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Collar with stand

A picture of a finished collar with stand. This tutorial is based on the description in the book Shirt making, by David Page Coffin. It's not an exact copy of his method or his text. His book is illustrated with drawings, which I (and this is a very personal opinion) find sometimes difficult to understand. I hope this text with pictures is helpful. As said, I'm not copying his text, all text is mine, and so are the mistakes in it. The difference from all other constructions is that in this method you first attach the stand to your shirt, and when that is finished, you attach the collar to the stand. All other methods I've seen first attach the collar to the stand. Note: I'm not a professional, so if anything is unclear or could be explained better, please let me know (isedl@yahoo.com). For the collar itself I used a tip I found on Pattern Review. I tried to find it again, but didn't succeed. I think it was by Lisa Laree, but probably not filed under tips.

Written by Sigrid, January 2008 www.sigridsewingprojects.blogspot.com

Collar with stand

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Interface the undercollar and the outer stand part. I use fusible interfacing without seam allowances, so my seam allowances are not the same size everywhere. If you prefer using a default seam allowance, use small seam allowances. In the picture the plain aqua fabric is the under collar and the inner stand. I prefer to cut the under collar and interfacing on the bias. This way the collar has a nice drape. The printed fabric the upper collar and outer stand. THE COLLAR Make the collar part in your preferred way. This is how I did it (as in the tip found on PR):

Sew the collar parts on the long seam from point to point. Grade the seams Press and understitch the under collar

Fold the collar right sides together, stitch the sides.

Written by Sigrid, January 2008 www.sigridsewingprojects.blogspot.com

Collar with stand

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Trim and turn the collar.

Topstitch the collar. Often there's a problem in feeding the fabric at the point. I use a few layers of fabric at the end of my foot to make it all even.

The finished corner.

Written by Sigrid, January 2008 www.sigridsewingprojects.blogspot.com

Collar with stand

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Finished under collar (visible the extra understitching), and the way the upper collar turns smoothly over the edge.

Here you can see the extra space needed by the upper collar for "turn of cloth".

THE STAND Staystitch the neckline and clip it (the blue are erasable markings, and that's my exact seam line)

Pin the outer collar band to the outside of the neckline, right sides together, matching markings for center front, shoulder seams and center back. Baste stitch the collar to the neckline, a little away from the seamline.

Pin the inner collar band on the inside of the neckline. This inner collar band should be a bit shorter than the outer band, so it is more smoothly rounded. In the picture you see the difference I used, The pin marks the end of the front, the outer blue marking the original pattern line.

Written by Sigrid, January 2008 www.sigridsewingprojects.blogspot.com

Collar with stand

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You could of course adapt your pattern for the upper and under collar before cutting. Some pattern companies have separate pattern pieces by default. Stitch the seamline from the stand to the neckline, exactly to the edge of the front pattern piece (not too short, not too long). Fold away the front, so that you can stitch the round part of the stand.

Stitch to the insertion point for the collar, using a smaller stitch length.

Trim the seam allowance, clip only the inner stand to the insertion point for the collar.

Written by Sigrid, January 2008 www.sigridsewingprojects.blogspot.com

Collar with stand

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Turn the stand.

Pin the collar to the inner stand right side of collar to right side of inner stand, stitch. Important: you just stitch to one side of the stand.

Outer band is not yet stitched to collar.

Pin the inner collar to the seam of the collar on the inside of the shirt.

Written by Sigrid, January 2008 www.sigridsewingprojects.blogspot.com

Collar with stand

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And fold the seam of the outer stand inside.

Topstitch the stand.

Ready.

Written by Sigrid, January 2008 www.sigridsewingprojects.blogspot.com

Collar with stand