This month (June 2025), I’m featuring the Miri Tank Top with a brand new sewalong. In today's post, I’ll show you how to measure yourself and select a size. Then, I’ll show you how to print the pattern on your home printer, how to assemble the pattern and prepare it for cutting out your fabric. Plus, there are also links to tutorials for common pattern adjustments. Let's get started.
Watch the video above (or on YouTube) for all the details on getting ready to sew the Miri Tank Top pattern. See the time stamps below if you want to skip ahead to different sections.
TIMESTAMPS
00:06 Intro—About the Miri Tank Top pattern
02:13 How to Measure Yourself
04:30 How to Select Your Size
07:01 How to Print the Pattern at Home
12:03 How to Assemble the Tiled Pattern
15:27 Preparing the Pattern
16:14 Common Pattern Adjustments
How to measure and select your size
The Miri pattern is drafted for sizes 0-32 and includes three cup size options for all sizes. You can choose from an A/B cup, C/D cup or E/F cup for a customized fit through the bust. (Read on for more info on the cup sizes.)
To take your measurements, you'll want to use a flexible measuring tape. The two most important measurements for this pattern are the full bust and the upper bust. The upper bust is circumference of your body under the armpits, at the top of the chest. This measurement helps us find the size that best fits the shoulders and back. (Some people prefer to take this measurement with their bra off, and others with their bra on. If you have larger shoulders, I’d start with the larger measurement. If your shoulders are more narrow, go with the smaller measurement.) You can also compare your back measurement to the pattern to see what fits best. Just remember that you want the fabric to be a little larger than your body for comfort.
The full bust is measured around the fullest part of the breasts and will be used to select the cup size.
TIPS FOR TAKING MEASUREMENTS
Wear the undergarments that you’ll wear with the top.
Try to have kind of a neutral breathing position
Try to have the measuring tape be level to the ground.
Don't pull it too tight or let it fall down. Just have it in a really comfortable position.
Miri Tank Top Body Measurement and Finished Measurement charts
When selecting your size, you'll start by finding the size closest to your upper bust measurement (it's ok to round up or down). Then go down that column to find the measurement that most closely matches your full bust (again, it's ok to round up or down). For this pattern, sometimes you will want to round up, sometimes you'll want to round down. Choose the size that is closest to your measurements. The pattern booklet will also take you through the steps of selecting your size, sewing a quick muslin and evaluating the fit.
If you're interested in the technical bit of what exactly an A/B cup is, let me tell you. So, in the world of sewing patterns, the bust cup is determined by the difference between the high bust measurement and the full bust measurement. A 1" difference is an A cup, 2" difference is a B cup, 3" is a C cup, etc. The A/B cup is drafted to be right in between a sewing A-cup and a sewing B-cup–a 1.5" difference between the high bust and full bust. Likewise the C/D cup is drafted for a 3.5” difference and the E/F cup is for a 5.5” inch difference.
This pattern is intended to end at the high hip and has an A-line shape. If you want, you can also measure your high hips and compare that to the Hem Circumference listed in the Finished Measurement chart.
How to print & assemble the pattern AT HOME
This pattern includes multiple types of printing files: a tiled print-at-home file, A0, and US copy shop files. If you are printing at home, I highly recommend using Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat to print the pattern. Abode Reader is a free software program and is designed to handle pdf files. I have had customers and pattern testers recently who used other programs to print and it did not go well.
The pattern files are organized with the cup size in the name. Open the folder that corresponds with your cup size and open the Print At Home file in Adobe Reader. You can turn off the sizes you don’t need to print in the Layers Palette. Then Print Page 1 at 100% scale and measure the test square. If it measures correctly, you’re good to print the remaining pages that you need. (You may not need to print all pages, depending on your size.)
Watch the video above for a step by step tutorial of printing and assembling the pattern. Or check out this blog post.
In the upcoming blog posts, we will be diving into the construction and sewing of the Miri Top. Head over to the Miri Sewalong page for all of the blog posts and tutorials that will help you sew this pattern.
Common pattern adjustments
Because this pattern comes with cup size options, the most common pattern adjustments are to other areas. By the way, pages 5 to 7 in the Miri Instruction booklet talk about how to make a muslin, evaluate the fit and have diagrams for common adjustments.
If you want to move the dart up or down so that it points more directly at the center of the breast, see How to Move a Dart.
If you want to change the slope of the shoulder, see How to Make a Shoulder Slope Adjustment.
If you want to change the length of the top, see How to Adjust Bodice Length.
About the Sew DIY Miri pattern:
The Miri Tank is a wardrobe building basic that will quickly become the shirt you reach for most often. This simple-to-sew top can be worn with skirts, pants or shorts for a variety of everyday outfits, throughout the year.
This A-line shaped tank top is fitted with a bust dart and cropped to end at the high hip. View A features a classic rounded neckline and armholes, while View B sports a V-neck in the front and gently angled armholes and back neck shaping. Both views are finished with an all-in-one facing. When made in a linen or cotton, the tank will maintain its A-line shape while worn. When made in a drapey rayon or Tencel, the shape will hang closer to the body.
This beginner-friendly pattern is drafted for sizes 0-32 and includes three cup size options for all sizes. Choose from A/B cup, C/D cup or E/F cup for a customized fit through the bust.
