Cashmerette Concord V neckline alteration

Cashmerette Concord V neckline

 I took my Cashmerette Concord tee tunic with V neckline to class a few weeks ago as I just couldn’t wear the top - the neckline was just so loose and baggy, due to me having used too long a band length. I took apart, tried to redo - but it was no better. I decided that if I could find the fabric, I would re-cut the band to the length I measured after pinning it appropriately -  a lot shorter than it was originally. I also planned to cut the band slightly wider as I find the neckline too low and too wide, despite having raised it. However, after lots of searching I couldn’t find the fabric. I think I may have given the rest away when I thought I had finished the top. I now give fabric to Chris for her pouffe (stuffing) but at that time I was destashing scraps elsewhere so there is no option to retrieve. The end result was that I HAD  to make this band work somehow!

 

This time, I uses a zigzag stitch around the neckline -
first time, over the overlocking, I could only get a straight stitch to work

Each term in class, we choose some goals. My goal this term should have been armhole and neckline finishes! I’ve had so many problems with them...

I managed to get the original band, now shortened by around 4”, to work on the Cashmerette tee.

The most worrying part was the point of the V, which had extended - that is, the snipping appeared to be longer and the fabric was wider at that point. However, I stay stitched to the new point. Then, using the length I had chosen from the previous attempt, I stitched the two ends of the band together as per Cashmerette’s instructions. I marked off quarters on that and on the neckline. The band was narrower in some places where the previous overlocking had cut some off, so I had to be careful to pin accurately - at least as well as I could.

I panicked that I had got it completely wrong, as my band seemed MUCH too short, until I realised that by machine basting the two layers of the band together at the seam edges, I had stopped it stretching. After I removed that stitching , all was well. (my original band was hand basted, and while it could stretch more than this machine basted one, perhaps that contributed to the band being far too long)

Then I chose to follow a particular stripe while I was sewing, using a very narrow zigzag stitch.I didn’t  get my wish to make the band wider as that just wasn't possible using the original band  - but at least it’s not too much narrower!

As the seam at the back, that is between the band and the body of the tee, is much narrower than previously as the fabric had previously been trimmed and overlocked, I chose not to overlock it this time. I then top stitched around the neckline using a wide zigzag stitch in pale blue, as I did on sleeves and hemline. Clearly, a coverstitch machine would have given a much nicer and more professional finish - but I don’t have one.

It’s finished - at least as much as I’m ever going to do on it. I still find it too low for my liking so I may choose to wear a scarf or a big necklace with it! At least it seems to lie better. Only time will tell, of course.

The finished neckline. It is far from perfect but is hopefully now wearable