Seamingly Smitten: TUTORIAL: Bubble Halter Top

I made this bubble top for my little girl the other day out of some polk-a-dots, gingham and chicken fabric. The chicken fabric just makes me smile! It's so easy to make a bubble top!

You measure your child's chest and multiply that number by 1.5 My little girl's chest measurement is 20. So 20 x 1.5 = 30 inches around. Then figure out how long you want it. I wanted hers 14 inches long and then I added 2 inches for hems total.

I cut one rectangle 16 in long x 30 in wide to make this 2T bubble top.

Bubble Top Tutorial:

1. Cut out rectangle 16 inches long x 30 inches wide.
2. Iron your top and bottom hems (fold over half an inch, iron, fold another half an inch, iron and pin).
3. Sew along the pinned edges at the top and bottom.
4. Cut 2 strips of 3/8 inch elastic. I cut the top / chest elastic to 18 inches. I cut the lower / waist elastic to 15 inches. Insert your 3/8 inch elastic through each casing at the top and bottom.
5. Sew down all 4 elastic ends to the fabric edges at the ends of each casing (top and bottom).
6. Lay rectangle right sides together, matching the shorter sides and pin (pin down the length).
7. Sew down the pinned edge. Serge or zig-zag raw edges. Trim threads.
8. Make 2 straps 26 inches long each and attach! (I put a buttonhole front-center to put the straps through to tie; but this can also be worn backwards and have it tie in the back.)
9. Try it on your little girl!

**HINTS:
1.You can also use ribbon for the straps. Each strap should be about 26 inches long. Fray check the ends. Sew them on front/center to tie in the back or you can spread them out according to your child's size and tie them in the back around the neck.
2. You could also use bias tape as the straps. You will need 2 pieces of bias tape 26 inches long each. Sew down the long ends of each strip of bias tape to keep the bias tape folded/closed. Hem the ends by folding over twice and sewing across the short ends to enclose the raw edges. Attach straps as desired.
3. If you want a coordinating panel on the bottom of your bubble top, the length of your panel piece and your main piece will still be the same final length as in step 1. Meaning if your child's final bubble top length is 14 inches, and you add 2inches for hems your total length of your two fabrics will be 16 inches.
So I would cut my main fabric piece: 11 in long x 30 in wide
I would cut my coordinating bottom panel: 5 in long x 30 in wide

11 + 5 = 16 inches TOTAL LENGTH
Sew those two panels right sides together, press open with an iron and begin sewing your bubble just as in step 2.