How to Upsize a Top - Sustainable Fashion!

I have gained a good amount of weight over the past two years. While I am enjoying my new curvy figure, I do find it hard to part ways with clothes that no longer fit me. So I decided to take this old schiflli top I absolutely adore, and to upsize it.

This project requires a intermediate skill of sewing (confidence in how to use the machine and know how of the basic stitches)

If you are a beginner you could skip the addition of ruffles, and just upsize. Or you could use a top that already fits and add these ruffles.

So lets get started

• Top
• Extra fabric
• Sewing supplies (threads, needles, pins, chalk, seam ripper)
• Sewing machine

The first step to any sewing project is to make a game plan.

Here I have my top (I would have tried it on but I am afraid that is not a possibility anymore :P). Along with that I have a strip of fabric I had lying around that I cut from a dress I shortened the length of (I never throw away fabric scraps, I think all DIYers can relate to that). Since both the fabrics have that lovely schiffli embroidery I think they will pair well together.

Now to upsize this top I need to add fabric to the sides. I decided to remove the sleeves and to add that fabric to the sides, I also decided to add ruffles down both sides using the dress fabric to add something extra to the top.

The next step was to seam rip the side seams and sleeves, I would recommend you seam rip and not cut the seams as every inch is precious when upsizing.

Once seam ripped I ironed all my pices flat to get a measure of how much fabric I am working with.

I measured the bust seam ripped top and it came out to be 18 inches. My bust measured 36 inches, so I decided on adding a 4 inch strip of fabric on both sides (accounting for 4 seam allowances of 1/4 inch and some extra room for ease of movement).

The length of the side was 14 inches thus I cut out two strips 4 inch wide and 14 inch long from both the sleeves.

I then placed the strip of fabric wrong sides together with the front of the top and sewed them using a simple straight stitch. Since I don't have a serger I just used a zig zag stitch to prevent the seams from fraying.

I ironed the seams flat and them sewed the strip to the back as well. With this I was able to try the top on.

I liked the fit of the top over all, but there was a some extra fabric near my armpit (this is common when you make a sleeved garment sleeveless). So while the top was still on my body, using some pins I made a dart. This step will be much easier if you have a dress form.

I them traced the shaped of the dart using some chalk and transferred it on the other side as well. Then I sewed these darts in place and ironed them flat. I tried the top on again and was pleased with how it fit.

I then proceed the fold the shirt along the centre front and back (so that the side seams were in the middle), and make a straight line 4 inches from the centre front and another lines 4 inches away from the centre back. These two lines joined at the shoulder seam.

With the top still folded along the centre back and front, I cut along the marked lines, this cut the top in three parts. Which I have played out in the last photo.

I cut the skirt fabric in two equal parts (unfortunately I didn't measure it, but it was definitely 1.5 times as long as the open seam we just created).

Since I had cut this strip off a dress, one side was already hemmed, reducing some of my work. I sewed a basting stitch along the open side of the fabric and pulled on the stitch until it was the same length as the seam in the top.

I attached the ruffle wrong side together with the mid section of top (one with the neck hole). And then I attached the side piece to the mid and ruffle (with the ruffle sandwiched in between) and finished the seam with a zig zag stitch.

I repeated the same steps to the other side.

To finish off I topstitch the ruffle down away from the centre. Also using the leftover material from the sleeve I created some bias tape to finish off the armholes. I also hemmed the bottom.

And I was done!

I am stoked with how it turned out! I can picture myself wearing this on casual day outs with jeans or a skirt.

I am so happy I could save this old top of mine and give it a new life all without going to the store.

I hope you try this DIY out and share pictures in the comments!

Happy sewing!