You may not have heard of this rarely seen top…it’s called the Ogden cami from True Bias. Yes. That one that every single person who sews has sewn. It’s just so good.
For very good reason, the Ogden hangs inside the wardrobe of every seamstress, and I thought I’d share a simple little hack to make your own button-up version.
Start off with tracing the front piece exactly as it is but leave some space at the centre front (to the right where the straight edge is). Also trace the front lining, but leave space to the right and plenty of space below it:
Add 3.5cm to the centre front; this will create 2.5cm for the overlap and a 1cm seam allowance:
Continue the natural curve of the neckline but square off the last 1cm for the seam allowance. Extend the bottom hem in the same way:
Roughly cut around the front piece and lay it underneath the lining piece. Match them up as closely as you can, then trace the extension you just added to the front piece – this will form the facing for the buttons and buttonholes. On the inner edge, make this facing piece slightly wider than the original centre front, around 1-1.5cm, then draw in a soft curve to match the original pattern piece and the extension you’ve just created:
Cut the back pieces as per the instructions and cut two each of the front pieces and the front facings you just traced. Follow the instructions given, joining the side seams of the facing and the main pieces and you’ll end up with pieces like this:
Add a strip of interfacing where your buttons and buttonholes will go, then stitch round as per the instructions (don’t forget to leave an opening to insert the straps at the back):
Clip the facing as the instructions describe, then turn it all to the inside and give a good press. Add your buttonholes and hem; I like to hem as shown here to give a nice neat finish:
Add your buttons and here you have a button-up cami!
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