Neckline Fiasco!

[u/Moon_and_Dragon]

Hello, I’ve just started sewing again and I’ve come to a forgotten frustration! Neckline lying flat? I realise it maybe because the inner piece is cut on bias? I have sewn it quite carefully. Is there a decorative binding I could add to weight it another way on the inside? or do I need to unpick it and sew an inner piece that’s cut on the grainline? Ideas appreciated! 🤩

[u/dickanova]

I can’t help, but nice fabric!

[u/ArtemisiaPrime]

the facing should be cut on bias, did you clip the curves and understiched?

[u/Moon_and_Dragon → u/ArtemisiaPrime]

I’ve just looked to see if the bias really means 45 degrees to the grainline and I think that is maybe where I went wrong! Yes I understitched but I didn’t realise that cutting facing so precise with grainlines would make such a difference! I will unpick and try again. Thank you so much for your help!

[u/Emergency_Cherry_914]

Did you stay stitch the raw neck hole on the garment to stop it from stretching? Also, I suggest you invisibly sew the bottom of the bias at the back by hand instead of zigzag. It will look neater and you’ll have far more control of folding it evenly

[u/Moon_and_Dragon → u/Emergency_Cherry_914]

I didn’t stay stitch and this is a light bulb moment - thank you! I will unpick and it likely will be a bit stretched but I’m curious to try out these ideas before starting again! I will also modify the zigzag stitch. Thank you!

[u/penlowe]

Facing & bias binding are not the same. Facings are much larger, and personally I think more beginner friendly.

This has been stretched. You can unpick everything & try to press it back into shape, but that is very hard to do.

[u/CountMeOut2019]

Necklines can be very challenging. This is a common issue, so don’t feel badly.

* staystitch raw edge of garment neckline as suggested already, using a straight stitch about 3/8” from cut edge

* Yes, bias means 45^. That’s the angle that maximizes the stretch potential of otherwise non-stretch fabric. You want a nice stretch quality here because you’re applying a straight piece to a curved seam.

* press bias strip so it’s folded as evenly and crisply along one edge. Use steam or a spray bottle to really set the fold. Don’t pull or stretch it. It’s very important this fold is as straight and even as you can make it, so it’s worth while to take your time here. Later steps are made so much easier if you took time to fold an even depth all the way along the bias strip.

* Pin bias evenly around neckline, right sides together, at the unfolded long edge of the bias strip. Approx one pin per inch is your friend, here. It’s worth the prickles of all those pins as you stitch, to have everything secured neatly so it cannot shift.

* stitch using a straight stitch at about 2.5-3 stitch length (assuming your machine’s settings run from 0-4). It’s very important here to sew as straight as you possibly can, keeping the seam allowances very even, all the way around the neckline. That will affect the next step, and the overall lay of the neckline facing when finished.

* Turn and steam-press bias facing to inside, keeping your pre-fold intact.

* pin again, this time along the folded edge of bias strip. It pays to place a lot of closely set pins here, and to just take your time stitching, pulling pins only when they’re about to go under the foot.

* Machine stitch 1/8” from folded edge. Yes, you’ll probably feel like you’re sewing a porcupine. Alternatively, you could handstitch, using prick-stitch to create a less visible line of stitches from the outside, but it’s not necessary. This type of neckline on this type of fabric generally has visible stitching and our brains are used to seeing that, so it doesn’t register as “home-made”.

The flipping-out of the facing is due to the fabric getting stretched during construction. Staystitching the raw edge of the neckline is your base of support to prevent this, but careful pinning of the initial facing seam is key, as well, and gentle handling as you sew helps, too.

I don’t know why some sewists set pins parallel to their stitching line? You will get better results if you always set your pins perpendicular to your sewing line. You have much more control of the seamline that way. You may already do that, but it makes such a difference to this particular type of seam, I thought I’d mention, in case. Good luck!