The Strappy Cami for Women

Strappy Cami

Difficulty Level = Beginner

This strappy cami top sewing pattern is perfect for pregnancy, nursing, and regular wear. The cami has two options, either gathered across the waist area, creating flattering gathers for regular wear, and comfortable bump support for pregnancy, or a smooth plain front for non-maternity/regular wear. The cami straps can be finished using the fabric strap pattern pieces provided, or by using fold over elastic (FOE). There are no fastenings and it simply pulls on.

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Please read the full instructions before getting started.

Wash, dry, and press your fabric before starting your project. A bit of prep now prevents shrinking and means your garment will stay the same size you made it.

Never leave a child or baby unattended or allow to sleep in a garment made from one of our patterns with ties, snaps, buttons, or anything they could remove, choke on, or get caught on. Always use caution if you are unsure. We love our patterns, but we love your bundles of joy more!

Size Range

Womens 1-10, Womens Curvy 6C-15C

Size Chart

This pattern is drafted to the sizes listed below. If you are between sizes, choose the larger size and adjust the pattern to remove the extra width to achieve the intended fit.

Finished Measurements (Inches)

• Overall fit – The cami is designed to have negative ease. This means it is smaller than the body and the fabric will stretch as you are wearing it. If you fall towards the lower end of your size range, you may find you need to take the fabric in slightly to have sufficient negative ease for comfort. We recommend trying a muslin (see below) to make sure the fit is exactly how you are wanting.
• Measure – Please measure and use the size you fall into on the size chart. Sizing varies by designer, brand, and country so please be aware it may or may not be the size you are used to.
• Selecting your size – If your measurements fall across several sizes, use the size on the size chart your chest falls into. That way, the chest and shoulder area will fit best.  If your waist or hips fall into a different size, print using the layers feature, so you can print the size your bust, waist and hips fall into. Then, draw a gently curving line on the side seams between the sizes to blend.
• Front gathers – The gathered front option has gathers across the tummy. There is no need to adjust these between pregnant and non-pregnant sizes. 
  • For regular wear (non-pregnant models), you will find the gathers sit flat across the stomach. They are not designed to be skin tight and will skim the body. The fit is designed to look relaxed and give stomach coverage. If you wish to have a tighter fit around the tummy, you will need to take the side seams in between the gathered area. To do this, make a muslin first, then try the garment on inside out, pinning down the side seams where you’d like to adjust. Then remove the garment, trim as needed, re-gather and attach. 
  • For pregnancy wear, the belly will spread the gathers and stretch to allow space for your bump as it grows. Make sure to use the gathered front option for maternity. Do not use the plain front option for maternity.
• Bust adjustments – 
  • The Women’s Regular pattern is designed for a sewing C cup (approximately, a ready-to-wear B cup). We tested the pattern up to a G cup and found that fabric with at least a 40% stretch, fit well. B cups fit well but A found it a little loose. That said, fit can depend on body shape as well as cup size and fabric type. So, for best fit, complete a muslin.
  • The Women’s Curvy pattern is designed for a sewing E cup (approximately, a ready-to-wear D cup). We tested the pattern up to a M cup and found that fabric with at least a 40% stretch, fit well. The fit can depend on body shape as well as cup size and fabric type. So, for best fit, complete a muslin.
• Length – The ladies’ version of this pattern is designed for a height of 5 foot 6 inches. It is designed to be quite long, finishing just below the hip bone. This allows it to be worn under clothing for warmth, modesty, or personal preference, or worn on its own.
  • If you wish to lengthen or shorten the top, you will need to lengthen or shorten the front top, and back top pieces. For the most accurate height adjustment, adjust in two places, 1 inch below the armhole to give more room in the bust area, and at the hem to give more length.
  • For minor length adjustments, you may find no adjustment is needed, that you can simply shorten or length at the hem as preferred. 
  • Again, for best fit, we recommend completing a muslin to check for your personal body shape.
• Nursing – The cami can be used for nursing. There is no specific nursing access, however, the cami can be worn on it’s own or under other clothing, and the front pulled down for nursing access. If you are planning to nurse in the cami by pulling the top down, either ensure your fabric you are using for the binding has very good stretch recovery, or use fold over elastic so that the top bounces back into shape easily.
• Muslin – To ensure you get the best fit, we recommend sewing a muslin. A muslin is a test version of the pattern in a similar inexpensive fabric. To make a muslin for the Strappy Cami:
  • Check the fabric recommendations and use a fabric with the same properties as your final one. You do not need to cut out and sew the full garment. 
  • Cut out the Front, Back and Strap pieces and label each one with tailors chalk / fabric pen:
  • Baste these together using a ⅜ inch seam allowance.
  • Try on. If happy with the fit, continue to the final garment.
  • If you feel the fit needs adjusting for your personal shape, turn the muslin inside out and try on again.
  • Adjust the seams with pins until you are happy and then baste.
  • Trim your new seam allowances to ⅜ inch and pull out your basting stitches.
  •  Use these pieces of fabric as your pattern pieces instead of the original pattern pieces. Continue to sew your final garment.
  • Make sure to keep your adjusted pattern pieces. It is like having a tailor-made garment, so they are a valuable addition to your pattern library in case you wish to make more!
• If you get stuck with fitting, see our favorite resources on our Pinterest Sewing Fitting Advice board.  

• Your fabric needs to be a stretch/knit fabric. It can be any weight; however, best results and fit will be achieved with a medium weight fabric such as jersey, double brushed poly (DBP), cotton lycra (CL) and French terry. 
• Both 4-way stretch (stretches both horizontally and vertically), and 2-way stretch fabrics will work. For 2-way stretch fabrics, take care to place the pattern pieces as indicated for the grainline so the stretch is doing the correct direction. 
• If you are planning to nurse in the cami, we would recommend a 4-way stretch fabric for comfortable nursing access (note a specific nursing access is not included in the pattern, however, the cami can be used on its own or under other tops and the top section pulled down for nursing).  
• Your fabric will need to have at least 40% stretch to get the fit as it is designed. To check how much stretch your fabric has, take a piece of fabric, and pull along its stretch. If it allows you to stretch it at least 40% longer than its original length, then it has at least 40% stretch. I.e., A 2-inch piece of fabric (unstretched) should be able to be stretched to 2.8 inches.
• The stretch recovery of your fabric is just as important as the stretch percentage. This will ensure your top maintains its shape and fit for as long as possible and not become baggy. To test the stretch recovery (elasticity), simply check that when you stretch your piece of fabric it returns to its original size.

Settings

The pattern is a separate download. Choose either the US letter paper, A4 paper, or A0 paper size based on the printer you wish to use. If you are in the US or Canada then your printer will likely use US letter paper. Other regions normally use A4 paper. Some people prefer to print their patterns at a print shop: A0 is best in this case.

Print at 100%.

On the second page, you will find a 1-inch and a 3-inch square test box. Print this page first, on its own, and measure these squares.

Once you are happy that the test box is accurate, print the rest of the pattern pages.

Please follow this video for information and assistance on assembling this pattern.

Also, please note that some Rebecca Page patterns and projects also come with cut files and a printable design page which you can use to plan your project if you wish. These are provided in a separate section below to avoid any confusion!

Cut each of the pieces according to the directions on the pattern piece. Seam allowances are all included so just cut them as is.

Binding – You can either use Fold Over Elastic (FOE) or cut binding from fabric. If you are using fold over elastic, use the Strap Binding and Front Binding pattern pieces as a length guide for cutting.

Cutting Charts – All pattern pieces are included, however if you prefer to cut using a cutting chart, the dimensions for the rectangular pieces (in INCHES) are below:

* The longer measurement should be running along the greatest stretch on your fabric.
** For measurements that are longer than the width of your fabric, you can cut multiple pieces and connect them to reach a final length of the cut chart. 

Cutting Checklist: 

• 1x Back on the fold
• Front
  • For the Plain Front OPTION, 1x Front (Plain) on the fold
  • For the Gathered Front OPTION, 1x Front (Gathered) on the fold
• 1x Front Binding
• 1x Strap Binding

NOTE – To cut fabric on the fold, fold your fabric over parallel to the selvage edges. Align the pattern piece so it is on the fold of the fabric. Cut around the edges, leaving the fold. If you have folded your fabric correctly the fold will be parallel to the two edges of the fabric that are finished. The raw edges (e.g. the ones you could pick at and threads would come off) will be at a right angle to your fold.

Tips for Sewing with Knit Fabrics

Using a serger is not a necessity to sew with knit fabrics! Here are a few tips to get the best results on a regular sewing machine:

• Use a ball point needle of a size appropriate to your fabric when working with knits – The ball point needle has a slightly rounded tip and will prevent from damaging the fibre. Use ball point pins or clips and, if you can’t, use regular pins into the seam allowance and you should be just fine.
• Use a stretch stitch – You can use either a short and narrow zigzag or a stretch stitch (lightning bolt stitch) for construction. Test on a scrap of fabric to find which stitch and tension settings work best for you. You don’t want the fabric to pucker under your stitches.
• Your machine might have many fancy stretch stitches and you are welcome to play with them, but often the basic zigzag or stretch stitch are just right.
• Use a walking foot – Using a walking-foot is not a necessity but it is highly recommended when working on a stretchy knit. The walking-foot helps to prevent one layer of fabric from stretching out while sewing. Both layers of fabrics are fed at the same time under your needle.
• Reduce your presser foot tension – Some machines will allow you to change your presser foot tension. Check your manual to see how to reduce your presser foot tension. Reducing tension will prevent your fabric from stretching while it goes through the machine.
• Use a ball point twin-needle (double needle) for top stitching – Using a twin-needle will give you a regular double line of straight stitches on the right side and a short and stretchy zigzag on the wrong side. Alternately, if you don’t own a twin needle, you can use a medium size zigzag stitch for hemming and topstitching. I like to lengthen my stitch a little when top stitching with the twin needle. Test on a scrap of fabric to find what works best for you.
• Finishing the seams – Because knits don’t fray, it isn’t strictly necessary to finish your seams. That being said, you will achieve a more polished and durable look if you do an overcasting or zigzag stitch on your raw edges. 

Here is an example of some of the stitches you could use.

From left to right: Ballpoint twin-needle, narrow zigzag, stretch stitch (lightning bolt), overcasting

⅜ inch seam allowance included – Basting ¼ inch

Preparation – 

1. PATTERN MARKINGS – Mark the pattern using either tailors chalk or a disappearing fabric marker.

Sewing –

1. GATHERED FRONT OPTION – Sew two rows of gathering stitches between the markings on the front piece. Gather the front so that the side seam matches up with the back. Pin with right sides together and stitch or serge together using a ⅜ inch seam allowance. Remove your gathering stitches. 
2. PLAIN FRONT OPTION – Pin with right sides together and stitch or serge together using a ⅜ inch seam allowance. 
3. CAMI BINDING OPTION – Place the cami wrong side up and then place the Front Binding piece on top of it with the wrong side up. Pin in place and then stitch using a ⅜ inch seam allowance. Press the seam allowance up and then wrap the binding around the front. Pin the binding in place and stitch close to the folded edge. Place the Strap Binding pieces right sides together, matching the short ends. Stitch. Press seam open. Place the strap binding wrong side down along the wrong side of the armhole edge, pin in place and stitch using a ⅜ inch seam allowance. Press the seam allowance up toward the binding and then wrap the binding around to the front. Pin the binding in place and stitch along the folded edge and up the strap. Repeat for the other strap and the top of the back piece.
4. CAMI FOE OPTION – Stitch FOE along front top edge. Then stitch FOE along the front armhole edge and up for the strap. Repeat for the other strap and the top of the back piece.
5. ATTACH STRAPS OPTIONAL – Finish the ends of your straps and tie them as a halter top! Or, for traditional straps, fold the bottom of each strap under ⅜ inch and pin or clip to the back of the cami as marked with the notch on the pattern. Make sure the straps are not twisted. Stitch each strap to the cami, either using a zig zag stitch or a small rectangle so it catches the folded under part in full. Make sure to go over the spot a few times to ensure the straps are secure.
6. HEM OPTIONAL – Serge along the bottom edge to finish. Turn the hem under ½ inch and press, then topstitch. 

Congratulations, your Strappy Cami is done. Enjoy! 

We would love to hear how you got on and see photos of your finished project!

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