Unlined Ogden Cami - SewNorth - Scrap Buster Hacks

The Ogden Cami is a stash buster in its own right, but making it unlined is an ultimate scrap buster. I made a super cropped unlined Ogden Cami, and if you’ve got some fabric leftover from your last project, give this one a try! You might be surprised at how much you like matching your camis to your pants/skirts. Separates sets are some of my favorite easy grabs from my wardrobe. I used bias binding for the seams of this Ogden Cami instead of the facing/lining in the original instructions. Let’s bust some scraps!

The Details

Pattern is the Ogden Cami by True Bias
I sewed a size 8, and my measurements are 36/29″ bust/waist
Modifications: Shorten! Omit lining! Use bias binding for the neckline and arms.
Use a package of pre-made single fold bias tape or make your own, have fun with contrast.
Fabric is merino tencel PFD from APC Fabrics, gifted
Dipped the cami in dye extracted from avocado pits, full details on the dye process here!

Bodice Construction

Follow the instructions for cutting your pattern pieces, but skip the lining pieces. Shorten as much as you like (or as needed in my case as I had limited yardage). I finished the side seams of the front and back bodice pieces with my serger right away.

I tried turning a strap in this fabric and it was just too fussy. Instead I pressed the raw edges in and folded in half and top stitched closed.

Sew the side seams and press open. Baste the straps in place on both front and back pieces. So you already have a rough cami put together!

Night time lighting, sorry. You can see how the cami is sewn before continuing to the seam finishing steps.

Prepping for Bias Binding

When I first started working through this hack, I thought at this point, “Ok, easy, I’ll just put bias tape around the neck and arm holes.” Then I realized that if I lined my bias tape up right against the raw edge, I’d be giving my garment only 1/4″ seam allowance instead of the 1/2″ per the design. Derp.

So I chose to finish the neckline (front and back) as well as the arm holes with my serger. This helped me in a later step to estimate where that 1/2″ seam allowance line will fall. My serger sews 1/4″ wide.

If you haven’t sewn with bias tape before, I encourage you to practice the method on a couple of scraps before starting on your final garment! In most bias tape methods, you’ll align the raw edge of the seam and the raw edge of the bias tape together, but in our case, we have to align the raw edge of the bias tape 1/4″ away from the edge of the bodice. You have the option to trim off the excess if you like too!

Sewing the Bias Binding – A Photo Tutorial

Follow along with the pictures below:

Fold the strap edges toward the wrong side of the bodice. Pin down.

Open up bias tape and fold a bit of the end, wrong sides together. Pin the folded edge of the bias tape right at the folded edge of the strap, right sides together. The raw edge of the bias tape should run along the inner edge of the overlock stitches. This gives you the needed 1/2″ seam allowance.

unlined Ogden cami prepared for bias binding - neckline — Continue pinning along the neckline. Stop at the other strap. Trim the bias tape at the other end with a bit of excess and fold tape back wrong sides together and pin. Clip a small notch at the V-neck. Sew along the ditch of the bias tape. This should be at the 1/2″ seam allowance line. Complete front and back neckline this way.

unlined Ogden cami prepared for bias binding - arm holes — Repeat the same process along each arm hole, starting at one strap and ending at the other. Remember to fold a bit of your bias tape in at each end and match the folded edge to the folded edge with the strap. Pin and sew.

unlined Ogden cami prepared for bias binding - pinned and ready to sew — Fold bias tape over to the wrong side of the bodice. The bias tape can lay on top of the overlocked stitches, or you can wrap the bias tape around the overlocked edge if it lays flat. I did the former and it’s fine! Pin, press well.

unlined Ogden cami close up of bias binding — At the straps, fold the neckline bias tape down first. Fold the arm hole bias tape down on top. Pin and press really well.

From the right side, sew around the entire top of the bodice, catching the edge of the bias tape underneath. At the overlaps near the straps, put your needle down catching all layers and pivot your work to continue around the whole garment.

Sew a little tack near the strap to secure the overlapped bias tape in place

At this point you can hem your cami and you’re all set! Enjoy!

Bonus Material: Avocado Dip Dye

If you’re interested in how this little cami turned into one of my favorite new garments, check out the following photos of my process dip dyeing this cami (along with a cropped tee) using avocados. It turned out so well! You can read more about everything from mordanting the fabric, to extracting the dye, and finally dip dyeing these tops in my avocado dye blog post here. The results were amazing!

cropped Inari Tee and unlined Ogden cami — Before: Ogden Cami pictured with an Inari Tee, prepared for dip dye.

unlined Ogden Cami clipped and ready for dyeing — Ogden Cami clipped to bamboo skewers, ready to dip!

unlined Ogden cami coming out of the dye pot — Pulling out the Ogden Cami after about 18 hours in the dye pot

dip dyed tops drying on the rack — Hanging to dry, just before a windy disaster…..! 🙁

Drying rack fell over and dye spots stained the top half of the Ogden Cami. Me: “AW EFF!”

unlined Ogden Cami close up — So I dipped the top half up to the stains for about 20 mins and got this pretty ombre effect!

Again, if you’re interested in reading about my full dye process, pop over here. Bookmark it for when you’re ready to give it a try yourself. And let me know if you give this scrap busta-bust unlined Ogden Cami a try too! I’d love to hear how it goes.

9 thoughts on “Unlined Ogden Cami”

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Kristi
July 3, 2019 at 7:41 pm

This is soooooo good and your tutorial is really well done and explains all of the steps perfectly. I eat mountains of avocados and I’m also super excited to try the dye. Thank you!

1. Mia
  July 3, 2019 at 8:57 pm
  
  Thank YOU, Kristi! That means a lot!
  
Sherri
July 4, 2019 at 10:04 am

Don’t you love it when wind disaster results in a wonderfully fantastic design change? Your Ogden is very cute and the bias binding works great!

Patti
July 4, 2019 at 11:20 am

Wow, this is such a great picture tutorial!! Everything is explained so clearly. I’ll definitely be watching for more blogs from you. Thanks!

Carol
July 5, 2019 at 7:36 am

This is such a great idea! I will have to try both. I have always wanted to try dyeing something.

Iris
July 5, 2019 at 11:17 am

Awesome! I was looking for a tutorial like this a couple weeks ago 🙂 Thank you!!

Mathilde
July 16, 2019 at 3:33 am

This set of dyed clothes is amazing ! Great job Mia ! And I didn’t know about the wind disaster, but I htink it was ment to be 😉 I love this !

1. Mia
  July 16, 2019 at 11:48 am
  
  It turned out for the best, as it usual does with the right attitude! 😉 Thank you.