Darling Ranges dress sewalong: placket & neckline

Today we are going to tackle the Darling Ranges dress neckline and placket. I know the placket may seem daunting – but I promise if you take it slowly and carefully it will all make sense and work out beautifully!

I love this method for creating the placket and neckline together, as I think it results in a really neat and fluid line of sewing.

Alrightly, lets get started!

Staystitch 1/4″ (0.6cm) along the edge of the neckline to prevent the neckline stretching during construction.

First things first – turn your iron on and get a ruler out. Attach fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric on both plackets (Mine is a little short. Whoops!).

With garment inside out (i.e. wrong side facing you) – fold the placket front inwards along the line indicated on the pattern (about ½” / 1.3cm) and press.

 Create your long bias strip by placing the three shorter strips together at right angles, right sides together. Sew diagonally, and trim.

Take your bias strip and fold it in half width ways, with wrong sides together. Press.

Alternately you may use store bought bias tape.

Now (and this may seem counter-intuitive, but trust me, just go with it) turn the dress the right way round (i.e. right side of fabric facing you) and fold the placket toward the right side along the line indicated. Pin along the neckline.

Begin pinning the bias tape to the neckline with the raw edges of the bias facing lining up with the raw edge of the neckline – do so all the way around the neckline.

Trim the additional bias facing, so that the facing is very slightly shorter than the neckline edge as shown above. Sew ¼” (0.6cm) from the raw edge, starting at the front of the neckline around the back to the front on the other side. Sew through all 3 layers of fabric. As always, make sure that you backstitch at the beginning and end of sewing.

Clip the seam allowance along the back neckline.

Now fold the bias tape inside, towards the wrong side of the fabric encasing the raw edges, and pin all the way along the neckline. Fold the placket inwards along the line indicated on the pattern ( 1 ¼” / 3.2cm) and pin. Sew very close to the edge along the placket and neckline.

Press the neckline and placket. – Then take a deep breath, because now you’re done!

// LOOKING FOR MORE TUTORIALS? //

Here’s the full list of Darling Ranges tutorials:

• Project preparation
• Pattern alterations: full bust adjustment
• Pattern alterations: small bust adjustment
• Pattern alterations: lengthen the bodice
• Pattern alterations: raise the neckline
• Pattern alterations: rounded neckline
• Pattern alterations: fishtail hem
• Pattern alterations: add darts to the back bodice pattern piece
• Sewing & construction: Bodice & darts
• Sewing & construction: Skirt & pockets
• Sewing & construction: Attaching the skirt & bodice
• Sewing & construction: Placket & Neckline
• Sewing & construction: Sleeveless version
• Sewing & construction: Attaching the sleeves
• Sewing & construction: Hemming
• Sewing & construction: Ties & beltloops
• Sewing & construction: Closures
• Sewing and Construction: Sleeveless variation
• Sewing and Construction: Dartless Versions (V2 &V3)

Don’t have the Darling Ranges sewing pattern yet? Get it in store here! We absolutely love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to tag your creations with #MNdarlingranges and @megannielsenpatterns if sharing on social media.