Scrappy Tops: Summer Basics Tank, West Shirt, Core T-shirt
Fabric scraps have a way of multiplying in the sewing room. They may be too large to throw away, but they are not always big enough for the project you have in mind. Before long, you have a collection of leftovers waiting for the right opportunity.
My second summer capsule wardrobe became that opportunity. I challenged myself to make an entire seven-piece module using scraps from my first summer capsule, remnants from my stash, and fabric I already owned. I used nearly every last piece—and even squeezed out an extra top.
Today, I’m sharing the four tops I made for this scrappy capsule wardrobe, including the patterns I chose, the fitting adjustments I made, and how these pieces work with the rest of my handmade wardrobe.
Read on or watch the video on YouTube to see all four tops and the many ways I can wear them.
The Scrappy Capsule Wardrobe Challenge
Earlier this summer, I created a seven-piece capsule module using three Cashmerette patterns and five fabrics from Style Maker Fabrics. Once that capsule was finished, I realized I still had some surprisingly useful pieces of fabric left.
For this second module, I challenged myself to sew only with those scraps or with remnants already in my stash. I added one small piece of rayon and another remnant I had purchased quite a while ago, but I did not buy any new yardage specifically for this capsule.
My usual capsule formula includes three tops, two bottoms, one layering piece, and one dress. All seven garments coordinate, giving me plenty of outfit combinations from a relatively small number of pieces.
This time, I made four tops instead of three because I had enough fabric. Leaving usable fabric behind simply to stick to the formula did not make sense. By the end of the project, only enough fabric for a couple of pocket linings and possibly a pair of underwear made it into my scrap bin.
That feels like a successful scrap-busting project to me!
The Four Tops
Closet Core Core T-Shirt
The first top is the free Core T-Shirt pattern from Closet Core Patterns. I made the cropped version with short sleeves using the citron cotton-spandex jersey left over from my first capsule.
I originally purchased three yards of this fabric because I planned to make a dress. The dress did not require as much fabric as I expected, so I had enough left for an additional T-shirt. This is exactly why I hesitate to discard larger scraps until I know what I can make from them.
Cotton-spandex jersey is one of my favorite fabrics for T-shirts, tank tops, and casual knit dresses. This particular jersey has been comfortable to wear all summer, and the recovery helps the garments keep their shape. The citron color also coordinates with the other pieces in both of my summer capsules.
Can You Do a Full Bust Adjustment Without Sewing the Dart?
I made a full bust adjustment on the Core T-Shirt using the same basic method I would use for a woven bodice. The adjustment created a dart, but I did not sew it.
Instead, I eased the additional front length into the back as I sewed the side seams. You can see some of that extra fullness while the shirt is hanging, but once it is on my body, the fabric falls smoothly over my bust. I get the room I need without a visible dart.
This method may not work with every knit or every adjustment, but it worked beautifully with this cotton-spandex jersey. The finished shirt fits well through the bust while still giving me the simple look of a classic T-shirt.
Love Notions Summer Basics Tank in Salmon
The Love Notions Summer Basics Tank* is my go-to knit tank top pattern. I keep the pattern near my cutting table because it is such a useful project for leftover knit fabric.
For my salmon-colored tank, I started with scraps from the two yards of jersey I had used for a T-shirt in my first capsule. I sew a size medium with the full-bust front, which gives me the room I need without requiring an additional full bust adjustment.
The neckline and armholes are finished with fabric strips, so the entire tank can be made from the same fabric. It is a quick project and an excellent way to use a knit remnant that may not be large enough for a garment with sleeves.
How Did I Choose the Finished Length?
I wanted this tank to hit at my high hip so I could wear it untucked while still showing some waist definition. I generally remove one inch from the waist length of Love Notions patterns because I have a short, high torso.
After trying on this tank, I removed another inch and a half from the bottom and sewed a one-inch hem. The final length is not truly cropped, but it is short enough to work well with my skirts, shorts, and higher-rise pants.
This small change makes a big difference in how useful the top is in my wardrobe. I do not have to tuck it in, fuss with extra fabric, or lose the shape of the outfit.
Love Notions Summer Basics Tank in Citron
Once I had the Summer Basics* pattern out, I realized I also had enough citron jersey to make a second tank. That gave me three tops from the citron fabric altogether: the original dress, the Core T-Shirt, and this tank top.
I have already learned how useful this tank length is. I made another Summer Basics Tank for a Florida trip and reach for it so frequently that I am disappointed whenever it is in the laundry. Adding two more in colors that coordinate with my capsule was an easy decision.
Making duplicates of a favorite pattern is also a practical way to sew with scraps. The fitting work is already complete, I know how the garment will fit into my wardrobe, and I can quickly determine if the remaining fabric is large enough.
The salmon and citron tanks bring different colors into the capsule, but they serve the same wardrobe role. Both can be worn with the white linen shorts, striped pants, skirts, and layering pieces already in my closet.
Seamwork West Shirt
My only woven top is the Seamwork West* shirt, made from a wide rayon remnant that was a little over one yard.
This fabric had been in my stash for quite a while. Jenni happened to hold it next to the other capsule fabrics while we were moving fabric around, and we immediately realized how well the colors worked together. The citron, salmon, and green in the print connected it to the entire capsule.
I wanted a loose, boxy shirt that I could wear over shorts or pair with a skirt. The West has that easy, breezy shape while still giving me the structure of a collar and button front. It can be worn loose or with a small quarter tuck.
Jenni had already made the West in a size 10, so I tried on hers before cutting mine. She had added length to her pattern, which I removed before using it. My shirt is the original drafted length, giving me the slightly cropped proportion I wanted.
Why Did I Choose the West Instead of a Similar Pattern?
The Closet Core Adriana Shorts include a coordinating top with a similar shape, but Jenni already had the West pattern printed and adjusted. Trying on her finished shirt gave me a clear idea of how it would fit before I cut into my limited fabric.
Seamwork drafts the lower size range for a C-cup, so I also knew I would probably not need a full bust adjustment. Closet Core patterns often require that adjustment for me. Since I had only a little over a yard of rayon, choosing the pattern with the most predictable fit reduced the risk of wasting this special remnant.
The finished West gives me the look of a matching Adriana set without using the coordinating top pattern. It pairs beautifully with the white linen shorts and also works with the striped Making Moves Pants for a little print mixing.
How the Tops Work Across My Wardrobe
A capsule wardrobe becomes much more useful when its pieces coordinate beyond one small group of garments. These four tops work with both bottoms from this scrappy module, but they also coordinate with the pieces from my other summer capsules.
The citron tops look especially cheerful with my green Grafton skirt. I wore one of those combinations with my open-knit sweater to church and received several compliments on how bright and happy the outfit looked.
The printed West shirt can be layered under that same sweater, allowing the colors to show through the loose knit. It will also transition nicely into early fall under a cardigan. The citron tones feel autumnal enough to carry the shirt beyond the hottest part of summer.
Some combinations require more print mixing than I typically wear. I probably will not pair every striped top with every plaid or rainbow bottom, even if the colors technically coordinate. That is okay. A capsule does not fail simply because every mathematical combination is not part of your personal style.
Can a Scrappy Capsule Really Provide Enough Outfits?
My three summer modules contain 21 core garments, plus the extra tank I made from these scraps. If every top, bottom, dress, and layering piece were combined, they could create more than 300 theoretical outfits.
I may not wear every possible combination, but I still have far more options than I need for everyday life or travel. My husband and I have a four-night trip planned, and I could easily pack enough pieces for casual daytime outfits and nicer dinner combinations without bringing a large suitcase.
That versatility is the real benefit of sewing within a consistent color palette. Scraps from one project naturally coordinate with other garments, making it easier to turn small pieces of fabric into useful additions rather than isolated scrap-busting projects.
A Capsule Wardrobe That Uses What I Already Own
I am thrilled with how these tops turned out and how little fabric was left behind. The Core T-Shirt, two Summer Basics Tanks, and West shirt each fill a practical role in my wardrobe while adding new combinations to garments I already wear.
This project also reminded me that sewing from scraps does not have to mean making something simply to use up fabric. By starting with colors, patterns, and silhouettes that fit my existing wardrobe, I created garments I genuinely want to wear.
These tops will carry me through the rest of summer, layer into early fall, and come right back out when I spend two weeks in Florida next February. That is a lot of wardrobe value from fabric that could easily have remained in my scrap bin.
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