Easy T Shirt Neckline Binding TUTE

We looked at applying a simple banded neckline here so today we'll look at doing neckline binding on a t shirt.
This would the #1 finish that customers mention confuses them. Don't be scared to do these, they are so easy and look fabulous. You often see this type of neckline binding on Ottobre Design t shirts and sometimes on the sleeves too. This finish looks equally as nice on round necks, v necks, boat necks etc. It works well with all light/med weight knits. Not so well with chunky knits as you can't get it all tucked in nicely!

As discussed is our last neckline tute, you can either use the same fabric as your main garment, or do a mix match kind of thing as I did here. I prefer to use a fabric on the binding with a bit of lycra in it, as it gives you that snap back recovery.( so no baggy necklines). This t shirt is STELLA in Blood Red and the Scarlett and White striped knit.( no longer available).  Check out the last tute for a little method of calculating neckband length.

I start out by sewing up one shoulder ( again see previous tute as to why I prefer to do my necklines in the flat).

Then press open your shoulder seam. Here is our trusty neckbinding strip...

 This tee has small gathers in the middle of the front, so just ignore those bits for now..we will simply bind over the basting stitches, leaving pretty gathers.

Now flip your garment over, take your binding strip and begin pinning it  RIGHT side to the WRONG side of your neckline. Begin at one shoulder....I only put in a couple of pins at this stage....as you sew you will  be stretching the binding piece ever so lightly.

And so we sew on the binding piece. For your first couple of tries use your sewing machine people- in case you need to unpick.  Sew all the way..stretching the binding piece only- ever so slightly as you sew. This will help to incorporate more stretch into your neckline.

Here we are all sew on! Now turn your garment to the RIGHT side and give it a press, pushing your seam allowance upwards. This will be enclosed  within our folded binding ( don't get skittish on me, it's easy!).

Now the fun bit. We are going to fold our binding down once in half...then again.  The second time we fold, we will be enclosing the seam allowance from where we initially sewed on our binding strip.
It is sometimes easier if you do the first fold down..press with the iron, then come back and do your final fold. This particular knit is a bit curly and springs back when you press so I did not bother. I have heard others like to use a starch spray to keep their bindings stiff. I am happy to just "finger press"  as I go.

Continue all the way, folding your binding to enclose the seam allowance. This is a dreadful pic, sorry!
Use plenty of pins as you go here to secure all your layers.

Now to sew down your binding. I either use a sewing machine straight stitch set a bit longer ( 2.7) or the Coverstitch machine, a twin needle or a fancy stitch on my Bernina like this wavy serpentine stitch..

...from the RIGHT sew, stitch along the bottom of your binding piece, (the edge closest to your garment- not neckline). Go nice and slow, stitch from pin to pin...removing pin just before you sew.  When you have finished, give it a nice press with the iron to make it all sit in nicely. Then sew up your other shoulder seam as per previous tute and continue with your t shirt.

Easy Peasy? Clear as mud?