let's make {floral tank tops}

I'm guessing that most of you are flower-lovers. Otherwise, you'd be sick of this blog by now, what with my polymer clay corsage line and my obvious addiction to photographing blossoms. Assuming I've guessed correctly, I thought it was about time we finally made something with a floral focus. So, here's an easy diy for a floral tank top.

You'll need:
tank top
1/8 to 1/4 yard lightweight fabric (make this easy and buy a fat quarter if you don't already have scraps on hand)
large button
needle
thread
paper
pencil
scissors
sewing machine (not required, but makes the process quicker!)

To begin, trace a leaf design on a piece of paper and cut it out. Don't fuss too much. (This may be tough if you are a perfectionist like me, but trust me, free-form works better here.) This leaf is about 4 inches long.

Now, fold your fabric in half with the right sides out and trace around your leaf onto the fabric (of course, you can use one of those fancy fabric pens if you have one, but you don't really need it). Trace 5-11 leaves (odd numbers work best, in my opinion).

Now, cut out the leaves (I should probably be calling these petals, huh?) through both layers of fabric. I made seven petals.

On your sewing machine (or by hand) sew around the edges of the petals (through both layers) about 1/4 inch from the edge using a loose stitch.

Once you have stitched around the outside of each of the petals, begin placing them on the tank. Again, don't try to be too neat. Scatter the petals a bit--think pretty flower in the breeze thoughts. (I placed my flower near the armhole, but front and center or the hip also make good placements.)

Once you have the petals arranged in a way that pleases you, pin them in place.

Now sew the petals into place first by sewing a circle around the center (smaller than your button, as we'll use it to cover this up!).

And secure the petals around the edges by stitching the petals to the tank (you can do this discretely by stitching over the topstitches that you first made to sew the petals together). You don't need to stitch each petal on entirely, just anchor the petals (particularly the ones pointing up) so they will stay in place. A few stitches on each petal will do.

After each petal is secured, sew the button into the center. And then, you're done! As you wear (and wash) your tank, the edges of the petals will fray a bit (but not too much, since we sewed them), giving the flower a soft, natural look. Wear it well, my dears!