Quick and Easy Jazzy Top

How to make a Jazzy Top

My college daughter needed a quick yet sophisticated costume to wear over leggings for a duet for a Spring Dance Recital. Keep reading to see what I did with some tee shirts from the craft store with rhinestones and hot fix metal trim.
 
For this project I used:
Craft store tee shirts in contrasting colors – the top one tight fitting and the bottom one larger
Scissors
Sewing machine
12ss crystal rhinestones
4 mm silver hot fix metal trim
Gem Tac adhesive
Hot fix wand (or iron)
Wax tipped tool

Begin by deciding how long you want the top piece, measure and cut the bottom off. My shirt measures about 16 inches from the shoulder. Decide how much you want to add to the bottom, measure the contrasting tee shirt and cut. The white piece I added to the bottom measured about 11 inches.  On the tee shirt piece for the bottom (the white piece), sew gathering stitches along the top edge. Gather to fit the top, pin and then using a medium zigzag stitch or serger, sew top and bottom together.

Using an oval shaped template, mark the bottom of the top with chalk and cut. Using an oval template, cut out an oval shape at the top of the shoulders. Cut the seams around the neckline and bottom sleeve edges.

I used an ½ inch distance between the rhinestones and ½ distance between the metal trim. Place a drop of glue slightly smaller than the rhinestone on the neckline and using a wax tipped tool or tweezers, pick up a rhinestone and gently press it into the glue. Continue along the neckline and also along the oval cut out on top of the shoulders. Allow to dry flat for 24 hours. The metal trim is hot fix, so lay out your metal studs offset from the rhinestones and heat your hot fix tool. When the tool is hot, gently press down on the metal trim using the flat tip and hold for 12-15 seconds to activate the glue. You can also use an iron on the highest setting without steam. You may want to place a piece of white paper between the iron and shirt to prevent scorching. Gently press down holding for 12-15 seconds. Do not slide the iron as this may move the metal trim.

Simple, yet jazzy, my daughter was thrilled with her costume and I was happy with how easy it was to make.

Rhinestones, hot fix metal trim and wax tipped tool are available from:

www.RhinestonesEtc.com