How to Make a No-Sew DIY Butterfly Top You Can Wear 2 Ways

The SILEM
by The SILEM
4 Materials
$10
15 Minutes
Easy

Here’s how to make a DIY butterfly top at home. You won’t need a needle, thread, glue, and/or sewing machine for your DIY butterfly top. All you need is fabric, scissors, chalk, and measuring tape!


You can make this no-sew butterfly top from purchased or repurposed fabric, an extra-large scarf, saree, or pareo. This tutorial on how to make a butterfly top is super easy and simple. Ready to start? Let’s go!

Tools and materials:

  • 1 Yard of fabric
  • Scissors
  • Tailor’s chalk
  • Measuring tape


Use a non-fraying, easy draping, and self-finished fabric for this no-sew project. Self-finished means it will look the same on both sides.

Making the pattern for the DIY butterfly top

1. Make the pattern

Lay the fabric on a flat surface. Fold it in half lengthwise. Then fold it in half widthwise.


At the top folded corner, measure down 1 inch and mark that spot. That’s how low I want the neckline of the top to be. You can make it lower as you prefer.


Then, measure from the folded top corner 5 inches along the fold. Mark that spot. Connect the two points on a curve. 

How to make a butterfly top

Measure your shoulders and add the 5 inches at the top to the end of the fabric. For example, my shoulders measure 14 inches and when I add the 5 inches, it makes 19 inches. 

How to make butterfly top at home

Move your measuring tape to your desired sleeve and top length. Here it will be 19 inches all across. You can increase that to 20 or even 25 inches.


Plot the measurement across the fabric until you reach the end of the fold.

Marking the bust measurements

From the top of the neckline on the fold, measure your under the bust measurement divided by 2, plus 1 inch. For me that was 14 inches. Mark that measurement across. 

Marking the waist measurement

Then, measure your waist and divide by 4 and place a mark there for the belt.

How to make a butterfly sleeve top

2. Cut out the pattern

Cut along the curved line.

Cutting out the neckline

Cut along the neckline. 

Making a snip for the belt to go through

Lift up the fabric at that marking and snip with the scissors to make a tiny hole to fit the belt through.

Easy pattern for the DIY butterfly top

It should look like this.

Measuring the fabric to make the belt

3. Make the belt

Mark 1½ inches on the leftover fabric.

Cutting out a belt for the DIY butterfly top

Cut the length to fit your waist with enough fabric left over for tying a bow. 

DIY butterfly top tied at the front

4. Finish the top

Pull the belt through the 4 holes and you’re done!


There are two ways to wear this pretty DIY butterfly top.

DIY butterfly top from the back

The first is to tie the belt in the front. That leaves the back nice and smooth with the bow in the front.

DIY butterfly top tied at the back

The second is to tie the belt in the back. This leaves the front nice and smooth.

How to make a no-sew butterfly top

The back gets the bow!


DIY butterfly top tutorial

Let me know which version of this DIY butterfly top you prefer! I love hearing from you so please don’t forget to leave me a comment if you made this. Thanks for joining me!

Suggested materials:
  • 1 Yard of fabric
  • Scissors
  • Tailor’s chalk
See all materials

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