Glennon Tunic Top Pattern

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Our readers adore garments with a taste of boho style! Sew your own comfortable, boho chic tunic top with this pattern from Aishat Sulaiman. Ideal for early autumn weather, this tunic sewing pattern has a hem that hits at the hip and features a foldback neckline and pleated front. Our favorite element of this pattern is its long, flowy sleeves that give this summer-to-fall top a romantic feel.

Pattern Overview:

This pattern is a hip length shirt, featuring a pleated front, fold back neckline, collar, and a wrist length sleeve.

Materials:

All calculations are based on a single layer. If you want to cut your fabric on the fold, increase consumption by 1/2 yard. When purchasing fabric, please account for shrinkage and purchase 5% more than required.

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS – YARDAGE:

Recommended fabrics: Light denim, twill, canvas, gabardine, medium-weight duchess, medium-weight linen or medium-weight wovens such as cotton or wool flannel, chambray, and poplin.
All-purpose polyester thread
Sewing machine (capable of a straight stitch and scallop stitch)
Machine needle
Fusible interfacing
PDF Pattern – This is located at the bottom of this page. See printing instructions below.

Tips: All-natural fiber and some synthetic materials undergo shrinkage during their first wash, which can change the texture and hand feel. (Aishat prefers the look and feel of washed fabrics.) Pre-washing is necessary if you want your garment washable after sewing (without shrinking). Giving the washed material a light press before cutting will ensure your paper pattern pieces can lay smoothly on top.

SELECTING YOUR SIZE:

Body Measurements: Start by taking your body measurements. Measure the circumference of your bust, waist, and hips by pulling the measuring tape snugly; it should fit tightly around your skin but not too tightly. Measure directly over bare skin or typical-for-you undergarments. Keep the tape parallel with the floor, and ensure it is not twisted. Compare your measurements to the “body” measurements in the chart above to see your recommended size.

PRINTING INSTRUCTIONS:

Note: To download the pattern, click on the pattern download button at the bottom of the page. We recommend opening your pattern download using Adobe Acrobat.

First, determine if you will print your pattern at home or have it printed by an online or local copy shop. This pattern includes a file for both printing options. Download the pattern file for the printing option you’ve chosen.

Once your file is open, you can proceed to print. You may also use the “Layers” panel to toggle on or off pattern lines for various sizes. Toggle off the pattern lines for any sizes you do *not* wish to print. You should now see only the lines for the size you did not toggle off displayed.

NOTE: Pattern lines may overlap; you are advised to print one size at a time. It is easiest to cut out the pattern when only one size is printed at a time.

Print at a Copy Shop: A0

Online pattern printers and local copy shops can print a large-format paper pattern economically.

Print at Home: Letter Size or A4 Paper

Each “Print at Home” file can be printed on letter- sized or A4 paper. You will need a PDF viewer to print this pattern. You can download Adobe Reader for free if you do not have a PDF viewer already.

PATTERN PREPARATION:

Trace off the front facing from the front pattern.

Ready to cut? Check out the pattern inventory.

PATTERN INVENTORY:

PATTERN LAYOUT:

Play around with the pattern placement to minimize fabric wastage but ensure the grainlines remain parallel to the selvedge or your preferred cutting direction. Transfer all markings to the main fabric and cut out patterns.

Sewing Instructions:

The image below shows all patterns pieces should look after cutting in main fabric.

Superimpose the front piece and the facing, right sides together and sew neckline facing from notch to notch using 1/2” seam allowance as shown below.
Notch the corners pointed to with blue arrows. Turn the facing to the wrong side of the front piece and stay stitch the unturned front neckline as shown below.
Now it is time to topstitch the front pleat.
Fold along line 1 from left to right, fold back from right to left along line 2, fold along line 3 from left to right, and then fold back again from left along line 4 as shown below (Top pleat will be on the right hand side of the front once all are folded). Press the pleats in place.
Topstitch the pleat as shown below.
Fold the front neckline starting from the end of the slit to the start of the neckline stay stitch (turned neckline) as shown below.
Superimpose the back and front piece and the facing, right sides together and sew the shoulder using 1/2” seam allowance as shown below.
Open up the front and back piece and press the shoulder seam.
Add fusible interfacing to the wrong side of one collar, superimpose the two collars, right sides together, sew as shown below using 1/2” seam allowance, trim seam allowance and turn the collar out to expose the right side.
Pin the lower edge of the collar to the neckline. Then stitch the collar to the neckline using 1/2” seam allowance. Turn to face outside, then tuck the seam allowance into the collar and press.
Top-stitch around the collar neck edge, making sure that the lower folded edge of the collar is caught in the seam.
Hem the sleeves using 1 1/2” seam allowance and a double fold hem technique. Repeat for the second sleeve.
Now it’s time to sew the sleeve. With right sides together, pin the sleeve in place and sew using 1/2” seam allowance.
Repeat for the second sleeve.
Turn to the wrong side of the top, fold the sleeve in half and match up the sides up to the armhole and pin. Match up both sides of the front to the back and pin in place. Now sew from the sleeve down using 1” seam allowance.
Repeat previous step for the other side.
Sew the top hem with 1 1/2” seam allowance using the double fold hem technique.