Even if you sew a lot, chances are you still spend time and money on purchasing ready-to-wear garments.  Sometimes you come across something really cute, the price is right, and you get the instant gratification of being able to wear it right away.  No one can really blame you, right?  Let's say this shirt becomes your go-to favorite because it fits perfectly.  You wear it all the time and the thought of it becoming worn out and threadbare makes you sad.  If only you can find another top just like this one.

There is a solution!  Do you know you can make your own pattern, using your existing tops and without having to remove stitches and taking the whole thing apart.  In this tutorial, we show you how to create patterns based on simple tops, like t-shirts, tank tops, and tunics.  If you are not experienced with this, it is definitely better to start with something that doesn't have a lot of extra details, so try and avoid things with pleats and darts.

When you finish your pattern, always make a muslin so you can perfect your pattern before using more expensive fabric.  Also, make sure you pay attention to the type of fabric used in your original top and use the same type when duplicating it.  Once it's perfect, there will be nothing stopping you from having a whole closet full of your favorite tops.