How to: Make a shirt collar

[Feraud]

If I have one complaint about men’s shirts today it would be the lack of collar. Most men’s point collars barely make three inches. Before going the custom route I got the bright idea of making my own. This may sound like a crazy proposition but it is easier than it sounds.


Step one
You will be using two shirts of the same brand. The first shirt is going to have the new collar and the second is the “victim” to be used for material. Two shirts of the same brand guarantees the material will match.

Using a stitch ripper, carefully cut the stitches in the neckband of your shirt. The old collar will easily come off.

Step two
You can use the old collar as a base pattern for your new one.
Trace the collar on paper (I used parchment) and cut out leaving a quarter to half inch seam allowance. This is the step where you can alter the collar to make it longer or add some curve to the pattern.

Step three
Use shirt #2 cut out your collar pattern. I cut a two sided collar with light fusible web in between. This collar is then put together with a sewing maching.

Here is the sewn collar

Step four
Put collar back into the neckband of your shirt and machine sew to complete.
Here is the finished product.

There were a few lessons I learned while making this collar. For version #2 I will be incorporating feedback I have received.

I submit this to you all in the public arena for scrutiny.
Enjoy.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Excellent!

Just a little narrower in the back for mine please.

Is that an RL Jacket?

 

[Snookie]

Hello hello! Very nice job - I'm always impressed when people take on project like this - I sewed for years before I'd make anything w/out a commercial pattern! You're got the basics down, so here's some tips for the next one:

-You've got some tension in the collar that needs to be released. You can either clip into the actual collar you made, make a mockup with extra fabric, or if you can guess where you need to clip, you can do it on the pattern. I marked where I think you should open the collar. Notice that my lines stop at the top of the wrinkles--once you cut, the fabric will spread (gap) and no more wrinkles! I'd guess that each line needs to open up 1/4"-1/2". Mark how much each opens (either by taping the openings or pinning fabric behind to maintain the right "gap"), then lay out your new collar and trace!

-pay attention to your grainline when you cut your collar. It should look like this, if you lay your folded pattern on the folded shirt back. Having the correct grainline should help with the wobbles on the collar tip.

-make your undercollar pattern 1/8" smaller all around (except on the fold, since that isn't an "edge"). It will help the undercollar to stay on the underside.

Very nice job with turning the collar point, btw! You must have clipped a lot of seam allowance with that one!

 

[Benny Holiday]

Very interesting and very instructive post! :eusa_clap Thank you Feraud and Snookie.

 

[scotrace]

Wonderful! I love seeing this kind of extremely helpful information. Thanks for going to the considerable trouble of putting it together.

 

[Feraud]

The collar was not properly set into the neckband and is a bit uneven. The next one should be pinned into place and adjusted before the final sew.

Snookie - regarding tension in the collar. Could this be happening because the collar has too much material in the rear and/or because the collar is very soft? Matt's suggestion about less in the rear is correct. The collar feels too full in the neck when I tried it on.
Thank you for the pattern advice. I am going to incorporate your suggestions into the next version.

Matt - I believe the suit is a Cricketeer.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Feraud, your collar reminds me of the one below (on a 1930s Swiss shirt). As others have said, just make the sides and back of the collar narrower, and you'll be set. :eusa_clap

[/QUOTE]

 

[Dagwood]

Feraud:

A truly outstanding job. I really like the length of your collar. How does it look with a collar bar?

As a guide, I really liked this collar posted by Belly Tank in June.

Good luck.

 

[MrBern]

Geeez, now I can see why u couldnt come out & play last Saturday nite!

Youre project is inspiring. The shirt should be quite dashing at the next event.

 

[Feraud]

How does it look with a collar bar?

It does not look so good Dagwood. The collar bar shows off all the flaws in my work! lol The next one will hopefully look better.

Geeez, now I can see why u couldnt come out & play last Saturday nite!

Youre project is inspiring. The shirt should be quite dashing at the next event.

All work and no play makes Feraud a dull boy. If I can get it to look halfway decent I will wear it to the next Dances of Vice.

 

[fatwoul]

Great job Feraud. I'm quite enjoying this little cruise around another part of the forum.

 

[Snookie]

Snookie - regarding tension in the collar. Could this be happening because the collar has too much material in the rear and/or because the collar is very soft? Matt's suggestion about less in the rear is correct. The collar feels too full in the neck when I tried it on.
Thank you for the pattern advice. I am going to incorporate your suggestions into the next version.

You know, I saw the extra fullness in the neck, but I assumed that was due to sewing/pressing, rather than the pattern. I don't think it's because the fabric is too soft, and being too long in the back would affect the back, but not all the way up front. You didn't change the collar on the neck edge (the part that attaches to the shirt), just on the outside edge, correct? You shouldn't change the neck edge, as it's already the right size to fit into the collar stand.

I'm guessing when you changed your pattern, you only added extra "out", but didn't open it "wider". That's the slash and spread part I was describing before. Basically, you have to open the circumference at a greater rate than you open the interior or else the circumfrence is too small to lay flat.

Gotta run now, I'll try to do some sketches this weekend!