How to Make a No-Sew DIY Butterfly Top You Can Wear 2 Ways
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Then, measure your waist and divide by 4 and place a mark there for the belt.
2. Cut out the pattern
Cut along the curved line.
Cut along the neckline.
Lift up the fabric at that marking and snip with the scissors to make a tiny hole to fit the belt through.
It should look like this.
3. Make the belt
Mark 1½ inches on the leftover fabric.
Cut the length to fit your waist with enough fabric left over for tying a bow.
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.
The first is to tie the belt in the front. That leaves the back nice and smooth with the bow in the front.
The second is to tie the belt in the back. This leaves the front nice and smooth.
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!
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love it! What a great idea! You look lovely in it!
SUPER cute! Thank you for the clear instructions and video. :D. I want to make one today.