Let's Fix It: Natural Life Cotton Tunic in a Bag

thefrayednerve
May 16
2 min read

I took a risk on an online purchase from Natural Life -- the Tunic in a Bag. The gimmick of the bag was my first red flag, but I charged forward and dropped about $50 on this shirt. If you are thinking of doing the same, might I suggest spending that $50 on fabric from Itokri and use the Simplicity 3786 pattern.

The sleeves, hem, and seams were finished well. It was the frayed neckline that made me gasp in horror. The deliberate fraying aside, the neckline had visible stay-stitching and uneven, chewed up zigag stitching the whole way around. Why bother with the bag at all and why make this design choice?

Another thing I noticed is that with the exception of the triangle yoke thing and a 2-tier sleeve, this is pretty much the same as the Simplicity 3786 Pattern (Modern one, not the vintage 3786). I make this one every season for my mom and aunt in lightweight cottons. It's an easy sew if you want to give it a go yourself.

Anywho, I set about figuring out how I could get a usable garment out of this Natural Life tunic. The fit was not flattering on me unless I also posed with my hand in one pocket, but I could see how it could work as a summer cardigan if I split it down the middle.

Step-by-Step Alterations

Press a crease down the center front and cut along it being careful to keep a clean edge
Trim the edge to the staystitching to get rid of the fraying
Pick out the pintuck stitches on the front and iron out the fabric
Turn the new raw edge under 1/4" from hem to hem, press and turn under again and pin
Using an invisible slip stitch, hand sew the the edge then press for a crisp finish