March 6, 2017

Another Concord tunic: the bread & butter of sewing


Is there anything more comfortable than a ponte tunic? Methinks not.

I recently found this amazing doubleknit at Emma One Sock (get it here!), which is black with tiny little dots on one side, and stripes on the other. EOS consistently has the best quality ponte out there, and this one’s no exception. My first project with it was another pair of True Bias Hudson pants and they’re… interesting (check out my Curvy Sewing Collective review!).

After that blip I decided to go safe, with something reliable I’ll wear all the time: yet another tunic. And hence, here we have another Concord T-Shirt tunic hack.

Concord Tunic

Much like my last stripy version, I went up a size, and drafted a facing for the neckline. I also topstitched this one, though I did it in black this time so it’s a less dramatic look.

Concord Tunic

Looking at these photos I probably could have gone up another size (the folds under my armpits indicate my bust needs a bit more room), but it’s as comfortable as all get out, so I’m not complaining.

Concord Tunic

I have come to the conclusion that all sewing pattern designers inevitably slide towards tunics and leggings at some point. Is it the comfort? The ease? The lack of having to think about your outfit? I’m not sure, but I’m firmly in team #tunicandleggings these days.

Throw on a handmade trenchcoat, and you’re all set!

Have you tried turning the Concord into a tunic or dress? I’d love to see your photos! Lengthening a pattern is one of the simplest hacks you can do as a beginner, and I highly recommend it for feeling like a total genius.

10 thoughts on “Another Concord tunic: the bread & butter of sewing

  1. Laura Casey says:

    Oh this is so good! Love the subtle dot….and how you fashioned the outfit, perfect necklace, shoes….just make yourself a red trench…..I also elongated a couple of top patterns (Katheryn Tilton patterns) added slanted pockets and they are my favorite wintertime outfits….usually wear slim slacks, but think I’ll try the leggings!
    Great Make-

  2. PsychicSewerKathleen says:

    My uniform! Leggings and tunics 🙂 I tried making a dress (the ’40’s HouseDress from Decades of Style) and it looked so awful I immediately chopped it down to tunic length (which I normally end up doing). I’m thinking about taking the Washington and switching the lengths around…lengthening the bodice a lot so the waist is lowered to my hips and great shortening the skirt so it ends up being sort of ’20’s tunic 🙂 I’ll let you know how that works out 🙂

  3. tg33 says:

    This looks great on you! Did you ever do a tutorial on how to draft and sewing a faced neckline instead of a knit binding?

  4. Pauline Wright says:

    Interested to hear you say that you think you need to go up a size. I think it fits well on the shoulders. I would normally say go up a cup size, but I suspect you are on the biggest of the three already.

    I love tunic (Deer and Doe Plantain lenthened) , leggings cardi/gilet as my winter wardrobe. Boots and hand knitted socks. Sleeveless tunic ( Concord favourite at the moment) for the summer with sandals.

    1. It’s a little tight everywhere to be honest, so if I used this again, I’d probably just go up a size generally.

  5. Annie says:

    Did you go up a size because you were making it tunic style or because you made it out of ponte? This is a fantastic idea and I am definitely going to cut a concord tunic today! (I say as I sit here in leggings and a concord tshirt of normal length)

    1. I sized up because of the ponte – it has less stretch than the pattern recommends.

  6. gfsewamy says:

    Do you go up a full size, meaning 18GH to 20GH or 18GH to 20 CD?

    1. I mean a full size, so 18 G/H to 20 G/H

  7. Thandi Welman-Hawkes says:

    I think this hack is dying for some pockets! Cannot wait to get some fabric for this. It’s so hard getting decent tunics where I live, never mind ones NOT in awful granny prints.

Let me know what you think!