Replies

1. 
   Jeffery_Diduch | Aug 17, 1999 02:35am | #1

   *
   Depends on several things. First of all, did you clip or trim the seam allowance? In the garment industry, seam allowances are smaller, especially in areas such as necklines, where they would be no more than 1/4". Clipping is then not required. If the seam allowance is too wide, it will create tension. Most patterns reccommend notching/ clipping, but this tends to produce a jagged edge.

   If you can, go back and either trim down the seam allowance or at least notch it at intervals, and this should help. If this doesn't, it probably means your facing was slightly smaller than the neckline and what you have is fullness. But I think the problem is your seam allowance. Try it and let me know.

   J

1. 
   S.Roman | Aug 17, 1999 11:01pm | #2

   *It is also possible that the neckline may have stretched and so caused the puckering. Besure to staystich around the neckline. Staystich is stiching inside the seam allowance that will keep the neckline from stretching. Check out some books on this. Threads books has a few that could help in this area.

1. 
   Enid_Shparo | Aug 21, 1999 06:26am | #3

   *It sounds like the 1/4" seam allowance will do the trick. It's too complicated now to take the garment apart, but next time I'm going to do as you suggested.

1. 
   Marian_ | Aug 24, 1999 02:08am | #4

   *In her Industrial Techniques video, Margaret Islander spends a fair amount of time on the need for understitching a lining (or facing) to the seam allowance very close to the neckline in order to get a smooth neckline. She also emphasizes that the lining/facing needs to be held flat (while the garment is allowed to swing free, so to speak) during the understitching to get the right effect. If you can, I would recommend renting or buying her video. You can buy it from her company: http://www.islandersewing.com/I understand that you can also rent it from http://www.nancysnotions.comI bought it, and it has been worth the money--I go back and watch the sections that I need to see repeatedly, and there is a lot in it. Her demonstration of how to construct a lined bodice is just masterful.

1. 
   Elona_Masson | Aug 28, 1999 11:54am | #5

   *Enid, one more idea: When attaching facings like these to blouses I really want to look good, I stitch the facings to the neck in four time-consuming runs, stitching from the shoulder down to the center front or back on each quarter, carefully matching the stitching lines at the center front and back, and pulling all the thread ends to the inside to fasten them there. It sounds fussy, but the results can be very nice. You might want to experiment to see if it makes a differenc