Activewear Sewalong: Cedar Dolman Top Day 3

Today we’re wrapping up our Cedar Dolman Tops! Let’s start by attaching the neckline facing that we constructed last time.

Pin the facing to the top, matching up the shoulder seams, right sides together.

Sew all the way around the neckline opening. Press the facing away from the top and understitch the facing to the seam allowance to help prevent rolling if you want. Press the facing to the inside of the top and topstitch around the facing from the right side of the neckline. Give it one more good press.

Now we’ll sew the side seams. Fold the top in half, right sides together, aligning the side seams. Pin, starting at the armhole and ending at the hem, matching notches.

Sew the side seam, pivoting at the underarm to maintain that curve. Finish the seam allowance and press open or to the back. Repeat with the second side seam.

If you’re making the no-tie version, pin your hem facing around the whole hem, right sides together, matching side seams. Sew around the hem, press the facing to the inside of the top, and topstitch around the facing from the right side and press.

For the tie version, attaching the facing is a bit more fiddly. Pin the facing to the top all the way around both ties and the remainder of the hem, matching the front seams and side seams.

If you’re using a serger, start by serging from the tip of one tie, up to the center front, and down to the tip of the other tie. Start the second pass at the tip of one tie, serge up the other side of the tie and around the remainder of the hem, finishing at the tip of the second tie. This keeps a nice point at the tips of the ties. If you’re using a sewing machine, simply keep the needle down and pivot at the tips of the ties.

Turn the facing to the wrong side of the top, using a knitting needle or point turner to turn the ties right side out. Give the facing a good press and topstitch in place from the right side.

Now we only have one more step: finishing the armholes! Finish the edge of your armholes if your fabric frays. Press the raw edge to the wrong side of the top by 3/8” (1 cm). Topstitch in place from the right side using a small zigzag stitch, a twin needle, or a coverstitch machine. Repeat with second armhole.