Pattern Remix. A pleated collar tutorial. (And you can make it for under $5)

Did you see us over at Me Sew Crazy yesterday and the "School Girl Dress?" Today is the tutorial for the pleated collar from that dress.

One thing I love is classic styles...and this pleated collar is one of those classic styles that you can add to any dress to make it lovely.

Here's how you do it.

Step 1

The first thing that you are going to do it pleat your rectangle of fabric. I think it is much easier to do it this way and then cut your collar after. If you need a tutorial for pleating go HERE. Also, I did an outward pleat in the middle and then followed on the sides with pleats going the same way as my middle one, as shown in this picture. IMPORTANT...baste these pleats down.

(Don't mind some of the marks...I was a bit mathematically challenged at first and marked one side wrong.  Thank goodness for disappearing ink!)

Step 2

Cut 2 collar pieces one for the front and one for the back. The front collar piece will be the pleated piece and the back I just used a flat cotton. I made a bib collar piece by tracing a bodice, but you could also use a store bought pattern that has a collar in it. Baste the collar pleats again after you cut the collar, at the top and at the bottom.

Now pin your piping to the front of the collar (the pleated peice as shown) and stitch as close to the piping as you can. Use your zipper foot.

Step 3

Pin your collar back (with right sides together) on top of the pleated front and stitch again...exactly where you did in step 2...around the piping.

Step 4

Clip edges of the circle of collar and turn right side out. Press well. (Sorry for the shadow at the bottom--it looks uneven but in real life it isn't.)

Step 5

Topstitch around piping for a nice finished look. Add collar into dress by sandwiching collar in between dress front and neck facings and then sew into shoulder seams. I stitched some fabric-covered buttons onto the collar for my school girl look, but you could also leave it plain. 

Happy Sewing!