Sewing Necklines: Tips and Techniques

Sewing necklines can often be the most difficult part of sewing a shirt or dress. ZJ Humbach shows you several tips for sewing necklines that can make the process much easier and help to ensure that you get a smooth, professional looking finished garment.

Preparation and Sewing

When sewing necklines, as with many other curved areas of a garment, there are several ways to prepare the pieces before assembling them that can make the process easier. ZJ shares several helpful sewing tips for sewing necklines from start to finish. She also explains that an important step is to run a line of stay stitching along both the front and back neck edges. She explains what stay stitching is and how far away from the edge of the fabric it should be. ZJ then shows how to begin assembling a shirt by sewing together the front and back pieces at the shoulder seam, completing the neckline area.

Once the shirt is assembled, ZJ shows how to assemble the neckline facing. She gives several tips on neckline facings that help the facing lay flatter and look more professional. She then demonstrates how to attach the neckline to the shirt, explaining how important it is to line up seam lines and match notches in order for the facing to lay flat. ZJ then shows how to stitch the facing in place, giving tips on how to make sure you keep an accurate seam allowance as you stitch.

After the facing is stitched in place, ZJ shows how to clip the seam allowance to reduce bulk and then press the facing to the inside of the shirt. She then explains how to keep the facing in place by understitching it and shows what presser foot to use to make this step easier. For an alternative finish for a neckline, learn how to sew a beaded neckline.