Sewing the Everlane silk cami

I really wanted this polka-dot cami from Everlane. It was the perfect boxy structure, with dainty spaghetti straps that I could see wearing through all seasons.

But of course, staying on a budget meant not going to buy more things. I remembered a pile of fabric I had in the basement from way back in my sewing days, specifically a beautiful blue & white polka dot pattern. So. I resolved to make my own version of the Everlane cami!

I wing it when I sew – no patterns, no chalk pens, just a measuring tape and scissors and pins.

I wasn’t even over the flu I’d had the past week, so I needed it to be simple. I measured between the seams of the shirt I was wearing, and cut out two rectangles on the fabric – giving myself 2in for hemming. I knew I wanted a wider hem at the top so it sat cleanly.

I must admit, I’m also kind of a lazy sewer. My seams on the insides are rarely clean, but this time I wanted to do a legit job. So I took the time to sew neat seams on the inside and out.

Once the two sides were together, I tackled the spaghetti straps. I tried doing tubes first, but I wanted them too thin and they wouldn’t turn inside out. So I switched over and made nice thin flat straps – folding them over and sewing down one side.

I attached them via the hem on the top of the shirt, and stitched vertically to ensure they didn’t gape weirdly. And voila! Done!

It’s honestly a piece I’ve been dreaming about, and it was SO easy. No curved hems, no tricky sleeves, no zippers or buttonholes. If you need an easy no-pattern cami, this is it.

Oh – but remember, never skip the ironing. It’s the difference between an easy project and a messy, frustrating one! Always press those hems 🙂

I can’t wait to style this all through the fall. It’s been a long time since I’ve made anything, but this was such a great one to get back in the game with.

What are your favourite easy sewing projects? Pop them in the comments below!

xo
Petraalexandra