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Writer's pictureMiaira Jennings
May 20, 20182 min read

DIY Strappy Tank Top

Sometimes the best clothing transformations don’t require very much at all. With just a few simple materials, you can give that basic black cami a stylish upgrade with this tutorial. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Gather Materials

What you’ll need:

  1. Plain cami

  2. Elastic http://amzn.to/2lmq6QG

  3. Fabric scissors http://amzn.to/2lpapZM

  4. Colored pencil

  5. Needle and thread

*I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Step 2: Mark & Cut Base Elastic Pieces

While wearing the cami, hold the first “base” piece of elastic where you want it (mine is diagonal across the chest). Then use your pencil to mark spots at the top of the shoulder strap, and at the front of the shirt where you’ll later be attaching the elastic with a needle and thread.

Next, use your fabric scissors to cut two elastic pieces of that same length. Once you have these two base pieces marked, you can move on to cutting the other pieces to complete the strappy design.

Step 3: Cut Remaining Elastic Pieces

Use your fabric scissors to cut the remaining pieces of elastic. You can create any design you’d like! Then take the cami off and lay the elastic pieces in place to make sure everything is symmetrical and even before sewing.

Step 4: Attach Elastic with Needle & Thread

Use your needle and thread to attach the first two elastic pieces at the spots that you marked with your pencil (the top of the shoulder strap and the front of the shirt, for me).

Then hand sew all remaining pieces together to complete the final design. It’s also best to sew any points where elastic pieces cross over each other to ensure that the design stays in place when you put the top on.

Step 5: Make V-Neck

You can definitely choose to leave your top as is, but I decided to finish things off by making the top v-neck for a bit more flare. Simply pinch the material at the top center of the front of the shirt and run your needle and thread through a few times, causing that spot to bunch together. Your v-neck is now complete!

Step 6: All done!

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That’s all it takes to turn a basic cami into a trendy, strappy top that looks amazing with jeans! This is such a simple process but really makes a huge difference in the look of the shirt. Thanks for stopping by and please let me know if you try this out! 🙂


Download the full Instructables PDF:

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