Sewing pattern has gotten the best of me

[ChickiKat]

Argh!! So sewing a scrub top should be easy. But this McCalls pattern has me vexed. I am supposed to sew a band to the v-neck and then clip, grade and flip over..... Nope. No way are these instructions correct. I have sewn for longer than I can remember. But after 2 calls to MIL and she even ran out and looked at the pattern at her local Joann's, we can't do it over the phone. Tomorrow it is going in the mail to mom for her to figure out for me.... so now what can I work on... okay, quilt it is!!

 

[Judy]

Is it one of those where you sew the right side of the band to the wrong side of the garment, then flip and top stitch the band on the outside?

When I have been stymied with such stuff, I have cut about 2" diagonal strips from a scrap then fashioned a band out of the strips. I've done this many times with sleeveless or cap sleeve armholes but never with a neck band. Or just cut a new band, if you have the scraps, using the top or top pattern as a guide.

 

[ChickiKat]

you know what I am talking about, I do think a bias band would work better, I just don't see how to sew the v, there is just a huge amt of fabric to try and deal with....

 

[Chinchilla2]

When you get to the V in the neck, you sorta miter it. Ignore the McCall's directions since I have yet to see a McCall's pattern that makes sense at this stage of the game. Start at the back of the neck or on the shoulder seam and stitch it to the centerpoint of the V along one side of the neck. Tie off and stitch the other side from where ever you started the first side on to the centerpoint again. Once you hit that centerpoint, tie off. Now trim and iron the whole darn thing flat as can be. Fold the trim of the band in half lengthwise like you are going to stitch it down and iron again from one end to as close to centerpoint as you can then do the other side to as close to centerpoint as you can.

This should leave a "bunch" at the V. Using a stitch ripper or some other tool (I use a small metal seam guide ruler) tuck in the bunch so that it distributes EVENLY on BOTH sides of the center V. Carefully take a pin and mark the point at which the half fold for one side of the neck (the ironed fold) matches up with the other side of the neck. You can now either stitch this along the angle and trim out the extra material OR you can stitch it and iron the darn little flap one side or the other. I usually just trim and then open the seam up and iron flat so the edges are distributed to either side of the center of my V.

I wish I could show you a picture on how I do this but right now my sewing machine is covered with various sections of wedding dress. My sewing area looks like a rainbow tulle garden.

 

[piecemaker]

You must be using the same pattern I used.
Best I can remember (i am at work so I can't check) Is That I did a long stay stitch on the out side of the band on the seam line. Then sewed the band on the scrub. Right side of band to wrong side of scrub then press the band/ scrub seam flat then press the seam so the band is on the right side of the scrub then on the band that you did stay stitching press that under and then top stitch that to the scrub. Clip and trim where needed. When you get to the point you should be able to pivot your seam
Ok are you totally confused now

Hope this helped