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Home , Binding (sewing), Neckline

15 WAYS TO ALTER CONTENTS

A L T E R I N G N E C K L I N E S O N R E A D Y T O W E A R

1 . Change a turtleneck into a when the turtleneck is a separate piece...... 3 2. Change a turtleneck into a crew neck when the turtleneck is an extended ...... 5 3. Make a smaller: 3.1. By adding darts/small ...... 7 3.2. With ...... 8 3.3. With a gathering...... 9 3.4. With a ...... 9 3.5. By correcting from the shoulder...... 9 3.6. With an additional piece of fabric...... 10 A L T E R I N G T H E N E C K L I N E O N A P A T T E R N 4. Make a neckline smaller if you are working on a ...... 10 4.1. Draw the neckline higher...... 10 4.2. Change the shape of the neckline...... 10 4.3. Shorten the bodice detail at the shoulder...... 11 5. Change the shape of a ...... 12

1 EDITOR'S NOTE alterations often require a creative approach. This is especially true for necklines where you need to take into consideration the body structure, the fabric, and the specifics of the pattern.

Therefore, there are no strict rules on altering the neckline as for example in and placing .

In this ebook, I’ve collected some examples of altering the neckline of ready to wear clothing as well as when working directly on the pattern.

My intention is to give you some ideas that will spark your creativity so that you pick the best fix to your own specific issue.

2 Change a turtleneck into a crew neck when the turtleneck is a separate piece

In this tutorial, I am going to show you how to transform a turtleneck into a crew neck on a jersey t-shirt, using the fabric of the turtleneck as a binding tape.

What you are going to need:

; regular (or a serger); some .

Here are the steps to follow if you want to alter a turtleneck into a crew neck.

1. Remove the tur tleneck . I’ve out the of the turtleneck (picture 2). I’ve done this because I was going to enlarge the neck opening anyway. If you cut out the seam like me, be careful not to cut excess fabric. You might prefer to remove the stitches instead of cutting them out. On picture 4 you can see the T- shirt when the turtleneck is removed. 2. Cut out the new shape of the neckline. Cut out the neck opening in the front as low as you would like it to go. I would’ve gone a bit lower to achieve more natural shape, but the strass motif in front restricts me. Cut out as a natural curve, ending at the shoulder seams (pictures 5 and 6).

3. Prepare the binding. I used the same piece of fabric that was used for the turtleneck. I just narrowed the width of the tape. The T-shirt I worked on is made of cotton rib fabric.

This type of fabric can stretch a lot and distribute on the wider neck opening evenly, without pulling the neckline too much.

3 If this is not your case, you might use another binding that matches the color and texture of the .

Anyway, on knits, I highly recommend using binding. Otherwise, the neckline might stretch too wide.

4. Distribute and sew the binding tape back.

I prefer adding this type of binding because it doesn’t require a tape binder. I it to the center front, center back and both shoulder seams (picture 8) so the tape gets distributed evenly to the neckline opening.

It should be a bit tighter than the neck opening (approximately 1.5 inches/ 4 cm shorter). That way it gathers the fabric of the neck opening and holds it together in an appropriate shape (pictures 9 and 10).

Make the joining seam. I used a serger, but you can use any type of seam that tolerates stretching (for example zig zag ).

Have in mind that the alteration I’ve just shown you might not apply to any top you are trying to . Here is the t-shirt with the new neckline shape. If the turtleneck is too tight, or the neckline opening you want to achieve is bigger, the fabric might not be long enough to make the binding tape.

If this happens to be the case, there are other ways to finish the neckline – by hemming, by attaching binding from other appropriate fabric or by on the inside of the neck opening.

4 Change a turtleneck into a crew neck when the turtleneck is an extended bodice

In this example, we’ve worked on a client’s . The turtleneck here is an extension of the front and the back bodice. There is no separate collar piece or binding to remove. Here is how I’ve lowered the neckline to a crew neck. Remove the turtleneck First, we took measure on the client how low we would like the neckline to go (image 1). And we’ve used a pin as a mark. Another thing we often do is to use chalk and kind of ”draw” the neckline if it has to have some specific shape. But in this example, we just want to lower the neck, so I didn’t have to draw it. I removed the top that would stand in my way (image 2). Then, I want to remove the turtleneck. I cut it out so it doesn’t interrupt the shaping of the neckline. First, I cut it out high, just to get it out of the way. I would do the same if there was a separate turtleneck piece. l am going to give the actual shape of the neckline later. I fold the dress in half so that the shape I am going to get is even on both sides (image 3). We don't want the neckline curve to be waved, we want it equally shaped on both sides .

What I have to do is just cut it out, starting at the end on the shoulder seam. If the turtleneck is sewn with a separate piece, cut out the piece. In our case, we don’t have a seam so we can draw a neckline before we cut, or even use another pattern so it is less intimidating.

5 I start cutting where the end of the shoulder would be and make a natural curve (image 4). I don’t want to make the shoulders too narrow, so I watch out for that. If you prefer, measure at the shoulder seam in order to be sure you are going to go too much in into the shoulder.

Shape the new neckline

Once we’ve removed the turtleneck (image 5), we need to cut out the actual shape of the neckline. What I like to do is

Pin together to prevent twisting

One half of the neck opening should mirror the other precisely. So before we cut, we are going to secure and pin both sides together everywhere around the neck.

I start at the shoulder seams and pin them together. Then, I pin at the center back and at the center front (image 6). I am going to put a second pin at the front to make sure it doesn’t twist. Then, I’m going to pin together at the beginning of the side seams, right under the armhole (image 7). I’ve put a second pin a bit lower to make sure everything stays in place.

I‘ ve pinned all the way along the shoulder seam (image 8) so let’s double check if everything stays in place before we cut. You can use a chalk to draw the new neckline (image 9). I prefer a sliver of soup because it vanishes really easy with the iron steam. I keep in mind that I need to leave some .

So, according to the type of hemming you prefer, leave the appropriate allowance. I left ¾ of an inch for a coverstitch hem, so it is now safe to remove the marking pin and cut (image 10).

I finish at the end of where it is going to be the shoulder seam (image 11). I am going to remove all other pins and see what I’ve made (image 12).

6 It looks good. It’s even on both sides. I am happy with the result and the last thing left for me to do is make the hem.

Hem the neckline I make the hem on the cover stitch machine. You can make it as you prefer, just make sure that the seam tolerates the intensive stretching of the neck opening. That’s the result I got – a nice, even neckline.

If you prefer to watch this tutorial on video, here is a link https:// youtu.be/ qDZ82CIqFT4

How to make a neckline smaller if you are fixing a R TW (ready to wear) garment

Make the neckline smaller by adding darts/small pleats

This is one of the easiest ways to fix a gaping neck. Make some darts or small pleats with different depth, shape, and length in order to get the best result.

How and where to put the pleats is a creative task. It depends on the results you want to achieve. Some necklines look good with a center front alteration, some need adjustments at the sides or along the whole neckline curve.

I’m going to give links to a couple of video examples below to show the difference.

But, you might need to distribute them differently to get the best results.

Just try to keep the pleats symmetrical so you don’t end up with a strangely shaped neckline.

Also, pin and try on the garment prior to sewing to double check if that new shape is what you want.

In the first example, the problem is that the neckline in the pattern is made for binding finishing, but it’s actually done on a coverstitch machine. The neckline got stretched only at the front.

7 Here is the video on how to make the neckline smaller by making vertical pleats at the center front https:// youtu.be/5adRqojRJTY

This is a very common way of altering the neckline, because of the various positions and number of pleats/darts you can add.

Adding pleats to the center front might not be the best choice for your problem.

Here is another example. The t- shirt I am working on has a neckline that got stretched along the whole curve, so I am making deeper pleats on the sides.

Here is a link to the video tutorial on how to do it yourself https://youtu.be/IGBKpQHVzBQ

Make the neckline smaller with elastic

If there aren’t any beads, sequins or print that gets in the way, you may fix the neckline with elastic. Add some elastic to the center front or along the whole length of the neckline to the neck opening.

You can pull the elastic more or less when attaching it. This will result in a bigger or a smaller gathering. Choose how much to alter the neckline according to the fabric used, the form of the neckline and your preferences.

You can add elastic to a small area of the neckline, the whole front piece of the garment or to both front and back (the whole neck opening). Here is an example and a link to the video tutorial https://youtu.be/o_Nx2xprkLU

8 Make the neckline smaller with gathering

You can also make a gathering on your sewing machine instead of adding elastic. This will get very similar results.

Make the neckline smaller with a binding

To make the neckline smaller with a binding, you are going to need a piece of matching fabric.

Note that this could only work with knitted fabrics. This alteration can make a difference of an inch or so. To do it, you can follow the last couple of steps in the "Turtleneck into a crew neck when the the turtleneck is a separate piece" tutorial.

Make the neckline smaller by correcting from the shoulder

Note: THIS IS NOT THE NATURAL SHAPE OF A SHOULDER IN A BODICE. It may result in a very strange form if you overdo it. Make sure to pin and try on the garment before cutting.

But, it actually gives me very good results. This fix will work for both scoop neck and v-neck shaped necklines. It looks good on garments that have beads, sequins, prints, cowl neck or a center front seam.

To make it, break the shoulder seam and pull some of the excess fabric in front up. Try it on to see if it fits, then cut the excess fabric and make the shoulder seams again.

Here is a video tutorial on this technique (please excuse the bad sound) https://youtu.be/tRSNOoD9Ld0

9 Make the neckline smaller with an additional piece of fabric

Sew a piece of matching or contrast fabric around the neckline to make it smaller. What I like to do is cut a square of fabric, fold it in half vertically and attach it with a seam along the neckline.

This fix is good for necklines that are really wide. How to make a neckline smaller if you are working on a pattern

Applying changes directly on the bodice sloper is perhaps the easiest way to manipulate the neckline. And usually, the one that gives the best results.

You can make many different looks out of the same pattern by changing the shape of the neckline. Here is a great in-depth course on drafting necklines: Patternmaking + Design: Creative Necklines.

Here are some of the possibilities.

Draw the neckline opening higher

When making this adjustment on the pattern, we change only the neckline curve. It can be higher or lower.

You can even change the form of the curve and turn a scoop neckline into a boat neck. Change the shape of the neckline

There are a lot of varieties that you can apply to the neckline. For example, you can turn a scoop neck into a v-neck, square or heart-shaped, you can make the neckline wider or more narrow.

10 These adjustments allow you to use the same bodice pattern that fits well and create different looks from it. If you need some inspiration on how to re-shape the basic bodice, here is a course on how to draft nine different collar variations: Mastering Construction: Collars & Closures.

Shorten the bodice detail at the shoulder

Unlike the shoulder fix on a RTW garment we showed above, we usually make this adjustment on both front and back bodice.

Many industrial patterns come with shorten/lengthen lines included.

We need to make this adjustment when the whole upper chest area on the pattern is longer than your body measurements. Yet, on some occasions, you might need to change only the front bodice pattern to fit the measurements.

This type of adjustment of the pattern requires changes in the pattern detail, too. 1.If you shorten both front and back bodice pieces, make sure to shorten the sleeve at the same height as the bodice (figure 1).

2.If you shorten the shoulder only at the front bodice, reduce the width of the sleeve at the front side only (figure 2). Remove the same inch/cms as you did on the bodice so that the sleeve fits to the armhole again.

11 Clothing alt erations – and collar

In this part, I’m going to show you how I’ve altered the collar of this dress. Please, don't be confused by the missing numbers on the illustrations. This is because this tutorial is a part of a longer one where I also altered the sleeves. Here are the steps to follow:

Detach the collar What I need to do first is to remove the collar completely (image 11). In my case there was just one joining seam.

Alter the collar

When I detached the collar, my first intention was to remove it completely and then lower the neckline and top stitch.

Then I realized that it actually matches nicely with the cuffs and the belt, so I’ve decided to leave it, just make it a bit smaller.

To change the shape and size of the collar, I need to turn it inside out (image 12).

12 I am pinning both layers of the collar together so that everything stays in place (picture 12). I am marking the new width of the collar at two inches (picture 13). This is my preference. I want the new collar more narrow.

Don’t forget to leave seam allowance in addition to the width you want. I am going to serge it, so my seam allowance is not big.

You should know that collars are usually not sewn on the serger, but I am being lazy and doing the whole altering on one machine only.

Here are both details of the collar, closed at the bottom (picture 15). But before I continue, I should go and iron all new seams so they look better when i turn the collar inside out once again.

Sew the collar back in place The last thing I need to do is put the collar back on. I am going to pin it in place at the center back and then at the center front (picture 16).

I want to be careful to pin on the wrong side so I can make the seam on the face side of the front. This way the seam is going to be covered by the collar when done.

While I am pinning, I am careful to go through all 3 layers of fabric. If this is challenging, stitch both layers of the collar together first (with a ) and then pin them to the dress. I distribute the rest of the collar to the neckline (picture 18) and do that with both collar details (picture 19). Then, I make the seams. It includes how to alter the sleeves as well. Here is the video tutorial on this sewing alteration https://youtu.be/mTOgMutpDp0

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