Turning a Shirt Collar

A post from completely cauchy partly about handwork and enjoying the experience of the process of making -- cooking, needlework, sewing -- made me remember the shirts hanging on the back of our bedroom door, waiting for me to turn the collars.  David is rather hard on his shirts, his work "with computers" being only partly a desk job -- often he is instead out in the field, crawling behind hardware racks, up ladders, under dolly track, &c. &c. &c.  Sometimes he'll come home and say, "Sorry, honey," with a tear in the middle of his (new!!) shirt, but more often it's just the collar that gets worn down over time.  For a while, I was just saying "oh well!" and cutting the perfectly-good remaining fabric into squares for a quilt-to-be, but then I realized that I could turn the collars, as women have done for decades if not longer, to extend the lives of their menfolks' shirts.  (Now, I realize that this might make me sound like one of those ultra-conservative wife-stays-at-home women, and I'm actually quite liberal and feminist, but I also happen to be one of those lucky ones who can still afford to stay home with the kids, and so I think it's only fair that I economize where I can.  It also doesn't come quite naturally to me to do so, to be honest, but that's all the more reason to reassure anyone who stops by here that it isn't difficult to turn a shirt collar, and why not take half an hour to save yourself twenty bucks, and reduce your carbon footprint while you're at it?!)

I hadn't done this for a while, so I looked up a tutorial or two the other day, and was saddened to find a number of comments on boards and whatnot saying, "it's too hard!" or "ugh, I just buy a new shirt".  It's not hard at all -- and I am still what I consider to be an advanced beginner at sewing, or maybe a beginning intermediate, so if I think it's easy, it really is.  For some reason, I find this a lot less trouble than setting a collar in a new shirt -- maybe the fact that the fabric is already used to being a collar, as it were -- so if that's putting you off, don't let it.  The only thing you really do need is a sewing machine, as while it certainly can be done without one, I wouldn't call it a simple matter then, unless perhaps you're a re-enactor! and used to stitching miles and miles of seams by hand.

I haven't seen the extra step of pinning both sides of the collar in other tutorials or instructions, but I've found it very helpful, myself.

How to Turn a Shirt Collar

You can’t turn collars with sewn-in stays or with pockets on the underside for removable stays, but you can certainly turn plain ones that look the same on front and back, including button-down collars. Some higher-end shirts draft the collar with a slightly narrower piece of fabric on the underside, so that the collar curves subtly around the neck when worn, but most mid-range dress shirts can certainly have their collars turned with good results. It is not difficult, even for a determined beginner, and takes less than a half-hour!

You can also turn worn sleeve cuffs the same way, but you will have to do both cuffs, and switch the left and right cuffs when you turn them inside out, so that the buttons and holes will be facing the “right” way!

Carefully pick out the existing stitches, using a seam ripper. Start at least an inch or so from the end of the collar, and work on the outside of the collar stand, the part that is covered when the collar is folded, and aiming the ripper towards the stand, so that if the ripper slips, the right-side-to-be of the collar doesn't get damaged.

There may be two lines of original stitching, the seam and a line of top-stitching -- don't try to pick out the top-stitching first, as this is crazy-making.  Just winkle out a stitch or two from the seam itself -- once you get an inch or so open, it will go much easier.  If it helps, go ahead and pick out some of the top-stitching first.

There will probably be a line of basting stitches, which you can see in this photo, basting together the two sides of the collar and its interfacing -- leave these in place.  You don't need to worry about accidentally picking them out, as they are usually far enough away from the seam you are ripping.

Once you have ripped out a good section, work back in the other direction until you just release the end of the collar from the stand.  Having this point still secured will help you to center the flipped collar back into the stand evenly.

Clean off any remaining loose threads, and flip over the collar so that the worn part will be underneath when the collar is folded down.

Pin the collar back into place, between the two sides of the stand, matching up the original line of stitches. Start with a pin at each end, then another pin at each end, working your way towards the center back, making sure that the collar is completely flat and smooth in the stand.  Pin through just the side of the stand facing you, and the collar, with the pins about 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.

Now turn the shirt over and pin the other side, again catching just the side of the stand facing you and the collar, with a pin between the pins on the other side -- this will help keep everything in place as you sew, without bunching up multiple layers of fabric and interfacing in every pin.

Sew along the original line of stitching, taking your time, and making sure to catch all three layers – inner band, collar, and outer band. Back stitch at each end, where the stress on the collar is greatest.

Press thoroughly with lots of steam.

The turned collar may not lie exactly the same as it did before for a while, because the fabric on the original underside has been curved in one direction for the life of the shirt, and now you are curving it in the other direction, but it will settle down, certainly after a few washings.  The wrinkles in the original underside, which you can see in the above photo, will smooth out now that the underside is the new outside (and, yes, the new underside will probably develop some wrinkles of its own now!).

Enjoy the extended life of your shirt!

Comments

[Dawn in NL]

This is exactly what happens to my husband's shirts. I never thought about turning the collar, but I am going to try now. Thanks for this post.

[Mary Lou Egan]

I love this. My mother, in her depression era thought process, taught me to turn the collar and cuffs on a shirt. Many people don't even know what that means. I also learned to split the sheets in the middle where it wears and put the worn part to the outside. Flat felled seams...

[Toffeeapple]

I was taught to do this at school in the 50s - my mother had no need to do it because men's shirts at the time came with separate collars which were attached by means of collar studs. It is good to know that it is still being done - nice tutorial too.

[Dawn in NL]

Hello again, I finally turned my first collar. It went pretty well. I had to hand sew a section at the back where the seam went off line, but I am extremely happy with how it looks on the new right side. Another 4 shirts await the same treatment. It gives me a great deal of satisfaction to save this shirt for a while longer.
Thanks again for the idea, and the tut.

[Robin]

May I suggest that when the collar is removed that it is given a "very damp" iron to get rid of the wrinkles from the underside. This will go a long way to make it look a bit better, rather than having to wait for three or four washes to get it to straighten out.

[Elizabeth thurgood]

I enjoy googling sewing tutorials and though I have turned lots of collars for my husband years ago I haven’t done it for a while. SO. I found your blog site. And pinning both sides separately is a new idea I’ll try this time.
I’m 70 so my teenagers are long gone and my days of petit point beyond me. However when I saw your post on knitting for D E Stephenson I felt I had to write. I began reading her novels in the 70s and now have a complete set.
Do you know Anne Hepple and the incredible Angela Thirkell? Both worth trying. I’m going to attempt to subscribe to your blog. But first I’ll mend that shirt.
From Beaufort Victoria Australia and also self isolated.

[Elizabeth]

I am so happy to have found this tutorial! My Gran used to turn collars and I have been thinking about it for a while. Peter has some lovely shirts that are getting worn at the neck and nowhere else so I am hoping I will be able to do this and give them a new life! I'll let you know!