Fabric Friday–Simple Tank Embellishment

Over the last 6 weeks or so my Walmart has expanded their fabric and notion department again.  I have to say, that has made me quite happy!  While I’d still prefer to buy my fabrics at a more designer shop, I love the availability of ribbons and trim by the yard again.  I really missed that.  This week, the kids and I were in looking for some fabric for a couple nightgowns and I spotted some ribbon rose trim.  So very pretty!  I promptly snatched up 1/3 a yard of it and went to the clothing department to find a solid black tank that I could stitch it onto.  Love the end result.  I will be going back for another color tank and doing another one like this since often I don’t wear black when the temperature goes over 88 degrees.

What  you need:  Tank top or t-shirt & trim (I bought 5 full rosettes which was just a hair over 1/3 yard), pins, black thread (or appropriate color for your selection) and sewing machine

Carefully pin trim to the neckline of the garment.  Stitch in place.  I found it VERY helpful that my machine always ended a stitch with the needle down.  That made it very easy to just lift up the presser foot, turn the garment at eat joint and continue.  I also used the speed control setting on my machine and turned it to medium (so my machine controlled the speed regardless of how far I pressed down the foot pedal).  Stitch around entire edge, remaining close to the edge without stitching the flowers flat.  It’s very important to use matching thread so the thread “disappears” into the trim and you can’t see it.

In about 20 minutes I was able to change a tank top that cost $3.97 and $1.47 of trim (about $5.50 total) into a very cute tank top that I know I will enjoy wearing much more!!  And I’ll be able to layer it during the winter with sweaters so I can wear it year round!