How to… Reshape a neckline
Love a style but fancy changing up the neckline? Learn how to create the shape and fit you want with Kim’s neckline hacking advice.
Kim is one of our trusted pattern testers and samplers and is always coming up with great ideas to get the most out of our patterns and make them her own way. Here she is with a great hack for her favourite pattern, the Cosy Jersey Tunic and Dress.
“ I loved the shape of the MHW Cosy Jersey tunic and knew I wanted to make one. It’s exactly what it says – cosy and made of jersey, and the absolute clincher is those gorgeous, spacious pockets!!
I prefer my necklines higher than the V neck in the pattern, so I set about making adjustments to that section of the pattern, lifting the neckline by 4.5 cms (using the neck on my favourite T shirt as inspiration). I stuck a piece of card under the front pattern piece and drew a straight line upwards, which added to the length of the edge which goes on the fold. Then I measured 4.5 cms up along this line, marked where I wanted the centre of the new neckline to sit and cut the card along this line (point A on the image below).
Looking at the original pattern piece I saw that the lines for the different sizes deviated at the point I have labelled B, so this is where I started to sketch the curve of my new neckline in pencil. I chose the pencil line I liked the most, inked it in and cut along that line to create the new neckline shape. Then I drafted a new front facing piece out of card.
I made sure that the shoulder width was the same as the back facing pattern piece and the curve at the front mirrored the new neckline shape. I made the facing pattern piece a consistent width as I intended to topstitch along the edge to make it neat.
And that’s it! It was pretty simple to do, and it turned out just how I wanted it.”
Cosy Jersey
Necklines with facings or linings are easy to hack so don’t be afraid to change up a neckline to suit your tastes and style.
