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From: niko20
Date: 03-29-2005, 12:21 AM (1 of 14)
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Hi, I'm still working on my first shirt project (I'm a guy - working on a collared button down shirt). I have the yoke done and topstiched and ready to do the collar band, etc. Also have the collar itself ready. So I'm reading this (also reading the pattern instructions too): http://www.sew-whats-new.com/sewinglessons/shirt/lesson-5.shtml and just using that as another point of reference besides the pattern instructions. Anyway, here are my questions The first step is to press under a 5/8 fold on one of the collar bands. But is this right side up or down?... http://webpages.charter.net/nikolatesla20/sew/collar1.jpg then, it goes on to say to make a "sandwich" basically: You will now have three layers, first the outer collar band with right side up, then the collar also right side facing you, then the inner collar with the wrong side facing you. It should look like the following diagram. The bottom collar band will extend 5/8" beyond the inner collar band. so I'm just wondering again in this case, is the pressed edge going to be on top, or underneath? I think it's on top but I'm not sure. http://webpages.charter.net/nikolatesla20/sew/collar3.jpg The only reason I'm trying to use these directions is I think it will be easier to sew the collar pieces together flat like this, and then to the shirt. When I follow the directions that came with the pattern, I pinned the outer collar band in place first and then sewed it on, but it's hard to sew around a neckline it seems! It's like a circle , and a curve, at the same time. So I had fabric bunching up a bit, and if I smoothed it, it eventually pressed all towards me, making the collar band uneven by the time I got to the end (perhaps I should directionally sew, starting in the center and going out to each side one at a time?) Any help is greatly appreciated  -niko20 |
User: niko20
Member since: 03-23-2005 Total posts: 19 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 03-29-2005, 07:15 AM (2 of 14)
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First apply your interfacing then press 5/8 to the inside on one band and trim it. This will eventually be hand stitched over your seam allowance. Next put the band right sides together with the finished collar sandwiched between and sew around the curved edge, leaving the bottom open. Now you sew the band -- not the turned up side -- to the neckline. Here's a tip. If the curve of the neckline is giving you trouble put in a row of short stitches about 1/2 from the edge around the neckline (if your fabric was unstable you would have done this "stay stitching" anyway to keep it from stretching). Now very carefully clip to, but not through, the row of stitches and you can straighten the curve a bit while you are sewing. Hand -- or very carefully machine stitch in the ditch on the right side -- the folded edge over your graded seam allowance and you are done. In a nutshell -- when you fold the 5/8 inch, it is folded to the wrong side. And when you sandwich the collar the folded edge will be up since the right sides are together. Take it slow when you attach the band to the shirt and you'll get it. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: niko20
Date: 03-29-2005, 08:03 AM (3 of 14)
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Thanks DorothyL, yes, I staystiched the neckline and the instructions then also did say clip to the staystich but I wasn't sure what the meant Thank you. -niko |
User: niko20
Member since: 03-23-2005 Total posts: 19 |
From: Sheri
Date: 03-29-2005, 10:27 AM (4 of 14)
| Niko, if you're planning on making more shirts, I'd recommend you buy "Shirtmaking" by David Page Coffin. He'll walk you through every step for making a quality shirt. His book is awesome. |
User: Sheri
Member since: 12-04-2000 Total posts: 126 
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From: wp88
Date: 03-29-2005, 02:47 PM (5 of 14)
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Being a man I too have had trouble following the patterns,The shirt product on this site was far better and easier to follow than the pattern instructions, I wish they would make the diagrams easier to see. The book shirtkmaking by Davis Coffin is excellent and worth buying although it helps as you complete your projects. I would also like to know is there an easy way when sewing in the sleeves to keep the seam allowance without getting the wrong bits caught up and have to un-pick. Its probably me not being careful enough but as I sew to the top from both ends I do get problems. |
User: wp88
Member since: 03-28-2005 Total posts: 35 |
From: niko20
Date: 03-29-2005, 03:20 PM (6 of 14)
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Well, I didn't find ShirtMaking at the bookstore, but I did find books like "High fasion sewing secrets" and other nice books. One thing I notices in those books was when they showed attaching a collar with a band, the shirt was laid out right side up, with the sleeve holes folded inward, and the top of the shirt where the collar goes was pretty much straight across! Mine does not do that when I lay it down hehe.... So maybe I need to clip curves so it can lay flat? The "neckhole" looks right, and it even fits on me correctly if I lay the partially made shirt over me, but if I try to lay it out "flat" for collar attachment, I get fabric folds because the neck lines curve (they make a circle if laying out on the floor flat). So otherwise I'm not sure how they got the neckline so straight when laying out the collar to stitch it. I remember now the pattern too shows the shirt laying that way. Maybe clipping to the staystich does fix that problem..so I'm trying to picture in my head how to get this circle to flatten out so I can attach that collar ! (Then flip the collar over, sew in the ditch, etc, etc, and then move on to sleeeeeeevvvvess yaya!)-niko |
User: niko20
Member since: 03-23-2005 Total posts: 19 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 03-29-2005, 04:16 PM (7 of 14)
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Clipping to the stay stitching helps but doesn't solve the problem. You are not going to turn the round edge to a straight edge -- you will have to just do it. It's not as hard as it looks. Maybe you should try hand basting it first. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: niko20
Date: 03-29-2005, 04:50 PM (8 of 14)
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Thanks for the advice Yep, I gotta just get brave and do it. Actually I already sewed it once but had to seam rip it out because it got off alignment. I'll try again with all the advice you gave me DorothyL. Thanks again. I did already make a tie that came out pretty good I also had to bite the bullet and just do it on that project too since I wasn't sure what the pattern instructions were saying when they wanted me to sew the entire seam of the tie (professional ties are only slip-stiched...). But it worked out fine.-niko |
User: niko20
Member since: 03-23-2005 Total posts: 19 |
From: Sheri
Date: 03-30-2005, 10:12 AM (9 of 14)
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Well, I didn't find ShirtMaking at the bookstore, but I did find books like "High fasion sewing secrets" and other nice books. -niko I couldn't find it at the bookstore either, but I asked them to order it for me and they did. You can also find it on Amazon. Clipping to the staystitching is absolutely necessary, but no, it doesn't make it lay flat. Nothing does. So bite the bullet and go for it! |
User: Sheri
Member since: 12-04-2000 Total posts: 126
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From: niko20
Date: 03-30-2005, 11:20 AM (10 of 14)
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Hi guys, I clipped to the staystich and it helped a LOT. I actually was able to get it almost perfectly straight. I was then able to get the collar sewed on (after I had sewed the collar pieced all together). Then I folded the collar over (turned the collar band right side out) and it even fit well on the ends (plackets?) where the buttons go pretty well. Now I just have to sew that inside seam down, and then topstitch it all around. I partially attached it and tried it on, it looks like it's going to work out just fine at least for my first shirt project ever ! The collar actually folds and looks ok but of course I think it may be a little off - but it's my first one ever so hey! There's a couple small problem areas but I should be able to fix them up. For example, on part of the collar if I pull on the collar band seam it reveals the staystich that I put on the collar's edge before sewing (the edge that goes in the collar band sandwich) but I can seam rip that out now or topstiching should hold it together so the collar band seam stays in place so it doesn't show up anyway. Thank you very much for the advice and the book recommendations - I always learn best by reading and seeing pictures (most probably do as well). -niko |
User: niko20
Member since: 03-23-2005 Total posts: 19 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 03-30-2005, 01:46 PM (11 of 14)
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I knew you cpould do it. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: niko20
Date: 04-01-2005, 10:44 AM (12 of 14)
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Yay I got the collar on ( I had to clean up a few stiches though ) And last night, I got the sleeves attached, and trimmed, and the edges overlocked and pressed out ! "Flat construction" my butt for the sleeves... I still had to kinda wrap the shirt around a curve to pin the sleeve on. I just used lots of pins, and then used the free arm of the sewing machine so I could sew the sleeve on around a slight curve so I didnt get puckers. The seams came out great. Now I just have to hem the sleeves, sew up the side seams and then I can try it on (I've tried it on before too but I can't tell until the sleeves are shut), and then if it's ok trim and press those seams (and overlock to prevent fraying). Then hem the bottom and add buttons. Took me like a day and a half to get brave enough to try the sleeves, since I didn't understand...had to rip the seam out of the first try...but finally found a method. Hehe this shirt is going to take me 2 weeks to finish since it's my first one. Looking forward to knowing how its done though so next time it will go much faster. (At least if I use a collar with a band. Collar with facing would slow me down again until I figure it out). -niko |
User: niko20
Member since: 03-23-2005 Total posts: 19 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 04-01-2005, 11:29 AM (13 of 14)
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I think it's easier without the band. One less piece to get right (or wrong). Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 04-04-2005, 12:49 PM (14 of 14)
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Right, Dorothy, The most difficult collar application was learned first, so the other one will be easy to learn... He definitely did the hardest one first..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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