Tie Back Tanks!

I have a confession to make: I’ve only made it to the gym twice in the last two weeks. When I don’t make time to exercise, it makes for one cranky momma- so I’m putting this out there to keep myself accountable!

Fortunately, with the new Tie Back Tank from Greenstyle, I’m able to look like I’m gym-ready…even if I never actually make it out the door (anyone else have that problem?! Please tell me I’m not the only one!).

I made four tie back tanks during testing, and I really love them! One of my favorite features is the versatility- they look super cute styled with jeans (check out the other tester’s photos here!), leggings (like my favorites, the Inspire Tights), or even cropped with a pencil skirt for a more formal look.

The pattern has options for a low or high neck, racerback or full back coverage, and bound or banded neck and arm openings. I love the look of binding, and the method included in the pattern is my favorite tried-and-true technique  for a quick and professional looking finish. Some testers did a true cropped version- I simply tied mine higher if I wanted a cropped look, but it’s easy to shorten or lengthen if needed.

Even with the full length version, it only takes a yard, so you can use some smaller cuts of fabric or make a matching pair of leggings if you’ve got closer to two yards! Greenstyle drafts for a height of 5’8″- WAY taller than my 5’2″ height, so I shortened the tye dye version by 1″ (I have a long torso and shorter legs), saving me even more fabric!

The striped version shown here features the banded, low neck, racerback option using bands, and I wore it for photos on our family hike to a waterfall and swimming hole.

To make it comfortable with the baby carrier, I untied the back while we were hiking, which also provided some great ventilation (it was HOT!).

When you untie the back, you get a great swingy look in the front, which is cute too! (left is unknotted, right is knotted)

The fabric is a lightweight supplex from LDG Textiles- perfect for staying cool and drying quickly.

And hey, maybe I’m not doing quite as bad as I thought, because hiking and swimming counts as exercise too, right?

For my second version, I used a tye dye athletic knit from So Sew English hat I’ve had in my stash for a while- I had purchased it with the intention of making leggings, but when it arrived it was lighter weight than I anticipated, so it sat in my stash waiting for the right pattern. Like so many cuts of fabric I buy and then re-assign to a different project later, it looks even better in this top than my original idea (sometimes procrastination pays off!). I have another lightweight pink athletic knit from So Sew English in my stash that will definitely get cut into more tie back tanks- the drape is just right!

After wearing the baby in the carrier with my striped version, I decided that a few modifications were needed to make a true nursing friendly top, so I widened and lowered the neckline 2 inches from the low neck line on the pattern, and adjusted my band length accordingly.

I also attached all my bindings and bands flat- you can see my video for that here (from my last Tip Tuesday post). It’s much easier to control the stretch this way, and adjust it for the type of fabric you’re using.

Of course, this tank isn’t limited to athletic fabrics- it would also be awesome in cotton lycra, brushed poly or rayon spandex. I’ve also pinned a few inspiration photos to my tie back tank Pinterest board (HERE), for future hacking opportunities!

Grab your pattern on sale HERE, and don’t forget to sign up for blog email updates (hint: we might be doing a sewalong for this pattern soon!).

Here are some more outtakes from our hiking adventures…I love these little people!

 

 

 

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3 Comments

  1. Alison on August 10, 2017 at 7:07 pm

    This is a cute top! I love that you have very similar taste to mine and similar body type as well! So glad I found your blog!

    • Sarah on August 10, 2017 at 8:31 pm

      I’m glad you found your way here too- I love finding sewing body doubles! Makes it so easy to see how a pattern will fit!

  2. […] to be offering a SewAlong for the Tie Back Tank by Greenstyle Creations (blogged previously here) this week over at So Sew English Sew-A-Longs (did you know they have a seperate sewalong group […]

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