Songbird Skirt and Tank Top Pattern

$16.95

A quintessential bohemian set, Songbird is a breezy and easy sew with endless styling possibilities. Don it while writing melancholic lyrics, twirling along the beach to music in your own head, or dancing at a summer music festival.

The skirt features romantic tiers, deep inset pockets, and a comfortable and easy to fit elastic waistband. The tank top has a center front gather for a subtle sweetheart neckline, a built in shelf bra, and easy to customize straps.

This PDF sewing pattern is a 2-in-1 set, available to download immediately after purchase.

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The Songbird Skirt

The Songbird Skirt is a tiered skirt made in woven fabric with three gathered layers and a wide elasticated waistband. Easy fitting, it has plenty of room to move.

The inset pockets add a practical twist.

View A is a classic tiered skirt.
Songbird Skirt View A line drawing
Songbird Skirt View B line drawing
View B adds creative style: horizontal tucks, inset lace, and lace behind the hem that is secured under the edge of a tuck.

 

The Songbird Tank Top

The Songbird Tank Top is made in knit fabric with an internal shelf bra and bound neckline edges. The bound underarm edges extend into straps that are easily customized in length before being attached to the ring at the back. The center front seam supports delicate gathers, emphasizing the V-neckline.

Perfect as a camisole for layering under pinafores or handknit sweaters, or on its own as a summer tank, the Songbird Tank Top has a place in your wardrobe in all seasons.

The Songbird Tank Top comes in hip-length and cropped-length options.
Songbird Tank Top line drawing

The Songbird Skirt and Tank Top pattern is suitable for confident beginner sewists.

Skills used – and explained – include:

  • gathering over elastic
  • self-bound knit edges
  • internal shelf bra construction
  • inset pockets
  • gathered tiers
  • topstitched elastic waistband
  • horizontal tucks
  • inset lace insertion
  • decorative lace application

Songbird Skirt and Tank Top croquis

The Songbird Skirt and Tank Top sewing pattern includes pattern piece PDFs for printing at home or a print shop, in sizes 0-34.

The print-at-home files can be printed on letter- or A4-size paper. The print-shop files can be printed on A0-size paper, easily available at most print shops. The pattern also includes projector files for those who have a sewing projector setup.

This is a PDF sewing pattern, available to download immediately after purchase. (What is a PDF pattern?)

Community Makes

We love seeing your creative interpretations of the Songbird Skirt and Tank TOp. Join in and add your photos to social media using the hashtags #SongbirdSkirt #SongbirdTank #SongbirdSet

Sizing Charts for the Songbird Skirt and Tank Top

Standard height of 5’5” (165 cm), dressmaker’s cup size C.

Inches
Size0246810121416182022242628303234
Bust31323334353637.53940.542.544.546.548.550.552.554.556.558.5
Waist25262728293031.53334.536.538.540.542.544.546.548.550.552.5
Hip33.534.535.536.537.538.54041.543454749515355575961
Centimeters
Size0246810121416182022242628303234
Bust7981848689919498102107112117122127132137142147
Waist6466697174778184879398103108113118123128133
Hip858890939598102106109114120125130135140145150155

In our photos, Meg is 5’3″ with a 35″ bust, 28″ waist, and 37″ hips. She wears a size 4 top (shortened by 3/4″) and size 6 skirt.

Ashley is 5’10” with a 49.5″ bust, 45″ waist, and 57″ hips. She wears a size 28 top and skirt.

Meredith is 5’4″ with a 34″ bust,  27″ waist, and 35″ hips. She wears a size 2 top and a size 4 skirt.

Fabric for the Songbird Skirt

For the Skirt, choose a light- to medium-weight woven fabric with no stretch. Softer fabrics will fall more gently, and more stable fabrics like linen and cotton will emphasize the gathers and A-line shape. Sandwashed linen or cotton, poplin, voile, chambray, viscose-linen slub, challis, or silk noil are good choices. 

For View B, choose a stable fabric to make sewing the tucks and lace insets easier.

Suggested weight range: 4 oz to 6 oz (135 to 240 GSM).

If you are using a 54″ (147 cm)-wide woven fabric:

Sizes 0-12Sizes 14-24Sizes 26-34
View A3 yd (2.75 m)3.8 yd (3.5 m)4 yd (3.7 m)
View B3.5 yd (3.1 m)4.3 yd (4 m)4.5 yd (4.2 m)

If you are using a 45″ (114 cm)-wide woven fabric:

Sizes 0-12Sizes 14-24Sizes 26-34
View A3.2 yd (3 m)3.8 yd (3.5 m)4 yd (3.7 m)
View B4.25 yd (4 m)4.25 yd (4 m)4.6 yd (4.3 m)

Fabric for the Songbird Top

For the Tank Top, cotton jersey spandex or other mid-weight knit fabric with at least 40% stretch and good recovery. Rib knits are not recommended.

For a flowier top with less support: Knit fabric with rayon or bamboo content, in addition to spandex.

Suggested weight range: 5.8 oz to 8.9 oz (198 to 300 GSM).

For the Top, choose a 58″ (147 cm)-wide knit fabric with the following yardage:

Sizes 0-24Sizes 26-34
Tank Length1.4 yd (1.3 m)2.6 yd (2.3 m)
Crop Length1.2 yd (1.1 m)2 yd (1.9 m)

Other Notions

Top Notions

  • Two 1/2″ (1.3 cm) lingerie rings or slider rings
  • 5″ (13 cm) of 3/8″ (1 cm)-wide clear elastic (not woven or knitted)
  • 1″ (2.5 cm)-wide elastic:
    • Sizes 0–16: 1 yd (0.9 m)
    • Sizes 18-34: 1-1/2 yds (1.4 m)

Skirt Notions

  • 1/4 yd (0.25 m) lightweight fusible interfacing. Alternatively: 1 yd (1 m) of 1″ (2.5 cm)-wide fusible interfacing tape.
  • 2″ (5 cm)-wide elastic. Preferably Dritz Soft Waistband Elastic.
    • Sizes 0–16: 1 yd (0.9 m)
    • Sizes 18-34: 1-1/2 yds (1.4 m)

In addition, for View B:

  • Straight-edged lace for inset
  • Scalloped edge lace for hem
  • Additional decorative lace
    • Sizes 0-14: 3 yds of each
    • Sizes 16-26: 3.5 yds of each
    • Sizes 28-34: 4 yds of each

Here are the Finished Garment Measurements. See the instructions for thorough fitting advice, as well as our detailed Songbird Skirt and Tank Top fitting blog post.

Finished Measurements for the Songbird Skirt and Tank Top

* The Top (Tank/Crop) Lengths are a vertical measurement of the side seam from the underarm to the hem.

** The Skirt Waist is measured fully extended. (It is the same as the bottom circumference of the Skirt’s top tier, in the full hip area.)

*** The Skirt Length is a straight, vertical measurement from the top of the waistband to the hem.

Inches
Size0246810121416182022242628303234
Bust27 1⁄228 1⁄229 1⁄230 1⁄231 1⁄232 1⁄23435 1⁄237394143454749515355
Tank Waist25 1⁄226 1⁄227 1⁄228 1⁄229 1⁄230 1⁄23233 1⁄235373941434547495153
Crop Waist26 1⁄227 1⁄428 1⁄429 1⁄430 1⁄431 1⁄432 3⁄434 1⁄435 3⁄437 3⁄439 3⁄442444648505254
Tank Hem33343536373839 1⁄24142 1⁄244 1⁄246 1⁄248 1⁄250 1⁄252 1⁄254 1⁄256 1⁄258 1⁄260 1⁄2
Crop Hem26272829303132 1⁄23435 1⁄237 1⁄239 1⁄241 1⁄243 1⁄245 1⁄247 1⁄249 1⁄251 1⁄253 1⁄2
Tank Length*12 3⁄812 1⁄212 5⁄812 3⁄412 7⁄81313 1⁄813 1⁄413 3⁄813 3⁄813 1⁄213 3⁄413 7⁄81414 1⁄814 1⁄414 3⁄814 1⁄2
Crop Length*6 7⁄877 1⁄87 1⁄47 3⁄87 1⁄27 5⁄87 3⁄47 7⁄888 1⁄88 1⁄48 3⁄88 1⁄28 5⁄88 3⁄48 7⁄89
Skirt Waist**42434445464748 1⁄25051 1⁄253 1⁄255 1⁄257 1⁄259 1⁄261 1⁄263 1⁄265 1⁄267 1⁄269 1⁄2
Skirt Length***34 3⁄8
Centimeters
Size0246810121416182022242628303234
Bust7072.57577.58082.586.5909499104109114.5119.5124.5129.5134.5139.5
Tank Waist6567.57072.57577.581.585899499104109114.5119.5124.5129.5134.5
Crop Waist67.5697274.57779.583879196101106.5112117122127132137
Tank Hem8486.58991.59496.5100.5104108113118123128.5133.5138.5143.5148.5153.5
Crop Hem6668.57173.57678.582.586.59095.5100.5105.5110.5115.5120.5125.5131136
Tank Length*31.5323232.5333333.533.53434.534.5353535.5363636.537
Crop Length*17.5181818.518.51919.519.5202020.5212121.521.52222.522.5
Skirt Waist**106.5109112114.5117119.5123127131136141146151156161.5166.5171.5176.5
Skirt Length***87.5

Songbird Skirt and Tank Top Resources

Head over to the Sew Liberated blog for fabric inspiration and fitting help before you get started making your set.

We also have so many fun hacks for the Songbird set!

Our friends at EWE Fine Fibers have collections for the Songbird Skirt and Songbird Tank Top. They also have all of the notions you need and can print your pattern!

Fabric Type

Knit, Woven

Format

PDF

Size Range

0-20, 0-24, 26-34

Skill Level

Beginner, Confident Beginner

Garment Type

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