How to Convert Lyric's Hi-Low Dress into a Top

Hi everyone! I’m Nikki, the head designer of the women’s and tween department here at Create Kids Couture! I am going to be sharing with you how to use our Lyric’s Knit High Low dress pattern to make an amazing High Low top for your child. My teen picked out this fabulous fabric from www.knitoriousfabric.com that is inspired by her favorite movie (Princess Bride), and she told me she wanted a trendy top made out of it. Knitorious Fabric has an amazing selection of quality knit and even does pre-orders! When my daughter was explaining the style of top she wanted, I realized it would be really easy to make with the Lyric Dress Pattern. So here is how I made this amazing top for my daughter.

 I started by determining the length I wanted the front of the top. I measured from her collar bone to her waist and determined the finished length I wanted for the top. I will call this measurement A. Then I measured the Lyric's pattern piece from the front neckline, down the fold line to the bottom front cut line. I will call this measurement B. Then I subtracted measurement A from Measurement B and determined I need to shorten the top 11”. If you want to add the ruffles then you can subtract measurement A from the approx finished length in the pattern to determine how much to shorten it.

So Basically B –A = the amount to measure up from the shortening line 

Now print out the pattern pieces, tape them together, and cut out the size you need. There is a shortening line on the pattern already, so we will measure up from that the number of inches we got earlier (mine is 11”). 

Now cut along both of those lines, cutting the middle section out of the pattern, as shown below. 

Next line the two pieces up on the FOLD edge and tape back together. The opposite side will not be even yet, so we will draw a line smoothing it out. Cut this small piece off. Now we have the pattern piece for the top. 

Cut out the pieces for the top following the pattern instructions. Cut everything except the ruffles. You can be creative and use the ruffles if you want to, though!

 Now sew the top following the instructions in the pattern for everything except the ruffles. Since I did not add ruffle I just hemmed the bottom the same way I did the sleeves but you can also use a rolled hem, a lettuce edge hem, or even leave it unfinished.

Now show off your amazing top in our pattern group! And trust me, if you have a teenager she will love it! You can also alter the bottom of the shirt in other ways too. I am working on another top for my daughter and this time I might cut both bottom edges to the back cut line, making it higher on the sides.  That will be really trendy too!

~  Nikki