What you need:
- 1 yard of cute fabric
- 1 16 inch piece of boning
- 2 metal d rings
- Thread
Step 1.
From your fabric cut:
- One rectangle 26 x 38 inches ( for the main body)
- One strip 4 1/4 inch wide by 38 inches long. Then cut off 12 inches from that, leaving you with two strips. These will be your straps.(sometimes if i feel like it i will make the straps out of a contrasting fabric.)
Step 2.
On the main body, fold over the short sides 1/2 inch. Press and fold again. Do the same for the long sides ( top and bottom). First, sew up the short sides, then the bottom. Save the top edge for later so that you can thread your boning through.
Step 3.
Make the straps: take your shorter strap, 12 inch piece, press in half with right sides together. Sew 1/4 inch away from raw edge. Turn tube right side out. Maneuver the seam so it’s going down the middle. Press, then top stitch both long edges. Now fold the shorter strap in half and slip it through the 2 d-rings. Sew a line across the strap, right up next to the edge of the rings to keep them in their place.
Step 4.
Press the long strap in half (with right sides together)and sew 1/4 inch away from raw edge. When you get about 3 inches from the bottom of the strap, start stitching inward curving, this allows the d ring to fit around the strap properly without coming loose. In fact the more you pull, the tighter it becomes. Trim the curved seam to 1/4 inch. Turn fabric right side out and press the same way as you did the other strap (with the seam in the middle). Top stitch all the way around.
Step 5.
It’s time to go back to the main body. Fold over the top edge 1/2 inch, press and fold over again, press. On the wrong side of the fabric, at the top edge, mark 10 inches from each side with the water soluble marker. With the wrong side together pin the long strap to the mark on the left mark, lining up the center of the strap to the mark. Do the same with the short strap on the mark to the right. Make sure that the raw edge of the straps is tucked snugly into the future casing.
Step 6.
Sew a perpendicular line across the casing, where you drew your mark at the shorter strap. This keeps the boning in place. Make sure that you back stitch.
Step 7.
Sew the top casing like you did on the previous 3 sides. Thread your boning through the open end of the casing. Making sure that the curve of the boning is facing outward. Then at your other mark sew another perpendicular
Line through the casing again, securing the boning between the straps.
Step 8.
Flip the straps up now and top stitch around the whole top of the casing. Don’t worry about sewing on the boning, it is sewable.
Step 9.
Thread longer strap through both d-rings, then back though one. Slip over your neck and adjust as needed.
