Have you ever wondered how to sew a neckband? I know neckbands can be kind of tricky when you first learn to make shirts. I see a lot of people that get frustrated with them, because the neckband just doesn’t turn out like they want. One of the major things to remember is that the shoulder seams are not a quarter point of the neck opening. This will make more sense once you watch the video.
The pattern I used for this shirt in both the video and images below is the Rowan Tee from Titchy Threads. All fabrics are cotton lycra and are from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. I really like using cotton lycra for shirts for the kids. It holds up well and usually has a lot of fun prints. Now on to the tutorial!
Make the Neckband Piece
Cut out your neckband piece according to the directions in the tutorial.
With right sides together, fold in half so short ends meet.
Sew or serge the short ends together.
Fold in half long ways with wrong sides together and press with your iron. This should put your seam on the inside of the neckband.
Sew the Neckband
Mark both your neckband and the neck opening of the shirt in quarters. Remember that the shoulder seams will not be the quarter points. For a better explanation, watch the above video at the 3:15 point.
With right sides together, attach the neckband to the neck opening, matching up the quarter points and the raw edges. I prefer to put the seam of the neckband on the back of the shirt.
Serge or sew together along the raw edge using the seam allowance in the pattern instructions.
Press with the seam allowance toward the shirt.
Top stitch with a coverstitch machine or sewing machine and press one last time. Now stand back and admire your wonderful neckband!
I also have a post on how to sew a raglan neckband, which is essentially the same, but might be helpful to see more pictures of how to attach a neckband. Again, one of the most important parts is to remember that any seams are not necessarily the quarter points. This is because the front should be lower than the back, therefore making a quarter point farther forward than the shoulder seams.
I hope both the video and the picture tutorial helped you sew a beautiful neckband onto your shirt.
