How to Make (and add) a Basic Collar

This week, I show you how to spruce up a tee by adding a basic, Peter-Pan style collar. I'm going to use the Liberty Jane Trendy Tee pattern (download it for FREE here!) but you could easily adapt this technique for use on any garment with a round neckline. Tanks, dresses, jumpers...the options are endless :)

GIVEAWAY UPDATE: We have a winner! It's Susan, who said, "I love Tink! When we went to Disney, we met Tink and all her other fairy friends." How fun, Susan! Tink is pretty awesome :) We'll be in touch via email soon. Thanks everybody for entering!

Grab your pattern pieces and some blank paper. The first step is just to trace around the top part of your front bodice piece.

Next, mark off the seam allowance along the shoulder and necklines. (This is usually 1/4" - but it should be marked on your pattern. Basically, this second line marks whre you are going to eventually sew.)

Draw a nice collar shape from the front neckline, up to the shoulder. 

Add seam allowance to the collar design line. (Which just means, draw another line 1/4" outside the one you just drew.)

Cut out your collar pieces! You'll need four in all. (Also, I like to label my pattern pieces once I'm all done, just for easy reference.) 

Don't forget to cut out the rest of the pieces you'll need for the project....

Start sewing your tee together, but stop right after you finish the neckline.

Now, put your collar together!

Sew two collar pieces together along the long, curved edge, and then pivot to sew up the shoulder edge. (Be sure you have them right sides together.) You should have two little collars. 

Clip the corners and curves, and turn them right side out. Give both new little collars a good press.

Press under 1/4" along the neckline edge of both pieces. 

Next, carefully pin the collars to the tee. Use the foldline you just pressed, as a guide to lining the collars up. Sew the collars down. I did two passes -- one with a straight stitch, the other with a zig-zag (to catch the raw edges of the collar on the inside). Both lines of stitching should hide under the collars, when you fold them down.

(Here's a back view of the zig-zagging so you can see what I'm talking about....)

Then, finish putting the tee together.

Congratulations! You've just made a little Peter Pan collar!

Thanks everybody, and have fun with this!

For Pixie Faire,

Melinda

 


18 Comments

Nancy
Nancy

June 05, 2015

With twin grandsons who are almost 3, of course my favorite character is now the crocodile! Sorry, Tinkerbell. But I’ll always hold onto the memory of when you were the favorite.

PS thank you for the excellent collar pattern!

Carol S
Carol S

June 05, 2015

My favorite character in Peter Pan is Tinker Bell. Thanks for the tutorial and an awesone giveaway!

Marian
Marian

June 05, 2015

My favorite Peter Pan (in fact my favorite Disney) character is as many others, Tinkerbell. As a teenager many of my friends called me TINK because I “flitted around” like her. Now I take that ADHD energy and put it to good use making things for 18 inch dolls.

Barbara
Barbara

June 05, 2015

Thank you for this darling tutorial. I am becoming a more confident seamstress through your patterns and tutorials. My favorite character in Peter Pan is Tinkerbell. I just love her spirit!

Karen brandon
Karen brandon

June 05, 2015

tinkerbell!

Kathy
Kathy

June 05, 2015

Tinkerbell

Diana
Diana

June 05, 2015

Thank you for the step by step tutorial. Do you have this in pdf version for printing?
BTW: my favorite Peter Pan character is Wendy…she has always reminded me of me!

Liz Webster
Liz Webster

June 05, 2015

Nana and Tinkerbell for me!

Linda P
Linda P

June 05, 2015

Wendy is my favourite!

Hanna Q
Hanna Q

June 05, 2015

My favorite character in Peter Pan was Nana the dog. I always felt bad for her when the kids went off to Neverland she wanted to go to, but she couldn’t. And I also love dogs. : )

Lea Ann R
Lea Ann R

June 04, 2015

Thanks SO much for this tutorial! My favorite character in Peter Pan is definitely Tinkerbell!

Sophie T
Sophie T

June 04, 2015

This is a great tutorial! Thanks!

My favorite character in Peter Pan has always been Wendy!

Nina
Nina

June 04, 2015

I was never a big fan of the book or movie, but I have to say that Peter Pan himself was my favorite. I definitely understand his attitude towards growing up.

Kaitlyn L
Kaitlyn L

June 04, 2015

My favorite character in Peter Pan is either Smee or Tinker Bell. Smee is so funny, and Tinker Bell is just full of attitude!

Amelia
Amelia

June 03, 2015

My favorite character in Peter Pan is Wendy! Mainly because I love her Disney nightgown…

Tracey
Tracey

June 03, 2015

My favorite character in Peter Pan is Wendy. She loved her fantasy world, even though she eventually realized that she did want to grow up.

Lesley from NE
Lesley from NE

June 03, 2015

Tinkerbell definitely!!!!!

Laura T
Laura T

June 03, 2015

My favorite character in Peter Pan is Tinkerbell! When I was a kid I just thought she was just so cute and magical. Now as an adult I see how naughty and tricky she really is! :)

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