The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew Collars
I’m going to make a rather bold statement: Collars are so easy to sew that even a first time stitcher will have success. I know, that kind of statement is out of character for me, but it’s true. Let me show you . . .
The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew Collars
In my newest Sewing With Nancy series and companion book, I share my favorite absolute easiest way to sew techniques. The collar being my signature speedy sewing tip. Here goes!
- Interface the collars. Cut out two collar shapes from lightweight fusible interfacing and fuse one to the wrong side of each collar. One of my favorite fusible interfacings is Pellon’s Sof Shape.
- Meet collars right sides together. Stitch the outer collar seam.
- Grade the seam, trimming the under collar seam allowance narrower than the upper collar.
- Press the seam flat; then press toward the under collar.
- Understitch, stitching the seam allowance to the under collar. I like to use a multizigzag. Or, you could use a straight stitch.
- Fold the collar along the first stitching line, right sides together. Meet the collar front edges. Notice the outer collar seam allowance is already graded (trimmed) and completely understitched. This wrapped-corner sewing technique is what makes it the absolute easiest way to sew collars!
- Stitch both collar front seams.
- Grade the seam allowances, and angle cut the corners.
- Turn the collar right side out and press. That’s it!
All my favorite sewing tips in one book.
The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew chapters include:
- Sewing Notions
- Sewing Machine Confidence
- Serger Spotlight
- Patterns
- Fabric Facts
- Sewing Basics
- Beyond the Basics
Watch The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew (Part One, Part Two, and Part Three) on Sewing With Nancy online.
Bye for now,
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Catherine
I have been away from sewing. I have tons of gabardine fabrics. Looking for pant sewing tips. Thanks for giveaway. I love your books.
Cornelia
would like to learn a simple way to sew V-necks in scrub tops.
Anne Zurbuchen
I love the wrap corner technique. I have used this many times, since I learning it on Sewing With Nancy.
I continue to striggle with stitching hems on knits. I frequently get a bubble appearance between the twin needle stitches. Also, I end up with many skipped stitches. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Cora Mae Lengeman
Zippers, buttonholes (placement and sewing) and collars are the Bain of my existence! Thanks for the tutorial on collars! I’ll try it on my next blouse or jacket – no more plain round necks garments for me! Now if I could just get my zippers to go in with even sides…
Pamela Smith
My absolute favorite technic of your’s is quilt binding with perfectly mitered corners. I recently re-watched your video and completed a long overdue project! Thanks for all your help.
Sandra
I would love to hear more on linings…any linings, pants, skirts, coats, jackets and dresses! Any help would be amazing.
Joan Sawyer
I just got my first serger and it does not have the cover stitch feature. I would love to learn hemming techniques to use on tee-shirts that my serger could do. Thank you for the opportunity to win this book.
Karen J
I have used several of your tips from the first episode of your new series. What timesavers they are, especially the one about top stitching. Can’t wait for the next episode and would love to win your book.
Tina
I would like a guide on interfacings and when to use or not use iron on.
Jan S
Though I have been sewing for a while, I still dread sewing anything with buttonholes; tips on that would be great.
Anne
Sewing zippers makes me break out in a sweat. Any tips to make it easier would be appteciated.
Christina Gonzalez
I need help fine tuning the corner turn.
Kim M. Harrington
I love the current tip of creating this perfect collar. The pictures are great and really show the trimming,…
Robin
Having learned how to sew from family members years ago, I think it would be helpful to learn any techniques that make sewing faster or easier than what I was originally taught. After all, we don’t know what we don’t know!
Ann Sorenson
My favorite tip of yours is the wrapped corners on collars and anywhere else it applies.
Deena Shepard
There has got to be a trick to using double needles that I just can’t manage. Would love to use as hems and I usually end up with a mess that ruins what I am working on. What are the secrets, please? Or like Joan Sawyer above, how to do this with my non-cover stitch serger?
Wendy
I’m not making a collar anytime soon, but this method makes so much sense and could be applied to other sewing projects. Thank you.
Meredith
Wrapped corners for collars and joining elastic ends are the 2 best tips in the world!
Sandy Curtis
I probably would need a brushing up on making shirts. I used to make all my blouses(my breasts are large, about a size 16 while my blouse size for the rest is about a 12), but the last 15 yrs. haven’t made any. Gotten lazy and wear knit tops that I have to shorten the length of the bottom and sleeves. I plan on making a blouse after I finish my Christmas sewing.
Peg G
By far, I would love to know the absolutely easiest ways to put in centered, lapped, invisible, and purse zippers.
Diana Grindel
Zippers and perfect button holes .. That would help .. Thank you for the tip on the collar today !
Cindy Schultz
Gosh, you make sewing collars and sleeves look so easy.
I love your wrapped corner technique, I think it will come in very handy. I do not do much garment sewing but you sure make it look easy. Thank you for sharing you knowledge with all of us.
Janet
I would like to know how the easiest way to sew a set-in
sleeve. For me, sleeves always pucker around the sleeve cap.
Lorij
Although I’ve been sewing many years, pants or slacks still cause serious headaches. I’m only 5 ft 31/2 and small through hips. When I buy slacks they nearly always need to be altered and hemmed. It would be wonderful to be able to make my own and have them turn out beautiful so I’d be able to wear them. And thanks for the opportunity to win a book.
Carol
Oh, Nancy. Buttonholes have to be on the top of my list. Even if your sewing of them looks perfect, after they are buttoned and then unbuttoned a few times they begin to look ugly and stretched.
Kathy Banfield
Wrapped corners is my favorite speed-sewing technique! I first saw it in Nancy”s “10-20-30 Minutes To Sew” book that has been my “sewing Bible” for over 20 years! Nancy always surprises me with her clever tricks that make sewing fun!
Judy Iocco
I love all of your tips, the one think that I hate to do the most is fine the grain line in knits and woven fabrics. It seems that many of the fabrics I purchase are off angle even on the bolt. Just matching salvages the cut edges are off. Is there an easy way to fine the grain line. I used to try to follow a line, but my eyes are old and I just can’t do this any more.
beth daniels
I would like to know how to make a dart without it puckering at the small corner end of the dart. How do you get it to be smooth?
Pat Biese
I have been sewing for about 50 years an I am so pleased that Nancy has such a great program. I have been watching her for
as long as I can remember, and enjoy the show and every tip
she give’s to make sewing easier thank you so much Pat
Mary Anne Ahtye
I would like some help with making welted pockets with a flap or without. Any time you have to cut into your fabric and with the expensive of your fabric I want to make sure I don’t make a mistake!
Karen W.
I will be trying the wrap corner technique! Thanks for your great show.
Pat
I think the wrapped corner technique is the best idea I have seen in many a year. Thanks for all your great ideas!
Pat
I think the wrapped corner technique is the best I have seen in years. Thanks for all your great ideas!
Judy G
I have never had a problem sewing collars, although I do love the wrapped corner technique Nancy uses and will be trying it. What I do have a problem with is centering the collar properly. I’m guessing I must not be marking my fabric accurately and am constantly buying new tools to help me mark fabrics. Any tips for flawless marking of fabric, for collars, darts, gathering area, etc.
Alice Cornelson
I struggle with zippers, both regular and hidden. I even bought a special hidden zipper foot which seemed to make my efforts worse than using the regular zipper foot.
Thanks, Nancy, for all of your sewing classes, ideas and books.
Alice Cornelson
AS
Any tips I can learn are always appreciated.
Terri Post
I would appreciate a segment on front blouse plackets.
Kathe Mayer
My biggest problem is binding quilts and getting all the corners to look nice on both sides.
Leanda
This is a brilliant idea! I just don’t like the idea of the zig zag on the undercollar. I am going to try the technique with a straight understitch and see whether I like that better. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. I am teaching my daughter to sew from a distance and this book would be awesome to share for Christmas!
Nancy
I love the wrap corner technique and have used it many many times since I saw Nancy demonstrate it.
thanks for the giveaway….
Berenice
I still struggle with centering zippers. I am lazy and don’t baste!
Starla
I’d like to know more about how to pick the right fabric for various applications.
Starla
I’d like to know more about choosing the correct fabrics for various applications. I also want to learn about using stabilizers.
Kathleen Duncan
How do you keep puckers out of eased in seams?
Julie Willis
I have problems sewing a gathered piece to a flat piece, like sewing a gathered bodice to a flat yoke. Is there a way to do this without a serger?
Ella Liddle
I would love to see how to dress up a tee shirt or sweatshirt with a collar. I have material but just don’t know how to go about putting one one. Thanks for sharing.. : )
Cathryn
Love this series! Being a quilter who is venturing into the “scary” world of garment sewing, one of my trouble areas is fitting the pattern to me. Any absolute easy tips on making patterns fit would be super.
Ella Liddle
I would love to see how to dress up a tee shirt or sweatshirt with a collar. I have material but just don’t know how to go about putting one one. I also have trouble with putting zippers in sweatshirts.Thanks for sharing.. : )
Linda Rupe
I want to know how to do EVERYTHING the absolute easiest Nancy Zieman way! I love that the tips for doing one thing can be used in other applications, like the collar tip might work for cuffs. I use the NZ method of making a reversible sleeveless top in making many other items, including handwarmer muffs.
Susan Burns
All your tips are my favorites, but specifically the way that you present things, step by step, with so much detail that it is impossible to not understand how to do something. Your three step offerings of pattern, tools, and videos are genius, and make all techniques easy to conquer!
Susan Burns
I love all your tips. More importantly, the attention to detail that you provide leave your readers with no chance for failure as they are presented so clearly, and with so much detail that you remove all fear.
Susan Burns
I love all your tips. More importantly, the attention to detail that you provide leave your readers with no chance for failure as they are presented so clearly, and with so much detail, that you remove all fear.
Linda
I know that all machines are different too, but buttonholes—I avoid them.. hate them….I must be making it all way too hard….but just the placement and the stress that they will all actually be the same size……I love all your tips and you are a big part of my mornings as I watch your show…
Flora
I have always sewn but since discovering Nancy I have become more knowledgeable and with all those tips I have become much faster and neater at whatever I sew I get my sewing notions,patterns and books from Nancy’s Notions and know I’m getting quality Items and service I can’t afford sewing classes so I’m self taught and with your guidance have tackled a lot of projects that I didn’t think I could do. So Thank You for all the education and confidence you’ve given me
Teri M
You have helped me take my sewing to new level. All of your techniques are great. I would love to see any tips for using fusible thread, especially in garment sewing.
Diane S.
I would like to know how to prevent stretching when machine hemming a knit top. My hems often look bowed.
Natalie
SO many of your tips have been time & sanity savers, but my very favorite was from 10-20-30 Minutes to Sew: I couldn’t believe how easy & how good-looking the necklines on dresses with center back zippers were when I followed your directions for securing the facings at the zipper openings entirely by machine. I also adapted your method for lining & hemming sleeves all in one step to make a TRULY invisible “hem” on a lined polyester satin skirt.
Karen L.
I would really like to know how, why, and when to use a serger. I had one for a number of years and have only used it a couple of times. For some reason I am intimidated by it and just don’t know what to use it for. And since I am not so good at sewing clothing, your book looks like it might be one I should really look into getting.
Karen
I love your blog as my PBS does not carry your show…and I have asked them why without an answer…Your books, which I have several have helped me tremendously…I can sew garments so much better…but I still have room for improvement! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your life! Keep teaching! Please.
Nancy Zieman
Thank you for your comments. Please let us know which PBS station is is your area. Send that info to [email protected].
Karen, remember that you can watch SWN online at http://www.nancyzieman.com
Heidi
In Part II of Absolute Easiest Way to Sew, you did not use a pressing ham to press the shoulder seam. Please advise why you did not use a pressing ham in this video.
You also did not trim the eased area of the shoulder seam. Why wasn’t that trimmed? Does the untrimmed seam allowance help support the easing at the top of the shoulder? RTW has that seam trimmed…and I do want handmade/homemade look professional.
Thank you!
Nancy Zieman
Hi Heidi, Thank you for your interest in Sewing With Nancy. In the Absolute Easiest Way to Sew, I used non-traditional methods to simplify the sewing process. Please feel free to use a pressing ham when pressing seams. You may also choose to trim, or grade, the seam allowances—if you’d like. This program features speedy sewing tips that do not affect the finished look of the garment.
Yvonnee Berry
Hi, I love your methods of sewing, I have been sewing for over 70 years and you make it simpler than what I was taught! I love your square corners. Please do not stop sharing with others. (I enjoyed meeting you when you were in Charlotte, NC.)
Sherry Lee Crotinger
Nancy, I have enjoyed and learned so many tips from watching you thru the years. I would like to see a series on fitting of pants on actual models, I think that this would help so many of us. I have learned a lot thru experimenting and this can be very frustrating and expensive. Even when you use muslin like fabric. A very special thank you to you and your staff.
Melanie
I really like the tip about sewing a dart with an index card.
Jessie Fyfe
The absolute best tip is the Sewing With Nancy show. I used to watch it all the time when I lived in Maryland, but alas, I can no longer get it where I live now in York, Pa.! I have tried requesting my public television station to carry the show, but to no avail! I don’t know why!
Dorothy
I like the easy tip about collars, mine don’t end up matched. I really had to search my PBS station to find Sewing With Nancy, at first I thought they didn’t carry it. I’m doing a blouse now and will use her collar technique.