The Wide-Split Placket and Angled Collar

Hooray! During our visit to Morocco with Amy Butler and Valorie Wells we learned the books are beginning to arrive!

Perhaps we can finally talk specifics….

We’re discovering the first placket and collar combo described in the book, the Wide-Split Placket with Angled Collar is a popular choice. We were determined to get the ‘Tory Burch’ look and designed this placket and collar first for The Tunic Bible.

We provide tutorials on both an Inside Facing Wide-Split Placket and Outside Facing Wide-Split Placket.

Inside Facing Wide-Split Placket

Below are several RTW tunics with an Inside-Facing Placket from our Pinterest board. The tunics on the top row tunics are from Sail to Sable. The tunics on the bottom row are from Tory Burch.

Tory Burch necklines are often embellished with two rows of twill tape in varying sizes while Sail to Sable butts two pieces of twill tape together creating the look of a placket. Below are a few of our Inside-Facing Plackets with Angled Collars.

Compare our French terry tunic beside the Tory Burch terry tunic…

and our striped knit tunic to another Tory Burch.

This Elizabeth McKay tunic uses 3 rows of embellishment, so there is no set rule 🙂

Outside Facing Wide-Split Plackets

We flipped the placket to the outside of the bodice and liked what we saw!

The Oustide Facing Wide-Split Placket provides instant gratification when the placket is sewn in a contrast fabric and turned to the outside. There is no need to embellish with ribbon, although piping and trim are often added. Give your Wide-Split Placket a little pizazz by sewing in a companion fabric, a solid to pop against a print or by setting the fabric on the bias!

While attending The Quilt Market in Houston we met Carol, a rep with EE Schenck who made an adorable fitted tunic dress featuring the Wide-Split Placket with Angled Collar.

We liked her dress so much that we took a series of photos!

Carol and Julie happened to be wearing the same type of tunics when we spotted her.

So how does one give this placket and collar a RTW look?

Below are our tips starting with the Outside Facing Wide-Split Placket.

1. Always mark and thread trace the center line of the front tunic bodice in a contrasting thread. Having the center line marked on the front and back will make precision a reality when sewing the placket.

2.  Mark the stitching and cutting line on the placket. (photo below)

3.Turn in seam allowances on the outer edge and place right side of placket to wrong side of bodice. (photo below)

Note in the photo below the placket and bodice neckline do not match. (The excess will be trimmed away later.)

4.  Stitch along the stitching line, then slash along the cutting line (center).

5.  Trim the seam and cut away excess from the neckline. THIS STEP WILL CREATE THE ANGLED COLLAR!

6.  Trim and turn. Pin placket to bodice.

7. Topstitch along outer edge.
Your Outside Facing Wide-Split Placket is complete!

This placket was embellished with mini pompoms (by hand) after the collar was added.

Tips for the Inside Facing Wide-Split Placket:

Follow steps 1, 2 , 3 & 4 as listed above with TWO changes.
(a.) Stitch the turned in seam allowances of the Placket to secure.
(b.) Place the Placket and Bodice Right Sides Together.

5. Turn the Placket to the inside of the bodice. The gentle curve of the neckline will serve as a guide for ribbon or trim placement.

The ribbon width and  length of the trim is your decision,

We used a 1″ Petersham ribbon for the inner trim and a 1/2″ Petersham ribbon for the outer trim.

Stitching the trim will secure the Placket on the inside of the bodice.

Two rows of  ribbon were stitched to the edges of the collar and next to the upper and lower seamlines before sewing the collar and facing together. Again, the size of the ribbon is your choice.

Once the collar is turned, it is basted to the neckline, ensuring perfect placement. Following the neckline will create the angled collar.

Spacing the ribbon equally apart on the placket, collar and lower edge unifies the trim placements and creates the sought after Ready to Wear result!

We can’t wait to see your tunics!