How to Sew a Neckband Neckline for a Knit Garment By Sara Johansen
One of the most common ways to finish a knit garment neckline is with a neckband. It’s not difficult but can take some practice to get it laying just right. You can use a ribbed knit fabric or the same fabric as your knit garment. I have a couple of tricks I like to use to prevent having to unpick the neckband (which often times can ruin and stretch out the neckline beyond repair).
How to Sew a Neckband Finish
- First up make sure your shoulder seams are sewn right sides together and finish using your preferred method. I used my Baby Lock Celebrate serger.
- Now we will insert the neckband. I decided to use the same fabric as the rest of my garment for this particular dress. Grab the neck band piece and pin the two edges right sides together creating a circle. Sew and press. Fold the band in half wrong sides together and press.
- Now using sewing pins divide your band and neckline into 4ths. This will help us evenly distribute the neckband into the neckline. The neck band is slightly smaller than the neckline which will help pull the neckline in to fit nice and snug as well as lay flat.
- Now pin the raw edges of the neck band into the neckline right sides together matching the quartered pins. Match the seam of the neckband with the center back pin on the bodice.
- Pin the rest of the neckband to the neckline easing it in. You will have to stretch out the band slightly to fit into the neckline- this means it’s fitting nicely and will pull the neckline in. If you don’t need to ease the neckband in too much the neckband piece may be too long.
- Next we will need a sewing machine. I ALWAYS baste my neckline in first to make sure it fits in nicely. This saves me both time and a potentially ruined neckline if I need to unpick it. Before we begin sewing set the stitch length to 4.0. Then using a straight stitch baste the neckband to the neck edge at about 1/4″ seam allowance.
- My next tip is to try on the bodice!! I always try on my knit project at this point to see how the band lays. If it lays flat you are good to go but if it seems kind of loose and wonky- then your neckband piece is too long. Unpick the neckband trim off a little bit of length and try again if needed.
- Once you are happy with the fit of the neckline serge the neckband to the neckline. Press.
