Today we’re going to tackle the neckline of our dress. I’ve tried many techniques in the past to finish the necklines on my wrap dresses – facings, which constantly flip out and annoy me, completely lining the top, which can be bulky and uses a lot more fabric, and doing classic bias binding, which is incredibly tricky with a narrow strip of knit fabric (cue many burned fingertips).
However, one day I had a lightbulb moment and realized that the classic t-shirt neck binding might work, and lo and behold it does! So I’m going to take you through this approach – of course, you can also use one of the other methods I’ve described, or the one in your pattern instructions, but this is a good alternative to know either way.
First, take the interfaced neckline strip that you cut out (to recall, it is 1.5 inches wide by the length of your neckline). Fold it in half wrong sides together, and press in half down the length of the strip (remember to “press” up and down and not slide your iron along, which will distort the fabric).
If you had to connect two pieces together to make a long enough neckline band, here’s a little trick for getting the seam to lie nicely: snip the serged seam in half *just* up to the left needle stitching. Then, push the seam allowance one way above the fold and another way below the fold. When you now go to fold the whole neckline band, it lies flat as there are only 2 layers of fabric rather than 3. You can also use this tip any time you need to serge over an already serged seam.
Now, take the band and pin it to the right side of your neckline, with the raw edges matching – i.e. the “open” side of the folded band should line up against the raw edge of the neckline. If you want, you can wonder tape this rather than pinning.
Over to the machine! Serge the band to the dress at a 3/8 seam allowance – which on a serger means that you’re not cutting any fabric off with the knife, you’re just skimming the edge against the knife.
Now, flip the seam allowance to the inside, so that you’re just seeing about 3/8 inch peeking out on the right side.
Press that baby! Not everyone presses knit fabrics while they’re sewing, but I find it gives a more professional finish. Remember to use a press cloth – I haven’t in these pictures, just so you can see what’s going on.
When you press the band over the shoulders it curves around, so press it over a ham to retain the shaping.
And this is what it should look like.
You now have two options: you can either finish the neckline with a coverstitch or twin needle now, or you can do it later – it depends a little on your personal sewing machine set up. For me, I have to convert my serger to a coverstitch which is a bit laborious so I prefer doing all the serging first, then all the coverstitching. Here’s a great little tutorial on how to use a twin needle on your sewing machine.
To finish the neckline, you stitch just outside the band, catching the seam allowance on the underside of the neckline. Not only does it look good, but it stops the neckline flipping out. It’s quite hard to get it perfect… as you can see, mine isn’t! But no-one notices when you’re wearing it… seriously.
What do you think of this neckband finish? I like it because it looks very neat, and it’s easy to do – in fact easier than on a t-shirt, as there’s no stretching involved!
Join me back here tomorrow for setting sleeves in flat!
I’m using the McCalls 6884 mock wrap. I’m a little behind and just cut my fabric last night. It doesn’t call for a neck binding, just to fold the edge over and sew. I’ll use the knit stay tape and a double needle. Should I add a binding or just follow the directions?
It’s really up to you – it’s just a different look
Wait, what? You don’t stretch at all???? Wow! That’s totally different to how i do it. I stretch the beejaysus out of it in some sections… and less in others. I blogged my method here: http://craftingarainbow.wordpress.com/2014/09/08/lazy-tips-for-sewing-knits-anatomy-of-a-faux-wrap-dress/
I wonder if both methods would work on any figure type or pattern style? For example, I’m small busted (well, relatively) so I find a stretched binding really makes the neckline snap into place and never move. Works on my sister too tho, who is shaped more like you… so maybe it’s more a difference of faux vs real wrap dress? You pull it tight when you put it on, but with a faux it has to be snug already. So fascinating to ponder! I’m not questioning your methods at all… I just love seeing how different people make things work!
Yeah I think that may be a real vs faux thing – with a real one it’s the wrapping action that keeps it in place. If you stretched the neckline I think it would go ripply. That said this works for my type of bust – maybe your approach woukd work better for others
Gillian, I do it almost exactly like you do. It is basic geometry. If you want that collar to lay flat the part touching the curve (the raw edge of the band) is going to need to be slightly longer than the outer edge of the band at the fold. With a knit fabric you achieve this extra length by stretching. I also don’t cut my knit bands on the bias, do you? As a point of reference, I am a D cup, and if I sew it like Jenny does it gapes, but I bet bust size does have some impact here, as Jenny is still quite a bit bustier than I.
What can I say, it works for me and always lays flat 🙂 I think probably because the band is very narrow – much narrower than on a t-shirt. As it goes around the back of the neck it definitely has to be curved around to match the bodice neckline, but it doesn’t really involve a lot of stretching just a little bit of easing.
In that way, it’s more akin to using bias binding – you don’t have to aggressively “stretch” bias binding as it goes round corners, you just have to ease it a little.
Interesting discussion! SewPandora, I cut my binding across the grain like you… I’m an f-cup, but it’s all relative to my band size and belly! 😉
Out of curiousity, Jenny, why do you do such a narrow binding? Do you like the look, or do wider bands cause issues?
I’ve tried a few widths and this one seems to look the most RTW!
Gillian I wonder if it’s the bust size… I have to stretch or it gapes, but I have a LOT of problems with necklines gaping anyway – I have a relatively small bust which is very low set, and narrow shoulders, so I stretch to fit
great job with great photos. Thank you!
Was this done only to the bodice area, or all the way down the skirt?
Just to the bodice – stop when you hit the “corner” that turns down towards the skirt.
Do you use interfacing on the neckline strip? You said fold the interfaced neckline strip but I don’t remember this step – just using the stay tape along the bias edge of the two bodice fronts. I don’t typically interface my neckband because of the need for stretch but maybe you are since this is more of an edge finish?
I did interface the neckline strip yes, because in this case it doesn’t have to stretch and it helps manipulate it. However, it depends on your type of knit: if it’s really flimsy, I’d recommend knit interfacing. If it’s sturdier, then no need! Really this is just about making it easy to sew.
This wrapalong is so useful. I almost wrote that I love you, but that’s weird, right? #awkward I mean, I love it…
Great tutorial! I have a tip that might be helpful to some. When sewing a t-shirt neck band, I always pin the band to the inside of the fabric as opposed to the outside. I do this because if you pin it to the outside, it is the body of the t-shirt that is stretching to be the same size as the neck band. Whereas, if you pin the neck band to the inside of the shirt, the band is now stretching to be the same size as the body. For clarity, I still mean that I am attaching right side to right side, just that I am turning the body fabric inside out. I hope that isn’t too confusing. I have found that it can make a great difference in keeping from having wonky neck bands., and it may be helpful in this application as well.
Sounds like a great tip for t-shirts! However for this application you’re not stretching anything so it might be less relevant, but I’ll definitely give it a go next time I make a tshirt
Just to clarify for everyone: this tip would *still* mean you are sewing right side to right side. But instead of pinning and sewing with neck band facing up (as I’m showing), you would be pinning and sewing with the neck band facing down towards the sewing machine.