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TOOLS
Freezer Paper
The best pattern paper. Iron on a wool setting and it sticks to fabric. Reusable, durable, and transparent enough for tracing.
Tracing Wheel
Spokes aren't too sharp and it works well to trace a temporary line on fabric or paper.
Wavy Rotary Blade
Use in place of pinking shears, quickly trim outside edges of circles.
Forum Posts
Leah Boyan
Dec 18, 2020
In Band Sample
A way we sew collar bands works for all kinds of collars. Here’s a round collar band on a blouse made from poly double georgette crepe. A round collar band lies flat against the neck, it doesn’t ‘stand up’ like a classic collar band, but the technique is the same.
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Leah Boyan
Nov 06, 2020
In Band Sample
My friend has a great shirt collection and he was kind enough to allow me to photograph some details. I love the hidden button down collar, different inner band fabric, and the trim at the neck.
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Leah Boyan
Nov 05, 2020
In Shirt Make Along
Here’s a quick tip for matching stripes on the cross grain: draw a guideline perpendicular to the grain line on the sleeve and front and black pattern pieces, as shown in the picture. Make sure the line is at the same position - about an inch below the armscye - on all pieces. Use this to align your stripe across all the main body parts of the shirt. This will make sure your front matches the sleeves and the sleeve matches the back.
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Leah Boyan
Oct 20, 2020
In Band Sample
I drafted a band pattern using my updated drafting techniques and would love to share it with my band mates. The size drafted is a 16.5 and a 17, but you can easily change it to any measurement by changing the center back. I'll put together a quick video on how to adjust the band length. I'd be honored if you have a chance to try it out. The band pattern will be available as a download on the shop page in the next day or two. In the mean time, I'd love to hear from you! How's the band practice going?
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Leah Boyan
Oct 18, 2020
In Band Sample
Hello fellow band mates! I’ve completed the new band draft following the Mike Maldonado drafting instructions. When I started this thread, I was trying to figure out how to get a parallel CF and CB band draft. All the other patterns I’d seen, the CF is angled. Well, here’s the results! It sure does make that front extension look crisp:
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Leah Boyan
Oct 13, 2020
In Band Sample
Hello my fellow October All About the Band mates! My observation of sewists is they love to learn - and they love to show off what they just learned. Which is very much why I LOVE sewists and am honored to count myself amongst them. So, what did I learn? A TON - once again, from Mike Maldonado’s shirtmaking institute (www.shirtmakinginstitute.com or mikemoldanoado.com). He’s got collar band draft videos that are so so so spot on for what I’m seeking to learn right now, that I just had to post again!
Here’s another video of me talking about collar band length - but what I find so fascinating is the outer versus the inner band. The Ralf Loren shirts I knock off from my DH’s closet all have the OUTER band interfaced. But the beautiful, stunning, and oh so custom looking “Measure Up” shirts I knocked off from a friend have the INNER band interfaced.
Regardless, there is a tale of two bands to tell here. The band that is interfaced is smaller than the non-interfaced band. And why would that be...my first inclination is to respond: well, duh. When you apply interfacing (heat, steam, whatever) it shrinks. Yes. Shrinkage!
But there is also geometry involved. If you interface the inner band, that will be smaller, and the excess fabric of the non-interfaced (outer) band with be eased in, and this process with help the band roll around the neck. However, I have observed this application to be true regardless of whether the outer or the inner band is interfaced. Clearly, I’m new here.
What do you think? Are you an outie or an innie? Do you want to discover which you are?
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Leah Boyan
Oct 13, 2020
In Band Sample
For those following my ABB posts, I’m obsessed with grain line and how to draft a collar band. Enter...Mike Maldonado (mikemaldanodo.com - aka shirtmakiginstitute.com). If you aren’t familiar with Mike, you are about to be introduced to “old time” methods from a friendly expert. I was humbled and (ok, I’m bragging now) delighted to discover many of the approaches I’d “discovered” on my own are already a part of Mike’s standard collar practice. It was validating, but also a reminder that we all come to our tried and true techniques through our own practice. Once again, it’s not THE way, it’s A way. What a great way to approach life!
But back to the collar band. See the attached video to follow me with my observation of grain. Mike’s draft also has the center front on grain (parallel) to center back. He notes that European drafters tend to kick up the center front to be off grain. Note my drafted collar band (the Mike way) versus the Burda pattern (more along the Euro vision of collar bands).
What are your experiences with drafting or wearing collar bands?
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Leah Boyan
Oct 12, 2020
In General Discussions
@Tracing tip to avoid the “V” shape at center back.
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Leah Boyan
Oct 07, 2020
In Band Sample
Here’s an excellent video explanation for different band shapes. This helps explain why shirts might not fit after attaching the collar band.
https://youtu.be/bSbxMuZPIEQ
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Leah Boyan
Oct 04, 2020
In Band Sample
Here are two examples of more formal, dressier style shirts. Notice the interfacing is on the inner collar band. Notice also that the outer band has a lot of ‘ease’ built in. That helps the band wrap around the neck.
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Leah Boyan
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