How to add a band for botton holes to a shirt!

Hello Friends, today I want to show you the technique I have used to add a band to a shirt with a small V opening at the neck.

It is normal for a button shirt to have the band already included in the same shirt pattern and not separated like it is in my position but  right now in the market there are plenty of shirts patterns like simplicity or vogue that bring the band separated from the shirt.

The reason I am making my shirt with a separated band is because I am trying to make my shirt with a V aperture at the necklace for personal reasons:

1. Because I just hate to have the shirt open all the time flipping around when I don’t have the intention whatsoever of closing those buttons.
2. The other reason is because I enjoy making wearable muslins out of my patterns and new creations.

Steps to make the band:

To begin with, I am going to use buttons 5/8” size. So the calculation for the band is the size of the button multiply for 2 plus ¼’ for seam allowance.  It is important to cut the band on fold like I show you in the picture below.

After you have created your band, I really advise that you make good use of the iron machine, so you can have a good clean and elegant work, plus it makes your job at the sewing machine much easier.

Maybe you feel like skipping the process of the ironing your project but it makes a big difference on the fabric.

Note:

I advise to make the band in bias if your are having a contour necklace like mine , because the fabric on bias has more giving and you can play with it without problems.

Next, Lets add the band, I used many pins to help myself before I sew the band completely to the shirt.

how to attach the band?

solution:

in the open band, make a line in the middle of it, here I show it with purple dots.

right there in the line with purple dots, you are going to place the edge of the shirt, just like I show it in the next picture.

now close the band and start pinning to keep it in place.

Now that we finished pinning all the band up  and down, we are going to fix the hem before we take it to the sewing machine.

I leave a 1"mark for hemline, you can see it in the next picture in grey lines.

 Go ahead and fold your hem line to the wrong side of the fabric or the inside of your project, like in the picture below.

 Pin your hem line already folded to the inside and start to fold the band as well .

Now you must have the band hem line folded and the shirt hem as well like in the picture.

 place your shirt in the inside of the band and pin it so it doesnt move.

 Just like in this picture, we are ready to sew it!

 Here is a picture of my sewing in the inside and the outside of the project!

 I went ahead and make another line of topstitching next to the line before, but much closer to the edge.  It make it look more elegant and professional. but you can finish your topstitching as you please.

 Taran!!! taraaaan!!
like my baby says: here it is my project finished, I have attached a  peter pan collar and some bias band in the armholes.
just a last Note:
the button holes and button opening goes in the same purple doted line, or the middle of the band.
If you have any interest in learning how to make the peter pan collar, I will make it in a different post.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to leave a comment in my blog: http://julieharriscreations.blogspot.com/

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God Bless you and I will be waiting for your guys in my blog.