When it comes to dressing, the neckline is one of the most critical factors that can make or break your looks. A good can enhance your looks and flatter your body. But a bad one can wreck the whole outfit. Below you will find a list of necklines and the method to draft a pattern for them.

 

Neckline sewing – Step by Step

Whether you’re modifying an existing garment or starting from scratch, you need a neckline that looks clean and neat. For that, you have to do some necessary things in dressmaking – pressing, clipping and finishing the edges. No skipping those!

Choose the neckline you want

Check out the post on about 60+ different types and variations of neckline designs. You have to decide on which neckline will compliment your body. For this, reading the post on choosing the best neckline would be ideal.

The most popular necklines are the basic ones – round shaped necklines, and V neckline.

Create a paper pattern of the neckline area

As you make the bodice pattern, mark the neckline area with a marking tool. Draw the curve of the neckline using a french curve. Remember to take into account seam allowance. Mark the center front and center back of the garment. Make a notch.

You can use the following convenient chart to determine how much breadth and depth of the neck you should mark according to the bust measurement. The chart gives the measurement for a neck that is very close to the neck. If you want to, you can fold a favorite top or dress bodice, measure the neckline for neck width from the center fold line and the neck depth, and go from there. 

Neckline depth and breadth chart

0-1 Mark the neck width as per your bust measurement ( as seen in the table)

1 – 3 Mark the depth of the neckline ( as you need it or refer the table)

1-2 Mark straight down

2 -3   Join 2 to 3 in a straight line

Decide on the method of finishing the neckline

Behind a lot of nice-looking neckline is a facing.  Without facing, the necklines will turn out shabby and unprofessional-looking. Checkout this post on making a facing for the neckline and assembling it, for the correct way to  sew the neckline you have drafted. 

Another option is to cut out interfacing in the shape of your neckline; cut out the facing in this shape with some extra seam allowance and sew this facing to the neckline. 

Take a square piece of cloth  10 inches into 10 inches. Iron the interfacing onto the wrong side of this square piece of clothing. Mark the  Neckline on the right side of this cloth. After marking, leave one and a half inches margin and cut along the edges of the neck. Finish the fabric edges of the facing before sewing it to the neckline. 

Assembling the neckline with the facing

For all the necklines the breadth of the neckline and the depth is first marked on the folded cloth (I mark on the wrong side of the facing cloth)

 Other options for sewing a neckline are finishing the neckline with a binding or using a lining. Binding may be the easiest method of sewing the neckline. You just have to finish the edges of the neckline with a bias cut fabric strip (you can cut it from the bodice fabric itself)

Related posts:

• How to finish necklines with bias binding – 6 methods 

The other method is to use the lining fabric itself to finish the neckline edge.

• How to finish necklines of sleeveless bodices with lining
• 50+ Neckline ideas for salwar suits/ Kurtis/churidar. 

Other posts related to different types of necklines

• Queen Anne neckline
• Beaded neckline edge : How to finish neckline with beads – easy ways
• How to sew Neckline Slits
• Keyhole neckline
• Sweetheart Neckline :5 types & (Sewing tutorial)
• V-Neckline : 6 ways to sew a V-neck in a dress/top

Checkout the tutorial to make a tank top to see how this neckline is assembled with the facing turned outside as an embroidered yoke

 

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