How to Sew a Classic Shirt Collar

How To Sew a Classic SHIRT COLLAR , Part 1 - HotPatterns Blouse, Continued...

I didn't get as much done on this blouse as I had planned today. But at least it is cut out, and the collar is completed!

Here is the collar, stitched, before turning. The seam allowances are only 1/4". That is because I reduced the pattern's 5/8" allowances to 1/4" before cutting the collar. It saves me time by not having to trim later, and uses less fabric.

This is a close-up of the stitched collar point. You will notice that I do NOT stop and pivot at the corner. I stitch until I am about 1/2" away from the collar point, change my stitch length to 1 (very tiny stitches), then stitch right off the edge. I am a firm believer that if you do not STITCH a point, you will not HAVE a point after the collar is turned and pressed.

Next, the point's seam allowances were trimmed like this:

Then I got to use one of my favorite "tools" to help turn the collar...a Hemostat...or as it's known in my shop, the "Collar Clamp" !

I folded all the seam allowances of the point to one side, and clamped them tightly in the "jaws" of the clamp. One of the jaws is up inside the collar, snugged into the right side of the point. The other jaw holds the seam allowances in place like this:

Since the clamp's jaws "lock" and holds itself together, I just turn the collar right sides out..up and over the jaws of the clamp. After both points of the collar were turned and pressed, I ended up with a nice, neat, sharp collar points...one of which is shown below in close-up.

SEWING NOTES:Under-Collar Interfaced with Pro-Woven Fusible Interfacing.

How to Sew a Classic SHIRT COLLAR, Part 2- HotPatterns Blouse, Continued....

I finally completed some more sewing of this HotPatterns Blouse...despite being on strong medication while I stitched!

Previously I showed you how I construct a collar. Now I will show you how I sew the stand to the collar before attaching the complete "collar unit" to the neck-edge of the blouse. Please note that all collar seam allowances have been trimmed to 1/4" for ease of construction.

Here is one piece of the collar-stand. I have pressed up 1/4" on the straight edge of the stand as shown:

Next, I took an extra step and quickly basted this piece to the "UP-side / right side / Public side" of the collar. This stand piece will be the "inner band" when the blouse is complete.

Then, I made a "collar sandwich"....with the collar stands matched right-sides-together, and the collar between them. I stitched them together using small stitches when sewing the curved edges.

Here is a close-up of one end ofthe stitched collar unitready to be turned and pressed.

After turning and pressing, here is the finished "Collar Unit"....ready to be sewn to the neck-edge of the blouse!

( Interfaced with PRO-WOVEN FUSIBLE INTERFACING from www.FashionSewingSupply.com )

How to Sew a Classic SHIRT COLLAR- Part 3, HotPatterns Blouse, Continued...

Continuing with the construction of this HotPatterns Blouse, it's time to attach the "Collar Unit" to the neck-edge of the garment.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THROUGHOUT THIS SERIES I AM DEMONSTRATING JUST ONE METHOD I UTILIZE TO SEW COLLARS TO SHIRTS. THERE ARE OTHER METHODS, THIS IS BUT ONE OF MANY.....

After gathering the fronts to fit the back shoulder (yoke)...the front, back, and yoke are completed and ready for the collar.

Match the center-back of the raw edge of the collar stand to the center-back of the garment's neck edge. Pin to hold.

Next, Match the center-front edges of the stand and blouse EXACTLY.

Now, begin to stitch them together. Start at the edge and continue to stitch towards the center back, FOR about ONE INCH. Then check to make sure the CF edges are still exactly even. It's much easier to remove one inch of stitching and re-align the edges now, rather than discover they are not even after the entire collar-band is stitched to the neckline!

Repeat on the other CF edge, then stitch the entire stand to the neckline.

Then tuck the seam allowances up and under the folded edge of the collar stand.

Continue to tuck the seam allowances under the folded edge of the collar stand, just barely covering the stitching line. You may find that using a glue-stick is helpful to hold the folded edge in position.

Next at the machine, with the INSIDE of the shirt facing up, begin to edge-stitch the band (collar stand) starting at center back as shown. Then continue to edge-stitch completely around the entire stand, ending where you began.

Now admire how nice your finished collar looks..inside and out!

( Interfaced with PRO-WOVEN FUSIBLE INTERFACING from www.Fashion Sewing Supply.com )

Labels: Collars, HotPatterns, SHIRT Sewing Tutorials

How to Sew a One Piece "Collar Plus Stand"

This shirt has a collar pattern that combines both the collar and stand as one pattern piece.

While I would normally redraft the pattern to separate the stand from the collar, this time I decided to sew it "as is"....since it seems to be making a come-back in many shirt and blouse patterns.

While this "combined" collar rarely rolls nicely and tends not to hold

its shape well...there are some ways to make it work.

Here's how:

First, fuse Pro-Woven Shirt Crisp Fusible Interfacing , cut on the BIAS to the UNDER Collar. Notice that the seam allowances have been

trimmed from the interfacing. Cutting the interfacing on the bias will "encourage" the collar to roll smoothly.

Next, Fuse a strip of Pro-Woven Shirt Crisp Fusible Interfacing , cut on the STRAIGHT grain, to the "false" collar stand area of the UNDER

Collar, as shown below. Fuse it right on top of the first Interfacing.

Now, on the UPPER collar piece...fuse a strip of ProWoven Shirt Crisp Fusible, cut on the STRAIGHT grain to the "false" collar stand

portion of the piece, shown below. ONLY the "stand" is interfaced on the UPPER collar.

When the collar is stitched, the extra strips of  ProWoven Shirt Crisp Fusible Interfacing that were fused to the "false" stands, add extra

body to the area, and act like a "hinge".

This encourages the collar to roll into position as naturally as possible with this kind of "all-in-one" collar plus stand draft.

Labels: Collars, Professional Sewing Supplies, SHIRT Sewing Tutorials