Stretching the top collar

Hey Robbie- just found a video on Vimeo where Rory shows the collar making method I tried to explain. His instructions and explanations are very good.

Hi Linda,

I understand the temptation to try difficult cloths but tailoring particularly coat making is hard enough as it is. You have done yourself no favours by choosing a Fresco.

Frescos are hard to stretch and require a heavy industrial iron to do so.

So it can be done but I am not sure if you can do it.

A two piece collar would make more sense but I don't have a video covering it.

All I can say is do your best and learn from your mistakes.

Next time choose a cloth which can be easily worked with an iron and you'll have fewer issues when it comes to making a coat.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Rory

What does the term ‘teeth’ mean?

Try putting on a top collar that hasn't been stretched and you'll realise very quickly why we stretch it. If you are getting teeth along the roll line its because you haven't stretch the stand enough. Fullness is added to the leaf edge, so that's probably why we don't stretch it. By stretch the top collar in the fashion shown in the videos we create the length in the cloth that allows the collar to fold back on itself and spring out to both edges of the inside collar. The teeth along the roll line should be eliminated if done properly. Some cloths don't give much with stretching so a two piece collar should be used. If its a velvet you could go with a bias cut which can be easily stretched. I did this recently on a personal coat because I didn't want the hassle of cutting a top collar with a stand. My advice to all tailors not just the novices is keep it simple there are plenty of lovely wool cloths out there to make your coats and suits out of to enable you to stay away from velvets, cottons and linens which are harder to shrink and stretch. Wool is the ideal cloth for tailoring.