Does anyone have any good advice about sewing v-necklines either with facing or with trim? I’m hesitating because of some disasters I’ve had in the past. Usually I use a knit fabric, occasionally a woven.
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I have one tip if you're using a facing in your v-neckline. When attaching the facing, rather than pivoting at the bottom of the v, stich ONE, mabye TWO (no more) stitches across the bottom before proceding up the other side of the neckline. Clip to the stitching before turning. This little stitch eliminates the pucker that ruins the appearance of a v-neckline.
If you could give some specifics of the disasters you have had it may help in finding the solutions. Gaping, puckered, unflattering, other?
Hi Elisabeth,
Mostly the trouble I've had is getting the v to lay flat and smooth and really look like a v and not a U. There seems to be a lot of bulk at the v with facing. Also, with knit fabric I've had stretching. Thanks for any advice.
Diane
Stretching of the fabric along the V is probably happening with the wovens as well as the knits. Stabilizing would help that problem. There is a nice short article about working with necklines in knits by Judy Barlup at her site http://www.uniquetechniques.com While she doesn't talk about V necklines there she does explain the knit situation and stabilizing well.
The wovens will stretch along the V as well since that part ends up being cut on the bias which needs to be controlled. It is so easy to forget to stabilize those kinds of areas as soon as possible after cutting, but it is important since handling the fabric as we sew can quickly stretch those parts .
Also, if you are cutting a nice V in a pattern that did not originally have a V there are adjustments that need to happen to the pattern to make it possible for the V to lie against the body properly. Plus if the pattern was originally made with a V then it was most likely made with a V for someone with a standard B cup size. Being non-standard (and surely most of us are!) might also make some pattern adjustments necessary to make the V do its thing right.
When your pattern is working and things are stabilized maybe you would be interested in a double front instead of a facing? Two fronts are cut and sewn together wrong sides together along the neckline and turned right side out. Then the two are treated as a single front piece for the rest of the construction. Gets rid of that sometimes unruly facing.
Happy sewing!
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