Shawl Collars: Whistler Tips and Tricks

In the winter, you’ll find me somehow my neck whether its with a scarf, cowl sweater, or both. What can I say, my neck feeling cold makes my whole body feel cold. So when the Whistler was set for a re-release, I had to jump in on the testing. I love that shawl collar look, super cozy, perfect for chilly winter days/nights.

It comes in shirt, tunic, and now dress length! You can make one with folded over hem (like I did) or banded hem; and there is also a hood option. This pattern will make the perfect top for those virtual meetings and conference calls.

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I had not made the Whistler before testing and I was a bit intimidated by the collar construction. It may have sat on the cutting table, all cut out for a day, before I could wrap my head around it. So, I want to share my thoughts, tips, and tricks with you.

Stabilize Collars

When sewing the shawl collar with less stable fabric, (i.e. baby French terry or lightweight French terry, or anything with a little less body) you want to stabilize the collar so it sits nicely. Cotton twill tape works nicely here.

Side note about cotton twill tape – I bought mine in bulk in 5/8″ width, so I will cut down the middle to use as a thinner strip. I got this one, both in black and white, and use it mainly for shoulder seams. Something I learned the hard way is to wash the tape before using. Otherwise, it will shrink and shrink the seam along with it. Trust me on this one.

Then, while the two sides together, lay the tape down at the seam. The looper threads enclose the tape perfectly. This would be the same procedure if you were using a zig-zag stitch on your sewing machine.

Understitching

After sewing/serging the two sides of the collar pieces, the instructions call for an optional topstitching. If you are not a fan of topstitching, understitch. Understitching is the process of sewing the seam allowance to the lining fabric; it prevents the lining or facing from rolling over to the outside.

How to Understitch

First press the seam allowance to one side, this will be the side that gets folded under. Then with right side up, stitch right next to the seam, on the side that has the seam allowance.

Basting

With the two collar pieces joined, I found it easier than pins to hand baste the open side of the collar. This ensures a smooth finish when attaching to the front pieces.

Attaching Pocket Piece

I have a couple videos to attach the pocket piece. I like using my serger for a clean and fast finish. So instead of sewing the entire pocket piece on the sewing machine, like the instructions, I only did the few sections that were finicky. Like the the pocket corners and the where the collar pivots up. I added a video to Instagram to show how I did it, here.

Serging Around Corners

Serging around corners is easy to do, and if prevents thread tails and having to tuck them in. (I’m lazy about them, so if I can get away with not having thread tails to tuck, I will take it!)

First, serge down the line and slow down as you approach corner. You want to stop about 1/4″ away from the corner. Sometimes I use my hand wheel to get to the right spot. Now raise your needle up by turning the hand wheel towards you. Then do a slight turn away from you. This backwards motion releases some of the tension on the thread and allows you to move the fabric more easily. Lift the presser foot, and rotate your fabric, lining up the corner with the needle. Bring your presser foot down and proceed as usual. To visualize what I mean, check out this video.

Pressing

After putting the pieces together, I was a bit disappointed with how it looked. And you may see it too, the pockets not sitting flat and the seam looks wonky. But don’t worry! Bring out the iron and press those pockets and seams down. It helps if you have a pressing ham to work the curves. It will look so much better, promise!

Get your Whistler!

I hope these tips help you with your Whistler‘s shawl collar and you are not as intimidated as I was when I first started sewing this pattern.

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