Basics

Finishing neck and armholes with bands

A band that lies flat: the right length, a ring, quarters, stretch only the band. How to finish neck and armholes neatly on jersey, sweatshirt fleece and ribbing.

Close-up: the folded band lies on top of the fabric, raw edges even, clips at the ends. Behind the presser foot the finished seam, in front of the foot an arrow stretching the mark on the band to the mark on the fabric

On T-shirts, tops and vests made of jersey, sweatshirt fleece or ribbing, the neckline and armholes are often finished with a band. The band is folded double, sewn to the edge and then flips up. That's how the Merle top gets its neckband, and the Tove vest has narrow bands at the neck and armholes.

The principle is always the same: the band is shorter than the opening and gets stretched as you sew it on. That way it pulls the edge in slightly and sits close to the body. If it's too long, it ripples. If it's too short, it pulls and puckers. Here's how to get it right, step by step.

What you need

Jersey, sweatshirt fleece or ribbing for the bands
Jersey (ballpoint) needle, a stretch needle for fabrics with lots of elastane
Sewing machine with a stretch stitch or narrow zigzag, or an overlocker
Twin needle for topstitching, if you like
Sewing clips or pins
Tape measure, chalk or a disappearing marker
Iron

Step 1

The band is shorter than the opening

A sleeveless top with the neckline marked in yellow. Next to it the same length as a yellow line, below it a shorter band and the same band stretched to the full length with a double arrow

A band that's exactly as long as the neckline will stand away from the body and ripple. It has to be shorter so you stretch it while sewing it on and it gently pulls the edge in.

For a jersey neckline the band is usually about 85 to 90 % of the opening's length. Exactly how much depends on how stretchy your fabric is.
The pattern already gives you the length. Use it as your starting point.
Cut the band so the greatest stretch runs along its length. The columns of little knit “V”s then run across the band.

Ribbing stretches more and can be a little shorter, a less stretchy fabric a little longer.

Step 2

Close the band into a ring

A band whose ends are brought together with an arrow, below it the closed ring with a vertical seam. On the right a sleeveless top from the back, with the seam at centre back and the seams under the arms marked

Place the short ends of the band right sides together and sew them. Use a stretch stitch or a narrow zigzag, because this little seam gets stretched later too. Now you have a ring.

Check that the ring isn't twisted.
If you sewed it on the sewing machine, you can open the seam allowance and press it flat with your fingers. That makes it less bulky.

The ring's seam later goes where you'll hardly see it: at the centre back for a neckline, and under the arm, on the side seam, for an armhole.

Step 3

Fold lengthwise and press lightly

At the top an open band, wrong side up, with a dashed fold line in the middle. Below the same band folded lengthwise, right side out, with an iron that is only set down. On the left a cross-section of the fold

Fold the ring in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. The right side of the fabric is now on the outside, the raw edges lie exactly on top of each other, and the ring's seam allowance is hidden inside.

Press the fold lightly: set the iron down, press briefly, lift it and set it down again a bit further along. Don't slide it, or you'll stretch the band and the length from step 1 won't be right anymore.

Make sure both layers are the same width. If one edge sticks out, the band will end up uneven.

Step 4

Quarter the band and the opening

A sleeveless top with four marks on the neckline: centre back, centre front and two quarter marks sitting clearly below the grey shoulder points. Next to it the ring laid flat with four marks

So the stretch is spread evenly, you divide both the band and the opening into four equal parts and mark them.

Band: the ring's seam is the first mark. Lay the ring flat with the seam at one end. The fold at the other end is the second mark. Put these two points together: the new folds are the quarters.
Neckline: mark the centre back and the centre front. Then lay the centre front on the centre back. Where the neckline now folds at the sides are the quarters.
Armhole: the same, with the side seam as the first point.

The quarters often don't sit on the shoulder seams, because the front neckline is deeper than the back. So measure instead of relying on the shoulder seam.

Step 5

Sewing it on: stretch only the band

Place the folded band on the right side of the garment, raw edges even with the edge of the opening. First pin the ring's seam to the centre back, or to the side seam for an armhole. Then pin the other quarters to their marks.

Between the marks the band is now shorter than the opening. That's how it should be.

Sew with the band on top. That way you can see what you're stretching.
Stretch only the band, just enough that it lies flat on the opening up to the next mark. Don't pull the opening itself.
Use a stretch stitch, a narrow zigzag or the overlocker. More on needles and stitches: 5 jersey traps.

Step 6

Press, topstitch and check

Three necklines side by side: on the left a rippling band, wrong; in the middle a flat band with a double row of topstitching, right; on the right a band that pulls the fabric into folds, wrong

Turn the seam allowance towards the body, away from the band, and press from the right side with a little steam. Again, set the iron down, don't slide it.

If you like, topstitch the seam allowance down on the garment just next to the seam, with a twin needle or a narrow zigzag. That keeps it flat and looks neat.

Then check:

Lies flat: all good.
Ripples: the band was too long. Make the ring shorter.
Gathers the fabric or pulls into folds: the band was too short. Make the ring longer.

To do that, unpick the seam and move the ring's seam. Annoying, but better than a neckline that never sits right.