Turning a shirt collar

BeccaG

I'm hoping one of you lovely people will be able to help me with something please!

Can anyone explain (in verrrrry simple terms) how to turn a shirt collar, or direct me to a website with some pcitures please? :rolleyes:

Trying to save some money to knock off the mortgage by delaying OH from buying some new shirts, but if this is going to happen, I've got to do the turning!:rotfl:

thanks everyone

BeccG

Hardup_Hester

Hi Becca
I used to turn my ex's collars, I used to unpick the collar & the neck band & then resew with the inside on the outside. Don't forget to take out the label, you will also need to move the button & make a fresh buttonhole.
Hester

maryb

TBH I found this didn't look very good when I tried it because the top collar and the under collar are slightly different sizes - this helps the top collar to lie smooth but when you reverse it the wrinkly side is on top. However it may just be the shirts that my DH likes and you might not get that with every make

You used to be able to get new collars in white ready for sewing onto the neckband of the old shirt but I don't know if you still can

Primrose

Gosh. I remember my mother doing this during the war but I can't recall how she did it. The other alternative is to look around in charity shops. Sometimes you can find almost new shirts for around £3, which admittedly is more expensive than turning a collar at home but if you charge out your time at Minimum Wage rates, fiddlying around until you get it right, it might find it's an alternative cheap option.

zara*elise

Hey lovely, have a look here:

http://unboughtdelicacies.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-to-turn-collar.html

There's a few pictures and things too.

xx

patchwork_cat

TBH shirts are only £3 at Asda, whilst I applaud a lack of wastage I think that it would probably take more than £3 worth of your time.

Patchwork_Quilt

If you have a go, you haven't really lost anything but if you don't you'll never know ...

I've thought of this myself, but unfortunately, as one of the comments under the blog says, my husband's shirts get snaffled for patchwork as soon as they start to look a bit iffy

Good luck

Seakay

The other alternative - if he doesn't have wear a tie - is to remove the collar and then sew up the neckband to make a grandad shirt.

BeccaG

thanks everyone - I did wonder if it might be more hassle than its worth... might have a go just to see what its like when I'm a football widow one weekend:rolleyes:

x

zara*elise

I know I'll definately try this for my hubbies more expensive shirts... £40 for a Paul Smith shirt isn't gonna be turned into rags! Plus the quality of expensive shirts can't be compared with £3 Primark varieties!

xx

Austin_Allegro

I think it's in my wartime 'Make do and Mend' book which you can get on Amazon. Loads of other useful stuff in there so worth getting anyway.

The problem is that the nicer quality shirts which are worth saving often have a slot for collar stiffeners on the underside, making it impossible to turn a collar.

I have however successfully turned double cuffs, and you can turn up the frayed edge of a single cuff also with just a running stitch.

As for the 'not worth the time' arguments I would say it's worth practicing, on a shirt you don't mind losing, because once you work out how to do it you'll probably find it can be done quite quickly. I listen to the radio etc while doing this sort of thing so don't consider it wasted time.