Tank Top Sewing Patterns to Print and Produce

The tank top uses little fabric and sells on the print, so the pattern has to leave a clean front and an armhole that does not gape. The catalog includes basic tank tops, oversized with a wide armhole, athletic with a cross-back or racerback, yoke, ribbed, cropped, hooded and mesh styles, for women, men and kids, in the industrial adult and kids' size ranges.

The Modeltex catalog has 40 tank top sewing patterns (29 for women, 7 for men, 3 for girls, 1 for unisex kids), all approved with a sewn sample and with the size range available on each product page; the most affordable PDF starts at US$23 with the standard size selection.

Tank top styles: basic, athletic and oversized

The basic cotton tank top with a crew neckline is the base of gym and summer wear. The oversized one with a wide armhole and the athletic one with a racerback or cross-back sell on the silhouette. The yoke and the ribbed styles open up the women's line. There are also mesh tank tops with a side opening, hooded ones and a leather one with side lacing. Men's and girls' styles are available too.

Armhole and neckline: what defines the tank top

On a sleeveless tank top, the armhole and the neckline are the edge of the garment, and that is why they concentrate the errors: an open armhole stands away from the body and one that is too closed rubs under the arm. They are finished with self-fabric binding, bias tape or trim, and sewn with a little tension so the edge hugs the body.

When grading, the armhole and neckline do not grow in direct proportion to the size; the armhole and neckline grading rules guide explains how it is solved. On a racerback, also check the shoulder width.

Tank top fabrics and printing

For the tank top, light cotton jersey and ribbing are the summer classics, cotton with spandex gives recovery, and polyester or mesh are kept for training. Because consumption is low, the cost is concentrated in the print: decide on the technique before cutting, either screen printing on the cut piece or all-over sublimation on light polyester. The knit rests before cutting and is not cut under tension, just as with the t-shirt.

Common fabrics for tank tops: cotton jersey, cotton with spandex, ribbing, rib knit, athletic polyester, mesh.

Available tank top sewing patterns

Tank top sewing patterns by category

Frequently asked questions about tank top sewing patterns

Which tank top pattern works for the gym?

The athletic tank top with a racerback or cross-back and the one with a wide armhole are the most used for training, because they leave the shoulders free. They are cut in athletic polyester or mesh and tested with wide movements before production. There are men's and women's versions, and the pattern page lists sizes and fabrics.

How do you finish the armhole of a tank top?

With self-fabric binding, bias tape, trim or ribbing, sewn with slight tension so the edge hugs the body without opening up. On knits, reinforcement tape is added at the shoulder. It is a quality checkpoint on the sample, because an armhole that opens up cannot be fixed after cutting.

Are there oversized and cropped tank top patterns?

Yes. There are oversized tank tops with a wide armhole, oversized with a print and with side openings, as well as crop and short sleeveless styles. On oversized styles, the wide armhole and the length change where the front print sits, and it pays to fix that area on the sample. Each pattern page lists the size range.

Guides for producing tank tops

Related garments

See all garments, the full catalog (more than 2,000 sewing patterns), the PDF A4, plotter and DXF/AAMA formats, or request custom patternmaking.