1. Traditional Method: Cut out your collar and collar lining pieces. Right sides together, sew the Collar (3) to the collar lining (same fabric) leaving the bottom edge open to turn. Use a small stitch length so the corners will turn without bursting when you turn the collar right side out.



TIP - SEW FIRST THEN CUT:
Forget the traditional methods you have learned for making collars! (lol)
This new method takes all the guesswork out and gives you a perfect collar every time.
Make a photo-copy (or tracing) of the collar pattern. Pin the copy to your fabric
and sew through the paper to achieve perfectly sewn corners. Cut out your
collar (through fabric and paper) along the cutting lines and then peel off the paper pattern.
This method can be used for any size or shape of collar.

Note: Sewing through paper may eventually dull your machine needle so use an old one or set aside a needle to use just for this purpose.



Notice the positioning of the lockstitch! Instead of being at the edge of the work it is at the 1/4" mark where it will be the most useful and is in no danger of being trimmed off if it is on a seam that gets trimmed. Use this method from now on in all your sewing for a secure beginning and end to all your seams.



2. Trim off the excess fabric at the corners. This eliminates most of the bulk when turning and makes for a sharper corner.
Seams can also be trimmed down to 1/8" to further eliminate bulk in the sewn edges of the collar.



3. Turn the collar right side out, pushing the corners out sharply. Press the collar along all the sewn edges. Staystitch the lower edges together.



PREPARING THE FACING EDGE
4. After cutting out your Blouse Front (1), pin or lay the blouse front piece on top of a piece of iron-on interfacing and trim away the interfacing along the curved facing edge.
The photo shows the blouse on a larger piece of interfacing just for the photo, all you really need is about a 1" wide strip that totally covers that facing edge.



5. Press the interfacing just along the very edge of the facing in as narrow a strip as possible and trim away the excess.

6. With a small zigzag stitch, finish the edge of the facing sewing through both the fabric and the interfacing. Press the interfacing again to make sure it is as secure as possible along all edges. If any fray threads remain trim them off for a nice clean low-bulk edging to your facing as shown in the close-up photo.

Try this on pants hems, you'll love it! On a straight edge you can cut a thin (less than 1/4") strip of interfacing before pressing it on along the edge.



7. Press the top edge of the facing 1/4" to the inside.



8. Sew the blouse front to the Blouse Back (2) at the shoulder seams and press the seams open.



9. Staystitch and clip the armhole edges.



10. After clipping, trim the armhole edge almost down to the line of staystitching.