The Sewing Place

Collars and waistbands

snoozi soozi

Collars and waistbands
« on: May 23, 2020, 15:56:42 PM »
This happens every time I turn over a collar or a waistband but for some unknown to me reason I have such a short memory that I go blindly into it on each garment.

I'm making a shirt with a grand-dad collar, so requires stitching two identical collar pieces together, pressing a fold on the outer edge of the outer collar, stitching the inner collar onto the shirt and turning over to the right side.

So, now I have to stitch in the ditch on the outside and hope to God and all that is holy that the pressed edge is sufficient to cover the raw edges. It isn't. It never is  :faints:

Who can give me a top tip on overcoming this as, like I said, it happens every time....

I have a couple of ideas but these involve starting from scratch and cutting out new pieces. Hoping to avoid that
Let it sew, let it sew, let it sew

SkoutSews

Re: Collars and waistbands
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2020, 17:02:26 PM »
This is the blind leading the blind, but I'll write it anyway...

I too have never been able to get this right. I've never mastered 'stitch in the ditch'. I either do it the old-fashioned way and hand sew the facing in place after attaching the waistband right sides together or tack it first (again after attaching RS together) then topstitch or edgestitch.

I'm halfway through an Ottobre skirt at the moment. The instructions for the waistband are to sew the facing on to the wrong side first, then topstitch the 'right' or outer side of the waistband in place from the right side. I'll decide which method to use once I get that far.

Efemera

Re: Collars and waistbands
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2020, 18:31:34 PM »
I tack stuff first...I never used to and it’s tedious but it saves stacks of time in the long run.

snoozi soozi

Re: Collars and waistbands
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2020, 18:39:23 PM »
@Efemera yes, I might need to do that this time. Next time, however, I will put my canny little plan into place  :P
Let it sew, let it sew, let it sew

Ploshkin

Re: Collars and waistbands
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2020, 19:20:25 PM »
Not sure why it would happen on a grandad collar but it happens on a standard shirt collar because the upper fabric has to go a bit further to fold over the under collar.  You get round this by cutting the under collar 1/8" or so smaller on 3 sides ( not the neck edge).

I too would always tack it down first and adjust the amount turned under if necessary as I go along.
Life's too short for ironing.

twopence

Re: Collars and waistbands
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2020, 21:33:53 PM »
I can't imagine doing it on a collar but I have seen commercial skirt and trouser waistbands where the inner band has a binding on it's lower edge so no turning up and then the stitching in the ditch from the right side will always catch it in.

Kad

Re: Collars and waistbands
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2020, 08:07:05 AM »
I have seen commercial skirt and trouser waistbands where the inner band has a binding on it's lower edge so no turning up and then the stitching in the ditch from the right side will always catch it in.
I often use this method for waistband construction, it also reduces a little of the bulk at the lower edge of the band and I can add a secret pop of colour to what may be a plain dark garment. I make the bias binding from offcuts of lining fabric or fine cotton from blouses etc. When I made jackets or skirts for work the linings were always unexpectedly bright. Cheered me up to know that.
'Jill' of many aspects of sewing, "Mistress" of few.

wrenkins

Re: Collars and waistbands
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2020, 08:48:56 AM »
@Kad you are the Ozwald Boateng of TSP!   :loveit:
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

snoozi soozi

Re: Collars and waistbands
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2020, 08:50:56 AM »
In future, binding the edge will be one method I'll use.

That's if I remember before stitching it in  :facepalm:
Let it sew, let it sew, let it sew