Hi friends! Sonia (@mamascraftroom) here today to show you how I created this lace up hack on the ALD Dream Tee! Get comfy because we do have a little bit of math to do, but it isn’t hard so buckle in and here we go!
First off - I always trace my pieces so I’m not altering the original pattern. So that’s what I did here, and then I drew a line at the point of the V neck, indicating where I want my band to start and end. How wide you draw this line depends on how wide you want your band. So brace yourself - here comes the math. Feel free to use my numbers, but I want to walk you through how to do it in case you want to create your own width!
I want my band to be 1.5 inches wide, to create a very bold neckline accent. Don’t forget to add seam allowance! This means that I will be cutting the band at 3.5 inches wide, so when it is folded in half, it is 1.75 inches. That’s 1.5” plus .25” on each side of the band for seam allowance.
So with the band being 1.5 visible inches on each side, that’s 3” across, so we’ll need a 2.5“ opening. How’d we get that? We subtract seam allowance (.25” on each side equals .5”) Therefore, the line that you draw at the point of the V will be 1.75 inches, half the total distance of the opening.
Phew! With me so far?
Now that’s the hard part is done, I used a French curve to draw my new cut line, connecting it to the same point at the top/shoulder of the pattern piece. You can draw this by hand too, a French curve is not necessary.
Next, go ahead and cut your new neckline from your pattern piece.
Our next step is to measure the neckline in order to determine how long our band needs to be. The back neckline on mine is 4.5" (in the fold), and my new front neck line from the shoulder down to the corner is 10.5" (on the fold). That’s a total of 15". Multiply that by .87 (which is 87%) for the band length, and add your seam allowance. For me, this total ended up being 13.5 inches. (I rounded a tiny bit :D )
You can choose to make a pattern piece for your band at this point or not, totally up to you. After you cut your band based on your measurements, add interfacing to your band, per manufacturers instructions. It’s important to interface when you are adding eyelets because it helps reinforce the fabric. Press your band in half to create a memory of the fold.
Next, pin your band to the center front, where the two pieces meet.
Clip a small 90° corner so the ends flip inside nicely. Continue to pin your band the rest of the way around your neck line, and sew/serge on.
Now that our neck band is attached, we can add the eyelets. What size eyelet you use will dictate the spacing, and you can use as many or as few as you would like. I will note that I had intended to use these big eyelets, but I was unable to get them to attach properly because they’re so heavy duty and I didn’t have the proper tools. I ended up going with smaller eyelets in the end.
Once your eyelets are installed, you can cut a long strip that will be your tie, or you can use ribbon. I cut a strip about 25" long on the fold (50” total), by 1.5” wide. Fold the strip right sides together and serge the long side. Use a bodkin, tube turner or safety pin to turn the long strip.
I typically tuck my ends in once the tube has been turned, and handstitch closed. Thread this long strip through your eyelets and you are all done with the hack!! Now just sew your side Seams and hem to finalize this beauty.
Thanks so much for joining me today for this fun lace up hack, I really enjoy the classic simple silhouette of this pattern because it provides so many fun opportunities for hacks like this!
Happy crafting!