How to Make a Tube Top

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 11, 2022

Do you have some old shirts that you no longer wear? Why not turn them into a trendy tube top? If you don't have a t-shirt to spare, get some sewing elastic and stretchy fabric. With a little time and effort, you'll have a bunch of trendy tube tops to wear all summer long.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using a Shirt

1
Find a t-shirt that that you don't mind cutting up, and turn it inside out. The shirt can be loose or fitted. If the shirt is loose, you will need to insert an elastic to help hold it up. If the shirt if brand new, make sure that its been washed and dried to remove any potential shrinking.
2
Cut across the top of your shirt, just below the armpits. Try to cut through both layers of the shirt at the same time. This way, you will have to do less cutting. When you are done, discard the top part of the shirt, or save it for another project.
- If you are having troubles cutting straight, use a ruler or measuring tape as a guideline.
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3
Fold the cut edge down by 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) and secure it with sewing pins. Make sure that you are pinning all the way around the top of the shirt; you should still be able to open the shirt, like a tube. For a nice, crisp edge, press the folded hem down with a clothing iron.
4
Sew along the folded edge, leaving a ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) gap in the back. Try to sew as close to the cut edge as you can. You will need the space between the stitching and the folded edge for the elastic. Also, make sure that you leave a ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) wide gap between where you started and finished sewing, or you won't be able to get the elastic inside.
- Try to use a thread color that closely matches your t-shirt.
- If your sewing machine has a knit fabric setting, try to use that; it usually looks like a standard straight stitch that's broken up by V shapes.
- Remove the pins when you are done. Also, remember to snip off the loose ends of the threads.
5
Measure around your chest, just below the armpits, and cut some elastic according to that measurement. This will help hold your tube top up. Even if your shirt was fitted, an elastic might still be a good idea; fitted shirts can loosen over time.
6
Clip a safety pin to one end of the elastic, and use it to guide the through the top hem of your shirt. Find the ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) wide gap in your stitching. Push the safety pin through it, and use it to guide the elastic all the way around the top of the shirt. When you reach the gap again, pull the safety pin out. Both ends of the elastic should now be sticking out of the gap.
- Be careful not to lose the other end of the elastic inside the shirt hem.
7
Sew the two ends of the elastic together. Overlap the two ends by 1 inch (2.54 centimeters), then sew them down using the smallest stitch you can. Overlapping the ends of the elastic like this will prevent any unsightly bulges. When you are done, push the elastic back through the gap.
- Once you have the elastic back through the gap, you can sew the gap shut for a nicer finish.
8
Wear your tube top. Be sure to wear a strapless bra with it so that you don't have any bra straps showing.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making a Tube Top from Scratch

1
Measure around your bust and waist. Add 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) to each measurement. You will need this extra width for the seam allowances.^{[1]
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2
Measure from just below your armpits down to your waist. Add 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) to your measurement. You will need this extra length for the hems.^{[2]
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3
Choose your fabric, and spread it out in front of you, wrong-side-up. The best fabric to use for a tube top is stretchy, jersey type fabric, like the kind used to make t-shirts.
4
Draw a large rectangle according to your measurement. The top of the rectangle should equal your bust measurement. The bottom of the rectangle should equal your waist measurement. It will likely taper slightly.
5
Fold the rectangle in half, lengthwise, with the right sides together. Secure the side edge with sewing pins. Leave the top and bottom edges alone for now. You will hem them later.
6
Sew along the side edge using a ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) seam allowance. Pull the pins out as you sew so that you don't accidentally prick yourself. When you are done, tie the threads off into tight knots, and snip them as close to the fabric as you can.
7
Press the seam flat with an iron. Flatten the tube top on your ironing board, with the seam facing upward. Spread the seam allowances apart, so that they lay flat against the fabric to either side of the seam. Press them flat with a hot iron.
8
Fold the top and bottom of your fabric down by 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) to make the hems. Secure the folds with sewing pins, and press them flat with a clothing iron. The wrong sides of the fabric should still be facing outward at this time.
9
Sew the top and bottom hems, but leave a ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) wide gap on the top hem. You will need this gap to slide the elastic through. When sewing the hems, try to sew as close to the raw/cut edge as you can, so that you will have enough space for the elastic. When you are done, pull the sewing pins out. Be sure to tie the ends of the threads off into tight knots and to snip them off, as close to the fabric as you can.
- Try to use a stitch intended for sewing stretchy fabrics. It usually looks like a straight stitch, but is broken up by V-shapes.
10
Measure your around chest, just below the armpits and cut a piece of elastic according to that measurement. This piece of elastic will help keep the tube top up, so make sure it is sturdy.
11
Clip a safety pin to the elastic, and use it to feed the elastic through the top hem. Find that ½ inch (1.27 centimeter) wide gap in the top hem. Push the safety pin into the gap, then use it to feed the elastic through the hem. When you reach the gap again, unclip the safety pin. When you are done, you should have both ends of the elastic sticking out from the gap.
12
Overlap the ends of the elastic be 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) and sew them down. Use the smallest stitch you can, and be careful not to sew them to the fabric. When you are done, push the elastic back through the gap.
- At this point, you can sew the gap shut for a neater finish.
13
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

What if I don't have a strapless bra?

T. Chinsen

Top Answerer

Attaching a second layer of fabric in the chest area can eliminate the need for a strapless bra. If soft fusible interfacing is added to the second under layer, it can be tailored to the shape of a strapless bra. This will be a built-in support to the garment that will not shift of chafe when worn.