or beadwork. And if you are not game enough to wear on its own, throw it over a fitted tee or mesh top., better still, make it out of full thick lycra and you have a new bikini top, so versatile.