[Smallbod]

Any help/advice appreciated. Am restarting dressmaking after short gap of about 20 years and I'm realising its not only a short term memory problem that I'm getting with age.

Making linen dress with square neckline - and haven't a clue what to do with it to "hem" the neckline. If I mitre - what happens at the corners - wouldn't that fray?

I've looked in my books & web & no joy at all.

Thanks in advance.
SM

[blueprairie]

You'll want to cut a facing from the same pattern as the neckline, cleanfinish the edges, and clip, clip, clip.

Depending on how low-cut you have made the dress, you'll also want to stay it.

[Pauline]

Yes and you'll want to add interfacing for support if you want it to look crisp or use none if you want a soft natural look.

Once you have applied the facing as blueprairie suggested, layer trim the seams to reduce bulk gradually. Trim one layer to about 3-4 mm and another to 5 to 6mmm to graduate the bulk. Sometimes even less - judge your fabric. The clipping will help it lay flat. If you understitch the seam by stitching very close to the seamline through the layers of the seam turnings on the side of the turnings. this will help the facing lay flatter. This technique can also be done by hand backstitching and have pin dot stitches.

If you have not done a sharp corner in a while try it on scraps. You can try several ways to find the best for that fabric. Try leaving the machine needle in the work and turing the corner manually by turning the wheel one complete revolution or try taking one single stitch across the corner on samples to see the best corner result once clipped.

If you want a soft look and don't interface it (not advisable on squares) use just a little 1 cm square interfacing support in the corner or stay tape it as Shay suggested.

Good luck.

[Smallbod]

guys

thanks for your help. sorry about the slow reply - but i was lying down in a dark room wondering why i'd suddenly decided to take up sewing again )

the facing worked a treat as did the stitching. many thanks again
SM

[fabricjunkie]

I know this is an old posting, but I will add a couple of tips from what I learned at NYC Fashion Institute of technology.
Reduce the stitch length to small stich at the corner - that way you don't have to worry about fraying.
A comparable tip that I learned there (and I had been sewing for 20 years) was to reduce the stitch length on crurves. Makes more much smoother curve lines and no worries about fraying when you clip. Also, clip small wedges on curves to reduce bulk.

[blueprairie]

Any help/advice appreciated. Am restarting dressmaking after short gap of about
Making linen dress with square neckline - and haven't a clue what to do with it to "hem" the neckline.  If I mitre - what happens at the corners - wouldn't that fray?

Draft a facing from the bodice pattern and clean finish the edges. Trim and clip after sewing, and if the square is at all deep, be sure to stay it.

[Pauline]

Draft a facing from the bodice pattern and clean finish the edges.  Trim and clip after sewing, and if the square is at all deep, be sure to stay it.

Yes strip of stay tape (can be twill or very narrow 3mm modern plastic tapes) placed on the seam line can help keep the shape.