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How to turn worn collars on work shirts.

My husband has a uniform that he wears to work five days a week. A while ago I noticed that he was looking a bit shabby and on closer inspection his shirts were looking a bit worn too. He's been with company a fair while and there is talk of changing the uniform so his request for new ones is still sitting in a holding pattern while the higher echelons merge, buy, sell and generally get rich. So in the end, he got a haircut and I had a go at turning collars - something I had read about in ye olde period novels but had never seen in real life!

I googled it - decided it wasn't going to be too hard - and gave it a go! (tutorial here and another here!)

Here's what I did...


See, they really are looking a bit ordinary...

First I used a seam ripper (very carefully and very slowly) to cut the collar off the shirt. Don't rip into the material - just the stitches. Its not as easy as it looks, especially to get t started.

Like this.
You want to only take the collar piece out - not the standy uppy bit.
If you have done it right - you should have a pocket shape to put it back into.


Pin it back on - Oh and here's a tip for first timers - make sure you turn it over or you will waste a good ten minutes taking the whole thing back out again. If it fits a bit to well - then you may not have turned it over... A quick check before you star to sew will save a lot of frustration later... Trust me - I know!

Sew the collar back on carefully making sure it doesn't slip out. See that the worn side is on the outside of the shirt. Once you turn it down, the unworn part will be the bit showing.

Outside...

Inside...

As easy as it looked on the tutorial I looked at, it was a bit trickier than I thought it would be. Probably over confidence in my case - oh and my lack of patience!
 It did make a huge difference to the overall appearance of the shirt Oh and the Husband!) and I would defiantly do it again if he wears out other shirts or I see one at an opshop that I like and it has a worn collar.

It is an easy way to add life to a worn looking shirt of any kind!

Score card:
Green-ness: 5/5 for not using any new materials and getting a longer life out of the shirt.
Frugal-ness:  5/5 for not spending a cent!
Time cost: It took me a few minutes to remove each collar (there are five of them!) It takes a few more minutes to pin it on - especially the first time. Only a few seconds to sew, but if you don't catch the collar on both sides of the sticky uppy bit - you have to unpick it and start again. Took me about an hour to do all five in the end.
Skill level: Basic sewing - just fiddly to get right the first time.
Fun -ness: Great fun the present the Husband with shirts that look a lot better!

Comments

Kathryn Ray said…
Now that's a great idea! But I can't believe you didn't show us the color re-sown in it's original position. ;-)
Practical Frog said…
They were in the washing machine when I blogged it!! I will photograph them in all their glory when they are ironed and looking a bit better - so keen to blog that I didnt take the after photo! - K xx
Anonymous said…
Great way to spruce up and older shirt and make it look good again.
Natalie said…
Wow...I have also read about turning collars (and other pieces) on clothes but have never tried it. Usually, I just cut it up and make it into something else. This is great for those favourite shirts we just can't part with. Thanks for the tip.
Practical Frog said…
Youre welcome! :) - K xx
Anonymous said…
I'm so glad I found you blog, kind of fell into this post! Hubby has a favorite denim shirt - the collar of which is in terrible shape! My mom told me the other day on the phone that all I needed to do was rip it out and turn it around. Easier said than done... I'm a quilter, not a clothes sewer! She's 400 miles away so I figured without a tutorial, I'd never do it. Forgot about it until I saw this post and Tah-Dah - it looks easy - at least you make it look that way! Thanks so much!
Practical Frog said…
Hey MG Girl! It is easy! Once you ahve done the first one, you are away. The hardest part is getting up the guts to rip into the shirt in the first place! Let me know how you go! - K xx
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