How to Sew a Turtleneck
Always in fashion, turtlenecks are comfortable when the weather turns cool. These long sleeved, high-necked tops are easy to sew and making your own means you can choose your own colors and designs, since double-knit fabrics come in all kinds of prints and solids. Turtlenecks look good under sweaters, jackets or alone and while casual, are suitable to wear in most work environments. Like jeans, men, women and children can wear turtlenecks.
Instructions
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Choose the fabric and pattern.
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Open the fabric for the turtleneck. Lift one side at the selvage so that it lies next to the center of the fabric and do the same with the other side. The front and back of a turtleneck do not have center seams, so you have to fold the fabric to create two folds instead of one. Almost all double-knit fabric suitable for turtlenecks comes in 54 to 60 inches wide. Pin the front and back pattern to the fabric and cut with the scissors. Fold the fabric back to its original layout to cut the rest of the turtleneck.
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Pin the front and back shoulders together and sew the seams using a narrow zigzag stitch. A zigzag stitch has more flexibility in it than a straight stitched seam, which can pull out in knit garments.
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Sew the neck together as the pattern recommends, turn it right side out and pin it to the right side of the garment, matching the notches. You need to stretch the collar evenly across the neckline to fit it to the neck. Sew it down with the narrow zigzag stitch twice to add reinforcement to the seam. The neck and collar on a turtleneck receive the most stretching and the second seam reinforces the neckline.
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Place the right side of the sleeves and the turtleneck together, matching the notches and pinning as you go. Sew the seams together.
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Turn the garment inside out and match the notches for the front and back and the sleeves. Pin to hold the sides together. Using the narrow zigzag stitch, sew these seams together.
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Sew the cuffs together and pin them to the base of the sleeves. Like the collar, you need to stretch the cuffs evenly to fit over the end of the sleeves. Double seam the cuffs to the sleeves, just as you did for the neck.
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Set up the ironing board and turn the iron on. Turn a 3/8 inch hem for the bottom toward the wrong side of the fabric and press it in place. Make another hem as the pattern directions instruct, typically about an inch wide. Press down and sew the hem using a straight stitch, backstitching at both the beginning and ending of the hem. Sewing machines can go forward and backward and the backstitch secures the seam. Trim all the loose thread and press the turtleneck.
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References
- Photo Credit Creatas/Creatas/Getty Images
