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Collar Tricks

1/9/2014

 
Well, I'm sewing again, and it feels really good. It's been quite awhile, and it's nice to be making something again. The Alice dresses have little white collars, and I thought I'd share my new-fangled technique for making collars easier. In the past I've always had such trouble getting the two separate collar pieces to line up nicely at the neckline in front. Perfection was rare. So when I made Bonnie's purple dress last month, I redesigned the collar pattern so it was just one piece. It worked much better, and so now I'm doing it again with a larger dress.

First I took an individual collar pattern piece and traced it onto some white paper. Then flipped it over and traced the the mirror image leaving a little space between. I like to use my patterns as templates, tracing around them, but in order to hold both sides of the collar together, I had to add the neckline seam allowance.
Picture
I then traced the pattern onto a double layer of fabric, cut it out adding the seam allowance everywhere but at the neck.  Then stitched along the tracing line, making sure to have at least one or two stitches at the top of the indent between the two halves. FrayCheck the tight turn. Clip curves
Picture
Turn right side out and baste edges. Press.
Picture
Baste collar between bodice fabric and lining, and stitch.
Machine stitch, then clip neckline and turn right side out. 
Picture
This technique works really well for a simple unadorned collar, although I think there's still room enough here to add a picot beaded edge. If you wanted a lace-edged collar, the pattern would have to be drawn so there was more space between the two sides.
Jane
1/9/2014 07:57:23 pm

Oh thank you so much for this.
I made a collar for the first time using your wonderful Christmas dress tutorial (thank you so much for that, I learned so much) and I struggled with placing the collar. I thought it was just my inexperience.

This looks a brilliant idea......thank you so much!

And great to hear and see you are back to sewing again!

Martha
1/9/2014 11:35:45 pm

It's definitely not "inexperience". Collars are one of my least favourite parts of making doll clothes, and I always had trouble getting them to turn out correctly. I think I will add this tip to my Tutorials page so it's easy to find.

Inma
1/10/2014 02:17:10 am

I agree, it is a good trick, thank you for sharing it !

Hilarie
1/11/2014 08:44:48 am

Have you thought about using a freezer paper template for the collar? It's a method we've used for cloth dolls for quite a long time. You cut out your template in freezer paper without the seam allowances, iron it to you doubled fabric (low heat), stitch round your template using a small stitch and cut it out - then you can just peel off the freezer paper.

Martha
1/11/2014 08:51:13 am

I forgot about that technique. I used to do that when making cloth dolls. It was especially good for face templates and hands. I even have a roll of freezer paper. Thanks for the reminder - I'll try that next time.

Hilarie
1/12/2014 12:28:22 am

Another trick I use is to cut out the fabric afterwards using pinking shears (I usually fray check on the stitching line of any small pieces first). This saves having to snip the edges and is very good on tight curves.


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    Author

    Martha Boers is an award-winning Canadian doll maker and costumer specializing in fantasy and historical-style costumes.
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