Apr 21, 2014

6 razloga zašto izbegavam da šijem po narudžbini


Kad god se pohvalim nekome (posebno ženskoj populaciji) kako znam da šijem, momentalno vidim onaj poseban sjaj u očima svoje sagovornice, koji me ni ne pita, već zahteva, da i njoj napravim makar jedan komad odeće. Neki podrazumevaju da mi plate, drugi se nadaju da bih ja to lako, brzo i besplatno uradila za prijateljicu, rođaku ili koleginicu, a neki prosto ni ne misle da moj rad podrazumeva i neku kompenzaciju. 
Najčešći odgovor koji dobiju je - "Ne šijem po narudžbini". E tada se ljudi zbune, neki čak i uvrede, iz nekog razloga to shvate lično, kao odbijanje da im pomognem.

Štepalica: 6 razloga zašto izbegavam da šijem po narudžbini

Kada sam bila mlađa, takoreći tek napredni početnik, oprobala sam se u šivenju po narudžbini; čak sam svoj prvi novac zaradila na taj način, šijući drugaricama poneku suknju ili haljinu. A onda mi se desio pravi fijasko - napravila sam prijateljici pantalone, kojima nije bila ni malo zadovoljna. Platila mi je preko volje, ali me više nikad nije pitala da joj šijem, a ja sam ostala sa veoma gorkim ukusom u ustima. Tada sam naučila važnu lekciju o ovom zanatu i shvatila da šivenje po narudžbini nikako nije isto kao šivenje za sebe, iz hobija.

Od tada retko kada prihvatam da šijem po narudžbini, a kada prihvatim da radim, to obično veoma skupo naplatim. Obično prihvatam da šijem samo one stvari koje su meni izazov i zanimljive, ostalo odbijam. 

A evo i zašto:

  1. Kada šijem za sebe, imam pravo da pogrešim, upropastim materijal, dignem ruke i batalim sve jer mi se stvar ne sviđa, ne stoji dobro, materijal se ne ponaša kako sam očekivala i slično. Kada šijem za klijenta, ne postoji ta opcija - klijent zahteva gotovu i besprekornu stvar, po svojoj zamisli i merama, i opcije poput "ne mogu" ili "mrzi me" ne dolaze u obzir.
  2. Kada šijem za sebe, tačno znam šta želim da sašijem, znam šta mi stoji i znam koji materijal treba da koristim da bih postigla određeni efekat. Kada šijem za klijenta, uvek postoji mogućnost da nisam dobro razumela njene želje, da taj tip garderobe ne stoji sjajno na njenom telu, ili da materijal koji je odabrala nije adekvatan za željeni tip odeće. Ovo se da rešiti ukoliko mi klijent unapred pokaže sliku gotove iste ili slične garderobe, i ako imam mogućnost da savetujem koji tip materijala da kupi.
  3. Kada šijem za sebe, dobro znam kako da korigujem kroj kako bi mi odeća dobro stajala - da podignem struk na zadnjem delu pantalona, da skratim prsluk na jakni, da napravim izmene za male grudi, i slično. Dobro poznajem svoje telo i navikla sam da šijem stvari za njega. Kada šijem za klijenta, ne poznajem njeno telo, nemam iskustva s tim na šta posebno treba da obratim pažnju. Dakle, sve radim prvi put, i svaki detalj je jednako bitan. A ja nisam profesionalna šnajderka sa velikim iskustvom šivenja po narudžbini, neke stvari mogu i da previdim. Ovo se može rešiti pravljenjem test kroja, na kome bih istestirala sve moguće potencijalne probleme sa krojem i korigovala nedostatke, pre nego što bih zasekla skupo plaćeni materijal koji je klijent doneo.
  4. Kada šijem za sebe, to radim samo onda kada sam raspoložena, odmorna i kada imam veliki poriv da stvaram. Kada šijem za klijenta, to radim onda kada moram, u ograničenom vremenskom roku i bez preteranog radnog elana. I ovde nema pomoći! 
  5. Kada šijem za sebe, na kraju svog truda i rada mogu da obučem svoju lepu garderobu i šepurim se u njoj ponosno. Kada šijem za klijenta, sav moj trud ode u tuđe ruke. Jedina satisfakcija mi je nasmejano lice klijenta. 
  6. Kada šijem za sebe ne, ovo ću precrtati, jer sam htela da pišem o prepravkama odeće. Ja gotovo nikad ne prepravljam odeću! Ne volim to da radim, vodim se onom - lakše ću to od nule sašiti nego prepraviti postojeće. Ne želim da menjam rajsferšluse, skraćujem pantalone, krpim nogavice i rukave, sužavam ili proširujem suknje i jakne, menjam pocepanu postavu. Klijenti, rodbina, komšije mahom žele sinte popravke tog tipa, i za takve popravke najčešće smatraju da ću ja to brzo i lako srediti, te da jednom čokoladom mogu da nadoknade zauvek izgubljeno vreme.
    Ovde moram delimično da se ogradim - za određene osobe, koje ja smatram vrednim mog truda, ovakve prepravke ću uvek uraditi, i nikad neću reći ne, ma koliko mi prepravke bile mrske. Ipak, većinu ću bez pardona odbiti. 
Mislim da sam nabrojala sasvim dovoljno razloga zbog kojih izbegavam da šijem po narudžbini. Ipak, povremeno napravim ustupak, pa upoznam veoma fine ljude, napravim sjajne kreacije, i još budem primećena od strane nekih veoma interesantnih firmi

Štepalica: Haljina od VLISCO materijala
fotografija: Nikola Zamurović

Zanima me - da li šijete po narudžbini? Da li uživate u ovakvoj vrsti rada, i smatrate li da je šivenje po narudžbini isplativo? 

6 Reasons Why I Avoid Custom Sewing


Whenever I tell someone (usually women) I sew, I instantly spot that specific look in the eyes of my interlocutor, which demands (no, it doesn't even ask) me to sew her at least one garment. Some assume they'd pay me, some hope I'd do it easily, quickly and with no fee, but some don't even think my work is worth being paid for.
Most often my reply is - "I don't do custom sewing". However, this response confuses others, some even get offended by it, taking it personally, as if I refused to help them.


When I was much younger, an advanced beginner in sewing, I tried custom sewing; my first pocket money was earned this way, by sewing a skirt or a dress here and there for my friends. And then I faced a total debacle - I sewed a pair of pants for a friend, which she didn't like at all. She paid me unwillingly and never asked me to sew for her again; on the other side, I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth. That's when I learned a valuable lesson about this trade - custom sewing was in no way equal to sewing for myself.

Since then I've been avoiding custom sewing, and when I accept to sew for someone, I usually charge it a lot. And I tend to sew only those garments I find interesting and challenging, while rejecting everything else.

Here's why:
  1. When sewing for myself, I have the right to make a mistake, ruin my fabric, give up because I don't like the garment I'm sewing, or it doesn't fit right, or the fabric doesn't behave as I expected it to, etc. When sewing for a client, there is no such option - the client expects her clothes to be done in arranged time frame, to fit perfectly and to be sewn without a flaw. "I can't" or "I'm not in a mood" are out of the option.
  2. When sewing for myself, I know exactly what I want to make, which type of garment is flattering on me and which fabric to use to make it work. When sewing for a client, there's always a possibility I didn't understand her well, the garment's style doesn't suit her, or the fabric is not appropriate for the garment she wants. This issue can be resolved if the client brings me a picture of the same or similar garment, and if I have an option to advise her on what type of fabric to look for.
  3. When sewing for myself, I know how to make the garment fit me because I know by body well - I know I need to raise the waistline, crop a jacket, make a SBA, etc. When sewing for a client, I don't know her body features well, and I don't know what to pay attention to. Everything I do on her body is my first time and every detail is equally important. And I am not a dressmaker with a long experience in custom sewing, so I can oversee some items. This issue can be solved by making a muslin or toile that would serve for fixing all the problems and fitting adjustments before cutting the fashion fabric. 
  4. When sewing for myself, I sew only when I'm in the right mood, when I'm not tired and when I feel creative. When sewing for a client, I sew when I have to, in a limited time and with no true motivation. And, I'm afraid there's no help for this problem!
  5. When sewing for myself, I can wear the garment after all the effort that's been put into it. When sewing for a client, all my work goes into someone else's hands. The only satisfaction I get is the client's smiling face.
  6. When sewing for myself no, I'll overwrite this, as I was going to write about garment alterations and fixing. I almost never fix my old clothes! I don't like doing it, as I'm guided by an idea that I would rather make something from the scratch than fix an existing garment. I don't want to change broken zippers, shorten pants, mend jeans or sleeves, widen or narrow down skirts and jackets or change the torn lining. The clients, relatives and neighbors usually ask for these small fixes, and think they can pay me with a chocolate.
    However, I do make exceptions in some cases, when the people asking for a favor from me are the ones I find worth the effort. I won't ever reject them, even though I detest fixing clothes. But I'll say no to all others without a problem.
I think I've listed enough reasons why I avoid to custom sew for clients. However, I do make an exception once in awhile, which has lead me to meeting some really nice people, making some great creations, and got me spotted by one of the very interesting companies.

Štepalica: The VLISCO dress
photography: Nikola Zamurović

So I'm interested to know - do you do custom sewing? Do you generally enjoy in this kind of work, and do you think custom sewing is payable?

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Apr 17, 2014

The chevron dress... again


We attended a wedding this weekend, and I found myself in panic over what to wear. So I thought of sewing a new dress, I even bought a fabric for it, but gave up since I realized I was too tired (still recovering from the Zlata skirt sewalong, it dried out my energy) to push myself to make an advanced level dress (the dress should have had interesting details made of a see through tulle). When I'm tired and forcing myself to sew, it's like I'm waiting for a disaster to happen - the experience thought me it's better to stop than to make one mistake after another.

Since I decided not to sew, it occurred to me I could buy a dress, but none of the dresses I found were good enough - they were OK, but made me think I would make them myself much better. It also reminded me of why I almost completely stopped buying new clothes.

Since buying a dress was not an option, I was left thinking I had nothing to wear, since all the dresses I made in the past few years became too small as I've gained a lot of weight. And then I had an a-ha moment - there was a dress that fit me, suitable for the occasion, and that I haven't had a chance to wear yet.

Štepalica: The chevron dress

Štepalica: The chevron dress

Štepalica: The chevron dress

While wearing the dress I noticed an issue with it - the pockets on the dress stand open, due to the stiff fabric the dress is made of (taffeta), making the dress not look quite flattering when looked from the side. Also, when I sit, the skirt rises up and all the fabric is gathered at the waist, making a huge bulk over my stomach - not pretty. I think the dress would fit me much better if the pockets were closed, so I'll try to alter it.
Other than that, the dress is really comfortable, and I actually like it.

Štepalica: The chevron dress

The weather has been changing these days, with sunny and rainy periods swapping during the day, I needed a jacket to wear over the dress, and the Chanel coat seemed to be a perfect match. I only have these two pics to show you the whole outfit, but I think they're good enough.

Štepalica: The chevron dress

Štepalica: The chevron dress


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Haljina sa šarom riblje kosti... još jednom


Ovog vikenda smo išli na svadbu, a ja sam se našla u panici zvanoj - "Šta da obučem". Već sam se odlučila da napravim novu haljinu, čak sam i materijal kupila, ali sam u međuvremenu shvatila da sam toliko umorna i neispavana (i dalje se oporavljam od intenzivnog rada koji me iscrpeo tokom pisanja serijala postova o šivenju Zlata suknje), da prosto nemam snage da šijem komplikovane kreacije (haljina je trebalo da ima zanimljive detalje od providnog tila). Kada sam premorena i forsiram sebe da šijem, kao da čekam katastrofu da se desi - iskustvo je pokazalo da je tada najbolje stati i ne srljati u greške koje su često nepopravljive. 

Pošto sam rešila da ne šijem, palo mi je na pamet da kupim neku haljinu, ali mi se ništa od onog što sam videla nije dopalo - svaka haljina koju bih probala mi je bila "onako" - nije loša, ali ja bih to bolje uradila, ili bih je prepravila. U međuvremenu sam se potsetila zašto sam gotovo prestala da kupujem garderobu.

Pošto je i opcija kupovine haljine otpala, pomislih kako zaista nemam šta da obučem, jer su mi sve stare haljine tesne i male, a nove nisu prikladne za svadbene prilike. A onda se setih da ipak postoji haljina koja mi je taman, koju nikad nisam ni obukla, a koja je veoma adekvatna za ovakvu priliku.

Štepalica: Haljina sa šarom riblje kosti

Štepalica: Haljina sa šarom riblje kosti

Štepalica: Haljina sa šarom riblje kosti

Prilikom nošenja haljine sam primetila jednu stvar koja mi se nije baš dopala - zbog relativno žilavog materijala od kog je napravljena (sintetički taft), džepovi uglavnom stoje prilično otvoreni, što iz profila ne izgleda lepo. Takođe, kada sedim, suknja se prilično podiže, a sav taj materijal koji se popne naviše se naklobuči na stomaku, što uopšte nije lepo. Mislim da bi haljina mnogo bolje stajala kada bih zatvorila džepove, tako da ću to defeinitivno uraditi u narednim danima. 
Mimo ovih par problema, haljina je bila izuzetno udobna za nošenje, tako da sam ipak zadovoljna njome.

Štepalica: Haljina sa šarom riblje kosti

Pošto je trenutno u Srbiji promenljivo vreme, kad se smenjuju intervali sunca i kiše, a temperatura oscilira, trebala mi je neka jaknica preko haljine, a ljubičasti kaputić u Šanel stilu je odlično poslužio svrsi, Nemam ni jednu sliku gde stojim sama, ali verujem da i ove slike na kojima sam sa D. dobro dočaravaju moj stajling.

Štepalica: Haljina sa šarom riblje kosti

Štepalica: Haljina sa šarom riblje kosti


Povezani tekstovi

Apr 14, 2014

Where did I learn to sew?


"Where did you learn to sew?" I've been asked this question by both - the ones who sew and the ones who'd like to learn to sew. Those who sew but aren't very satisfied by their skills and would like to improve their knowledge often do not know where to start from. The ones who'd like to learn to sew are even more confused - they expect perfect results from the start.

Stepalica: Where did I learn to sew?

In my case, the truth is I was self-taught. I started sewing twenty years ago, during a summer holiday when I was in a high school. I was 15 and I had no clue what I was doing. The following thirteen years I sewed by a hunch and learned from my own mistakes. In time I got neater and better, but I still made some serious mistakes while sewing.

I didn't know how to alter patterns to make the clothes fit me nicely - the pants were always sitting too high on the waist at front, while at the back they sat too low due to my protruding rear. Also, most of my garments simply screamed - hand made. I didn't pay enough attention to details - I omitted sewing vent pockets on all the garments, since I didn't know how to make them nicely. If I wanted to have the pockets, I would disguise them under a large pocket flap so that it wouldn't show how lousy they were made. I didn't bother making belts, belt loops, epaulettes and similar details that make a jacket look rich and professionally made. And even if I would force myself to make them I would do it sloppily.

I was guided by a principle - "however it turns out, it's OK". I wasn't aware of the fact that I could control the pattern and alter it according to my body. I was a rather fast and nervous seamstress, speeding up to finish a garment in order to wear it as soon as possible. I avoided fixing the errors I had made while sewing, thinking that pressing would fix the slight pulling by a lining or flatten the gathers that I made by a mistake. It was a big mistake, typical for most of the beginners!

And then 2008 happened, a year that was really important for my sewing career and skills. First I became a member of Burda Style website, where you can find a section with tutorials about various sewing techniques, which I browsed through for months. I think I stopped visiting the website on a daily basis only three years ago; until then I would spend several hours a day browsing through the numerous pics of other people's creations and looking for interesting information. One of the ways of learning was to look at creations, analyze details and compare the used techniques with the ones I was using. The other way of learning was, and still is, trying out new techniques and practicing.

Soon afterwards I discovered a whole new world of sewing related blogs, where I found a lot of information and tutorials about sewing, with lots of details, pics and illustrations and step-by-step descriptions.

The first blog I discovered was Laura's sewing room, where I found several techniques about sewing shirts as well as great instructions for sewing a lining to a jacket. Unfortunately, Laura is not as active with her blogging as she used to be, since she became a mom, but I do hope she'll start writing again soon, since the woman has a lot to show.

After that I discovered Tany and her blog Couture et Tricot. I've learned a lot from her - she writes very detailed posts about sewing and she sews impeccably. I think her blog influenced me the most and was an inspiration to me when I started Stepalica - I wanted to show the same level of details and perfection in my work and on my blog. Tany has also been less active in the last two years as she got a baby, but she's started showing off her new creations recently, which is great.

Then it was Bunny and the blog La Sewista! I was amazed by the smocking and her attention to details. I think it was her blog where I first saw a collar finished by a bias band. Bunny frequently sews gorgeous dresses for her grand daughters, which are works of art. I have to say I was really honored when my blog caught her attention and when she started following me and commenting my work. A great thing is Bunny posts frequently and displays her new creations.

I am very fond of Sigrid's blog. I got ideas for some of my creations from her blog more than once. Sigrid also writes useful tutorials, and she used to run a separate blog that featured numerous tutorials collected from various sewing blogs.

I follow a lot more blogs from which I still learn, and I'll list those that have made the greatest impression on me and that I've learnt the most from. These are the blogs I that inspire me, some give me new and fresh ideas for sewing, the others give me inspiration for writing my own tutorials.
Along with the blogs, I follow Sew News and Threads magazines' websites and I surf through Pinterest a lot, looking for interesting techniques and instructions, that I pin to a separate board of mine.

So, these are my sources of knowledge and inspiration. I've given you a lot of recommendations and sources of information to start from.

Have on mind that sewing is, like any other craft, all about the practice - the more you use a certain technique, the better you'll get at doing it. Finally you'll master sewing well enough to perfectly execute a technique you've never used before, but have only read about it. It happens to me all the time, and with every new method I (successfully) execute, my self-confidence raises. 

I'm sorry I don't have the garments I made ten or more years ago, to show you how differently they were made compared to the newer ones. Of course, the new garments are much neater and prettier.

Related posts

Gde sam naučila da šijem?


"Gde si naučila da šiješ?" Ovo pitanje mi sve češće postavljaju i oni koji šiju i oni koji bi da nauče da šiju. Oni koji umeju da šiju, ali nisu prezadovoljni svojim umećem i voleli bi da avanzuju, često ne znaju odakle da krenu. Pitaju se gde je taj izvor informacija sa kog skupljam svoje znanje? Oni koji nikad nisu šili su tek zbunjeni - očekuju savršene rezultate od prvog šava.

Štepalica: Gde sam naučila da šijem?


U mom slučaju, istina je da sam samouka. Počela sam pre ravno 20 godina, na letnjem raspustu posle prvog razreda gimnazije. Imala sam 15 godina i nisam imala pojma šta radim. Narednih 13 godina sam šila po osećaju, i učila na sopstvenim greškama. Vremenom sam, naravno, bila bolja i urednija, ali sam i dalje poprilično grešila. 

Nisam umela da korigujem krojeve kako bi mi bolje stajali - pantalone su mi, zbog isturene zadnjice, uvek napred bile preduboke, a pozadi jako plitke; nisam znala kako to da popravim. Takođe, moje stvari su vrištale na sav glas - napravljeno u kućnoj radinosti. Nisam posvećivala pažnju detaljima - moja garderoba nije imala džepove, jer nisam umela uredno da ih napravim. Ako sam baš želela da imam jaknu sa džepom, džep sam morala da sakrijem ispod poveće kapne, kako se ne bi videlo koliko je neuredno odrađen paspuliran otvor. Mrzelo me da pravim kaiševe, epolete, gajke za kaiš i slične sitne detalje koji jednu jaknu čine raskošnom i zaista lepom. Čak i kad bih se naterala to da uradim, šila sam na brzaka i traljavo, neuredno. 

Šila sam po principu - "kako god da ispadne, OK je". Nisam imala ideju o tome da bih ja mogla da kontrolišem kroj. Bila sam prilično brza i nervozna krojačica, bilo je bitno da što pre sašijem stvar, da bih mogla da je odmah obučem, pa sam žurila i izbegavala da ispravim greške koje sam usput napravila, misleći da će se neželjeni nabori ili lagano zatezanje postave koja vuče spoljni sloj jakne ispraviti  kada se stvar raspegla - velika zabluda, koja je tako tipična za većinu početnika!

A onda je došla i ta 2008. godina, za mene jako bitna. Prvo sam se učlanila na sajt Burda Style, na kom se nalazi sekcija sa tutorijalima o različitim krojačkim tehnikama, koje sam danima prečešljavala i upijala sve informacije koje su tamo bile izlistane. Mislim da sam tek pre tri godine prestala da intenzivno visim na sajtu; do tada sam svaki dan provodila po par sati dnevno na samom sajtu, pregledajući tuđe kreacije i tražeći korisne informacije. Jedan način učenja za mene je predstavljalo i samo gledanje u tuđe rukotvorine, analiziranje detalja, upoređivanje tehnika koje su drugi koristili sa onim koje sam ja primenjivala. Drugi način je bilo, i još uvek je, isprobavanje novih tehnika u praksi.

Ubrzo sam otkrila i čitav svet blogova o šivenju, na kojima sam našla mnoštvo informacija o različitim tehnikama, tutorijale pojašnjene do detalja, ilustrovane jasnim fotografijama i korak-po-korak opisima.

Prvi blog na koji sam nabasala bio je Laura's sewing room, gde sam videla par tehnika za šivenje košulja, kao i sjajne instrukcije za šivenje postave na jaknama. Na žalost, Laura nije više toliko aktivna na svom blogu, od kako je dobila dete, ali se nadam da će ponovo početi da piše, jer žena zaista ima šta da pokaže.

Potom sam otkila Tany i njen blog Couture et Tricot. Sa njenog bloga sam svašta naučila - žena piše veoma detaljne postove o procesu šivenja, i perfektno šije. Mislim da je njen blog bio najveći uzor kog sam se držala kada sam pokrenula Štepalicu - želela sam da taj nivo detaljnosti i perfekcije predstavim i u svom radu i na svom blogu. I Tany proređeno piše u poslednje vreme, pošto je i ona postala mama nedavno, ali je počela po malo da prikazuje svoje nove stvari, što me jako raduje.

Zatim je usledila Bunny i blog La Sewista! Kod nje me raspametio vez i posvećenost detaljima. Mislim da sam kod nje prvi put videla paspuliranu kragnu. Bunny često šije predivne haljine za svoje unuke, a kreacije su joj prava umetnička dela. Moram da se pohvalim da sam bila izuzetno počastvovana kada joj je moj blog privukao pažnju i kada je počela da ga prati i komentariše moje kreacije. Divna stvar je što Bunny redovno piše, i svako malo prikaže novu sjajnu kreaciju.

Veoma rado pratim i Sigrid, od koje sam nekoliko puta ukrala ideje za svoje kreacije. Sigrid takođe ima lepe tutorialje, a imala je i zaseban blog na kom su bili skupljeni različiti tutorijali sa mnoštva blogova. To je bila prava riznica znanja.

Pratim još mnogo blogova sa kojih i dalje učim, a ovde ću navesti one koji su na mene ostavili najjači utisak, i sa kojih sam najviše ideja i tehnika naučila. To su i blogovi sa kojih često crpim inspiraciju, neki mi daju ideje za šivenje, neki me inspirišu kako da pišem svoje tutorijale.
Pored blogova,  pratim i sajtove Sew News i Threads magazina, i dosta surfujem po Pinterestu, tražeći interesantne detalje, tehnike i tutorijale, koje sakupljam u zaseban album.

Eto, to su moji izvori znanja i inspiracije. Dala sam vam dosta preporuka i izvora informacija odakle možete krenuti. Na žalost, ni jedan blog nije iz regiona, jer ja ne znam ni za jedan koji tematiku šivenja obrađuje na način koji sam imala prilike da vidim na pomenutim blogovima.

Imajte na umu da je šivenje, kao i svaki drugi zanat, stvar prakse - što više puta ponovite određenu tehniku, sve lakše, bolje i urednije ćete je izvesti. Na kraju ćete ovladati šivenjem toliko dobro, da ćete savršeno odraditi i potpuno novu tehniku, koju nikada ranije niste isprobali, a o kojoj ste samo čitali. Meni se to dešava stalno, a sa svakom novom tehnikom koju isprobam (uspešno), skoči mi samopouzdanje još malo.

Žao mi je što trenutno nemam stvari koje sam šila pre desetak godina, rado bih ih uslikala izbliza i pokazala vam razlike koje postoje u odnosu na stvari koje sada pravim - nove stvari su mnogo urednije i preciznije napravljene.

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Apr 10, 2014

How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band


Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

Have you ever tried finishing a collar or a sleeve cuff with a bias band? The process is not very complicated if you're patient enough to execute it neatly. You need a bias band, which should be made of soft and thin fabric - it's usually made of cotton or satin and it's around 4 cm wide. Of course, if you want the detail to be wider, you will need a wider bias band.
The technique I'll show you today can be used for finishing collars on coats and jackets as well as on shirts.

So, cut the collar panels and reinforce them with a fusible interfacing, which should be applied to the wrong side of the fabric.

Run a stitch on the top collar panel, following the shape of the collar. The stitch will be a good sewing guide and it will give you a precise contour of the finished collar.

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

With right sides together, pin the bias band to the collar, following the contour of the previously made stitch. The bias band I used had the sides pressed inwards, so I tried to align the fold line of the band with the stitch line on the collar. If you're using a bias band which doesn't have the sides pressed like mine did, you can align the raw edge of the band with the stitch line on the collar - this will make the process somewhat easier.

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

After pinning the band, I unfolded the raw edge and changed the direction of the pins so that they were perpendicular to the stitch line. I used a dense set of pins on the curves, in order to prevent the fabric from gathering and making folds.

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

Sew the bias band to the collar. Sew with the wrong side of the collar up, and run the seam 0.5 cm away from the previously made stitch. Of course, the new stitch should be placed "inside" the existing one.

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

Cut off the excess seam allowances on the bias band - this will reduce the bulk and make molding the tape around the curves of the collar easier.

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

Press the bias band to the side and sew it to the collar, by positioning the stitch line 0.5 cm away from the fold line. You will notice the band won't lay flat around the curves, which is fine as long as there are no gathers along the stitch line.

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

Clip the band along the curves to make to lay flat. Stop the cuts approximately a millimeter away from the stitch line.
Ideally, the stitch line should match the stitch that we made in the step one.

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

Lay the bottom collar panel over the upper one, with right sides together. Align the raw edges of the two layers and sew them together, by sewing with the upper layer facing up, and sewing over the stitch line made in the previous step.

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

Cut off the seam allowances, making them few millimeters wide.

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

Flip the collar inside out and pin the layers in place.

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

Topstitch the collar, by running the stitch next to the bias band. Optionally you can make the stitch invisible using the stitch in the ditch technique. The top stitching will fix the collar so that it doesn't deform after washing and wearing the shirt.

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

 Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band

You can use the same technique to finish the sleeve cuffs and the button placket.
Note: When working on a sleeve cuff, the final topstitching should be done after the cuff is sewed to the sleeve.

Štepalica: How to finish a shirt collar with a bias band


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Kako paspulirati kragnu


Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Da li ste probali kad da paspulirate kragnu ili manžetne? Postupak nije mnogo komplikovan, ako ste dovoljno strpljivi da ga precizno odradite. Potrebna vam je paspul traka, tj. traka sečena pod uglom od 45 stepeni u odnosu na pravac tkanja materijala. Poželjno je da traka bude od mekog i tankog materijala, obično se pravi od pamuka ili satena, i da bude oko 4 cm široka. Naravno, ako želite da paspul bude širi od prikazanog na košulji, trebaće vam i šira traka. 
Tehnuku koju ću vam ovde pokazati možete koristiti i za paspuliranje kragni na jaknama i kaputima.

Dakle, iskrojte krojne delove za kragnu, pa na naličje materijala nalepite lepljivo platno.

Proštepajte gornji sloj kragne duž same ivice šava. Štep će vam biti odličan graničnik za šivenje i daće vam preciznu konturu kragne i oblik koji će imati kada bude gotova.

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Prateći konturu štepa, pričvrstite paspul traku za kragnu, postavljajući je licem prema licu kragne. Pošto je paspul traka bila prepeglana, gledala sam da se štep na kragni poklapa sa pregibom paspul trake. Ukoliko je vaša paspul traka raspeglana, možete poravnati njenu ivicu sa štepom, biće vam lakše za manevrisanje.

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Potom sam otvorila paspul traku duž pregiba, a pravac špenadli promenila tako da budu normalno postavljene u odnosu na pravac štepanja. Na prevoju kragne sam koristila gust niz špenadli, kako bih se osigurala da se tkanina nigde ne pregiba, kao i da prati oblik kragne.

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Prišijte traku za kragnu, šijući s naličja kragne, i postavljajući štep na 0.5 cm od prvobitno proštepane linije. Naravno, štep postavite unutar postojećeg. 

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Otsecite dodatak za šav na paspul traci, kako biste smanjili zadebljanje materijala, ali i da biste olakšali njeno oblikovanje prema zadatim krivim konturama.

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Prepeglajte paspul traku ka spoljnoj ivici kragne, pa je prišijte za kragnu, postavljajući šav na 0.5 cm od ivice pregiba trake. Primetićete da traka ne stoji ravno na uglovima kragne, to je u redu, ukoliko je traka proštepana tako da nema nikakvih pregiba tkanine duž linije štepa.

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Da bi paspul traka ravno legla na kragnu, zasecite dodatke za šavove normalno u odnosu na liniju štepa, zaustavljajući rez na par milimetara od samog štepa.
U idealnim uslovima, poslednji štep bi trebalo da se savršeno poklopi sa štepom iz prvog koraka.

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Postavite panel za donji sloj kragne preko gornjeg, licem materijala prema licu. Poravnajte ivice, pa prišijte slojeve materijala, šijući po liniji šava koji ste napravili u prethodnom koraku. 

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Suzite dodatke za šavove, tako da budu tek nekoliko milimetara široki.

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Izvrnite kragnu iznutra ka spolja, pa špenadlama pričvrstite slojeve materijala.

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Kragnu proštepajte šijući s gornje strane, tik uz paspul traku. Na ovaj način ćete je fiksirati tako da se ne deformiše posle pranja i nošenja.

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

 Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu

Isti princip možete primeniti i na manžetnama rukava, kao i na traci za kopčanje košulje.
Napomena: Kada radite sa manžetnom rukava, poslednji šav, koji štepate uz paspul traku, proštepajte tek nakon što ste manžetnu prišili za rukav.

Štepalica: Kako paspulirati kragnu


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