I think I have made enough Ella Tanks to last me a while. I have also managed to mess up a couple tanks, which I am blaming on fabric, and they came out smaller than intended. So I have unintentionally made enough Ella Tanks for my smaller friend as well. It's safe to say that Ella Tank is a clear win across the board. It's so simple and comfy! It is a looser fit tank, with almost a racer back and a cool pleat in the back. There are so many ways to make this tank awesome! Just look at all the great examples on here.
My apologies for the quality of pictures. I took them in the morning before heading to work and even with all the lights and lamps on they still turned out blurry and dark. Nothing beats natural light!
This particular version of Ella tank I made on a whim. I didn't plan it and one night I was sitting starting at a piece of beautiful lace I had leftover from a grad dress project I worked on for someone else. The lace was so pretty and it made me sad that the piece that was left was big enough to think you can do something yet small enough to figure out what it is you can work it into. I pulled out my Ella tank pattern and with some creative cutting I was able to fit the back yoke into my lace! I was ecstatic. Within minutes the idea of the tank was born. I used a very pretty cream and black print I had in my stash as the rest of my tank.
The main fabric was quite sheer on its own so I decided to line it with a plan cream fabric I had in my stash. All the fabrics are some kind of poly blend and I do have an unusual amount of cream / off white fabric in my stash. I love my creams! They make great basics and are very good for lining sheer fabrics. When I am only down to one cream fabric in my stash I start to feel uncomfortable... It may be an addiction.
Since I was lining the tank top I eliminated the need to finish my neckline and armholes with bias binding. I sandwiched my lace yoke in between two pieces of fabric and sewed all my armhole, neckline, yoke and shoulder seams. My tank top ended up having a very clean finish on the inside as well.
The lace did not have a scalloped edge on its own and I wanted it to have a very delicate feel to it. I had a piece of lace trim in my stash that had these tiny scallops on it and was very close in color and texture to my lace. Bingo! I sewed my trim onto neckline and armhole edges of my lace in tiny zig-zag and it provided beautifully finished edges with a scalloped lace look I wanted.
Pardon my bra straps hanging out in the picture above! I would normally wear the tank with a racer back or a black bra so that the straps at least match the color of the lace.
I love the way this tank came out. It turned out to be one of those basic pieces with something extra that takes it above the basics without bringing it into a special occasion category.The fit is perfect and I think the pattern is very well drafted. There are so many possibilities with it! It can be a great stash buster as well. Just from looking at the pictures and writing about the tank, I am already wanting to make a few more.
Love,
Anya
I think I have made enough Ella Tanks to last me a while. I have also managed to mess up a couple tanks, which I am blaming on fabric, and they came out smaller than intended. So I have unintentionally made enough Ella Tanks for my smaller friend as well. It's safe to say that Ella Tank is a clear win across the board. It's so simple and comfy! It is a looser fit tank, with almost a racer back and a cool pleat in the back. There are so many ways to make this tank awesome! Just look at all the great examples on here.
My apologies for the quality of pictures. I took them in the morning before heading to work and even with all the lights and lamps on they still turned out blurry and dark. Nothing beats natural light!
This particular version of Ella tank I made on a whim. I didn't plan it and one night I was sitting starting at a piece of beautiful lace I had leftover from a grad dress project I worked on for someone else. The lace was so pretty and it made me sad that the piece that was left was big enough to think you can do something yet small enough to figure out what it is you can work it into. I pulled out my Ella tank pattern and with some creative cutting I was able to fit the back yoke into my lace! I was ecstatic. Within minutes the idea of the tank was born. I used a very pretty cream and black print I had in my stash as the rest of my tank.
The main fabric was quite sheer on its own so I decided to line it with a plan cream fabric I had in my stash. All the fabrics are some kind of poly blend and I do have an unusual amount of cream / off white fabric in my stash. I love my creams! They make great basics and are very good for lining sheer fabrics. When I am only down to one cream fabric in my stash I start to feel uncomfortable... It may be an addiction.
Since I was lining the tank top I eliminated the need to finish my neckline and armholes with bias binding. I sandwiched my lace yoke in between two pieces of fabric and sewed all my armhole, neckline, yoke and shoulder seams. My tank top ended up having a very clean finish on the inside as well.
The lace did not have a scalloped edge on its own and I wanted it to have a very delicate feel to it. I had a piece of lace trim in my stash that had these tiny scallops on it and was very close in color and texture to my lace. Bingo! I sewed my trim onto neckline and armhole edges of my lace in tiny zig-zag and it provided beautifully finished edges with a scalloped lace look I wanted.
Pardon my bra straps hanging out in the picture above! I would normally wear the tank with a racer back or a black bra so that the straps at least match the color of the lace.
I love the way this tank came out. It turned out to be one of those basic pieces with something extra that takes it above the basics without bringing it into a special occasion category.The fit is perfect and I think the pattern is very well drafted. There are so many possibilities with it! It can be a great stash buster as well. Just from looking at the pictures and writing about the tank, I am already wanting to make a few more.
Love,
Anya