Sew Easy #14, How To Make A Shawl Collar

the shawl collar is a popular one and fun to  make there are different types of shawl collars but basically it's one in which the upper  collar and the facing are cut as one piece and then seamed at the center back on this one the  under collar is cut as part of the blouse front and it also is stitched together at the back of  the collar it is not difficult to make just like any other construction you'll find it easy  if you follow the instructions step by step however there's one particular point  i'd like to call your attention to right here where the collar  section joins the shoulder seam be sure be doubly sure that you  have marked this corner accurately and then that you have reinforced that  corner with a row of small stitches these units have all been completed except for  those things that have direct bearing on the collar and you'll notice this dart has been  stitched and pressed to the center without trimming it off and that is cotton construction  if your pattern instructions should suggest that you trim this dart off and press it open that's  for garments made of heavier fabric they'll be dry cleaned this other dart does play a part in  shaping the collar so i've left one to make now and here's how it will look when it's finished my pattern tells me to crease along this line and then i'll need to turn to my direction sheet  to find out how to stitch it and it tells me to stitch it an eighth of an inch from the full line  at this point and taper to nothing at either end then we'll tie and clip these threads and press the dart over the  curve of the tailor's hand press the dart toward the front and  shape and press it from both ends and then press from the right side now we're ready to join the back in the front this will be our collar section  and this is the shoulder seam we'll match right sides and join the shoulder seams and in order for you to see more clearly  where we start pinning watch this illustration here we have the back and here is the front section on the back we have stay stitching so instead  of putting our pin down on the intersection we'll put it in just inside the  intersection which will be our seam line on the front the stitching is on the seam line so  we'll bring our pin through right on the corner now we'll do the same on our garment put the pin  just inside the intersection here on the back put it right through the corner  of our stitching on the front match notches and then match these outer edges and the back side of your shoulder seam is  usually a little fuller than the front we take care of that extra fullness by lifting  our space stitching about every half inch and in order to secure this  important corner we'll start stitching about a fourth of a way from the corner putting my needle down one fourth inch from the  corner then i'm going to stitch up to the corner not one stitch farther or stop one stitch short of  the corner and then i'll stitch on down the seam fasten the end by back stitching at this point i'd like to hurry things along  so that i can show you every one of the steps and making a shawl collar in this demonstration  i'll show you all the steps but i won't take time to show you every one of them all the way  through so while you watch let me tell you after you've joined the second shoulder seam  take these two sections that will form the collar and join them match the notches at the center  back and pin and be sure your seam gauge is set for the width call for in the pattern have the  edge of the fabric against the guide as you sew press the seam open next step is to make the  collar fit the neckline first of all clip down to the stitching line at the corner this clipping  has to go all the way down into the corner or it won't fit smoothly then clip the back neck  edge down to stay stitching line in a few places bring the seam lines together match the center  back the notches and the rest of the seams we want to reinforce this important  corner so start about a quarter of an inch away from the corner back stitch to  the corner then finish stitching the seam back stitching at the end trim the seam off press it up into the collar section at  this point you're ready to join the facings here's a method of drawing the facing and  interfacing when both are lightweight fabrics on the facing solid color in this case reinforce  the same important corner the interfacing goes on the right side of the facing as shown on  this print material stitch across the shoulder and down the outside edge then trim the seams  as close as the weave of your fabric will permit you won't need to layer because  both of your fabrics are lightweight press across the seam to get the seam  out on the edge turn right side out and press the interfacing so it will not show join the two facings at the notched  ends and stitch trim off the interfacing down to the stitching and press the seam open put the right side of the facing  on the right side of the garment matching center back and notches  along the edge i like to pin based but if you prefer thread basting  don't think that that is wrong in stitching start the center  back and stitch down on each side then trim the interfacing down to  the stitching and trim off the seams the steps i've just shown you  have been completed on this blouse and that last long seam has been pressed  but one more step to close the neckline trim about one-fourth inch off  the seam from along this edge and then trim the interfacing  off down to the stitching line press the seam up and then bring that creased edge  up and over the neck seam line and this seam can be either stitched  on the machine or put down by hand and here's your shawl collar