Hello, Sabra from Sew a Straight Line here to share a warm-weather staple, the Blank Tank.
The Blank Tank ranges in size from 18 months to 8 years. I’ve sewn up a couple at either end of that spectrum: an 18 month for my tiny two year old and an 8 for her older brother. The pattern is so quick to sew, that I actually made a whole stack of Blank Tanks for all my kids, and they’ve been wearing them all summer long. But today, I’m just showing you these two.
Like I said, this is a super-quick sew. If you are new to knits or just want a near-instant gratification project, the Blank Tank is the way to go.
Sticking to pattern, the neck- and arm holes of the Blank Tank are turned under and top stitched. There is an excellent tip on how to do this for fabulous results. I’ve even been using the technique on other sewing projects since learning it from this pattern! And this turning and top stitching makes finishing the tank a breeze. Seriously, this is a nap-time sew, even if your kid takes short naps.
Like all Blank Slate patterns, the Blank Tank is super easy to customize and add your own spin. For Ivy’s, I wanted a dress, so I simply extended the length of the tank at the center, bringing the hemline down to her knees. In a fun, summer-print knit, this tank dress is super comfortable and makes dressing and diaper changes a breeze. I totally just rhymed those last two sentences. Did you notice? Anyway, it’s adorable and easy to do. Using thinner knits or terry, you could whip up a quick swimsuit cover. A lengthened Blank Tank would also make a sweet night gown, or sewn in tricot, a simple dress-slip.
So many options from one simple pattern!
I added a little something extra to Seth’s Blank Tank. The pocket is included in the pattern, and is a fun way to add a pop of color or some fun fabric to your Blank Tank. You could even use a woven for the pocket, perfect for using up scraps.
For more color, and to give it a slightly different look, I finished the neck- and armholes of this one with binding. I didn’t trim the seam allowances to add the binding, so the finished tank looks more like a muscle tank, my boys’ favorite. If you wanted a more traditional tank look, just trim around the neck and arms before sewing the binding, which would lower the neckline and open the arms up a bit more like the originally pattern has things.
I love the length of the Blank Tank. It hits at the hips, so allows for lots of growing room, and has a comfortable, modern fit.
This tank just looks cool!
Both kids’ main fabrics were purchased from Girl Charlee, and the contrasting neon knit is from Michael Levine.
Grab the Blank Tank and sew up a bunch of warm-weather tanks, swim suit cover ups or nightgowns. Then use it again and again all year long for undershirts and pretty slips. Perfect for boys and girls and so easy to customize, this is definitely a staple pattern for your stash. Get it HERE
