I’m working on Simp 3625 and would like your opinons on something.
The front collar is applied similar to a band neckline (although I’m going to apply it more like the convertible collar so that the stitching is invisible). The front of the yoke does not have a separate facing piece but is cut on the fold of fabric (not that that is really relevant). Do you think I should close the bottom of the yoke first then apply the collar into the open neckline, or would you apply the collar then stitch the inside bottom of the yoke closed (i.e., by hand or topstitched)?
I’d just like to know what you would do…..Donna Kaye Childress
Replies
That looks like a pretty pattern. I smile as I try to answer your question, because you are certainly an expert, but for what it's worth...my vote is to put the collar in with that center front open. Seems it would be easier to do the collar with the neckline free and open, though then that center seam might be difficult to close, but it's only an inch or so, right? so doing that part by hand wouldn't be such a task. Can you still open the self-facings out at the bottom, after putting in the collar, put right sides together, and stitch the center-front seam by machine for that short distance?
Yeah, I see what you mean. (I typed out this big long message a minute ago and my modem zapped it, so I'm going to send this short one to see if it goes through before I retype all that.)
Okay. It's working now.
Being the perfectionist that I am (yes, I've visited the discussion), I mainly want the inside, i.e., the under yoke, to lay perfectly flat (and, of course, the top yoke and collar). I honestly didn't remember about that little 1" at the bottom of the front yoke. Good point. I'm trying to avoid hand stitches. If I stitch the collar in last, I'll only have to close the under collar at the neckline from shoulderline to shoulderline, but I may not be able to get the yoke to sit as flat and pretty as I'd like it to. If, on the other hand, I stitch the collar in first and then the under yoke, then I'll have to turn under the seamline at the under yoke where it meets the bodice and handstitch it into place. I'm thinking, if I serge that seam, wouldn't the seams naturally stand up, not down? They should stand upward, toward the neckline, for the yoke to appear to lay over the bodice properly. I don't know why I'm having trouble visualizing that with the yoke seam; I must have had a lapse. I'm inclined to do it like you say, attach the collar first so that I can completely enclose it in in the neckline seam (since I have an upper yoke and an under yoke, I can do this), then stitch the under yoke to the bodice. ????
I agree with Josefly. Collars and necklines are harder for me than that little bit in the fold... did you say the entire yoke front piece is cut on the fold? so is the entire yoke faced? Then do you have to sew both layers of yoke to the lower part at the same time?....if so, it seems like that seam could be uncomfortably rough...I like my yokes really lined!
Becky
"I agree with Josefly. Collars and necklines are harder for me than that little bit in the fold... did you say the entire yoke front piece is cut on the fold?" yes, it is.
"so is the entire yoke faced?" yes.
"Then do you have to sew both layers of yoke to the lower part at the same time?" No. I've underlined the georgette with Ambiance. I have an upper yoke and an under yoke. On the front you might consider it "self-faced," since it is cut on the fold (as is the back). The plan: insert the collar (which really acts like a band collar, not a convertible collar) "in the round," center front all the way around the neckline and back to center front on the other side, stitching the under collar to the top yoke; then, continuing on, open up the collar seam allowance at center front, pin it to the fold, then continue stitching the top collar to the under yoke, all the way around, back to center front on the other side; in other words, in a big circle. Then, to keep everything invisible (which is my favorite way to construct a garment -- I'm not a big topstitching person), pin the roll of the collar so that the back collar covers the back neckline seam (a pet peeve of mine is the neckline seam in the back peeking out and the collar not falling over it sufficiently to cover it), reach in between the under yoke and the upper yoke, grab the single seam allowance of collar front and collar back, stitch them together, with the seam allowances of the collar open and facing each other (like is done when tailoring a blazer), and voila. Then my only task would be to join the yoke to the garment. The plan: RS together, stitch top yoke to bodice. All that's left is attaching the under yoke. See my prior post about that.
I'm thinking this sequence will give me the prettiest neckline, shoulderline, etc. Any "sins" could certainly be hidden when smoothing down the under yoke, which falls inside of the garment anyway, for the most part, except for the part that rolls outward at center front. I'll have to get that just right too......
"....if so, it seems like that seam could be uncomfortably rough...I like my yokes really lined!" Well, the yoke is lined, but I can either serge or turn under the lower edge of the under yoke where it attaches to the bodice. I hadn't thought about the rough part. Serging might give ma some roughness, even if I use silky thread, because of all the gathers that would be rubbing against my skin. Good point. I hadn't thought of that.
Anybody else out there trying this pattern?
Brilliant. Thank you for the construction order.I was only focused on that center-front seam in the yoke! .. and missed the other issues entirely.
Whoops. I really AM dim-witted this evening. I realized my boo-boo while I was taking a bath! I really need to get a life!
The front yoke is cut twice (left side and right side), each time on a fold of fabric (the fold at CF, obviously), this because there is an opening at CF. This self-faces (or you could say self-lines) the front yoke. I then cut the back twice, each time on the fold. This provides an upper yoke and an under yoke. They were all underlined in exactly the same way, i.e., what you see in the under yoke is the fashion fabric, not the Ambiance. So I have actually four pieces in the yoke construction: front yoke left and front yoke right, each of which are self-faced by virtue of being cut on the fold; and then upper yoke back and under yoke back. (Am I beginning to make any sense here? Phew!) By joining the shoulder seams of the upper yoke and then the shoulder seams of the under yoke, I am left with a circle of fabric at the neckedge, because the two fronts were cut each on a fold. You can take it from there in my (so-called) explanation of the collar insertion. It dawned on me that what I wrote wouldn't make sense, and I certainly answered the question incorrectly about the front yoke being cut all in one piece on the fold....Sorry!....D.
Thanks for the clarification, I was wondering about the back yoke piece.
What I mean by "really lined" is all the seam allowances are enclosed. I do sometimes "sort-of" line a bodice and then sew bodice, lining, and skirt all at once, leaving the seam allowances to be finished by serging. I tell myself this is an acceptable "cheat" in some instances!
You want the yoke and its lining to lay flat w/o having to do a lot of hand stitching... how do you view "stitch-in-the-ditch"? You could serge the edge of the under-yoke leaving it long enough to extend a little beyond the seam line. Press the yoke/bodice seam allowances up (trim) and lay the under-yoke over this w/o turning up the edge, then stitch in ditch from the right side.... but this would only work out IF you clip that CF fold line, other wise you have to turn the "lining" under 'cause its attached!!
Please post photos when you are done!
Becky
You must be a mind-reader. I was thinking about that little thing going on at CF if I serge it. I think I'll go with your idea, mainly because I like that the under yoke will lay flat and not create any additional bulk. No, I don't mind the stitch-in-the-ditch thing at all, and I think this solves the problem of all those gathering seams itching me all the time. Until I get a better idea, I'm going to go with this one.
I'll sure post the photo when I'm finished. I'm doing it in a single-weight georgette underlined with Ambiance (by the way, I'll never do that again; the Ambiance is horrible; this was an experiment that I really didn't get a good result from; oh, it looks fine, the weight and the hand are fine, but the Ambiance is definitely not perma-press -- wrinkles, etc.), in a navy blue field interspersed with coral roses. The roses are just a little bit larger than I'd like, but they're spread fairly far apart, so I compromised. Being only 5'4", I have to be careful of large prints, and this one is right on the border, but it's okay. I had to "settle" for it because I couldn't find any other prints in navy blue to suit the outfit I'm making it for. Folks will probably love it just because I questioned it (tongue planted firmly in cheek).
Thanks, Becky-book!
Edited 8/29/2007 9:50 am ET by DonnaKaye
Your welcome.
Being 5ft 1/2 inch (in heels) I understand about prints!
Becky
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