Attaching a Facing to a Neckline Cleanly

A facing finishes a raw edge with a shaped duplicate of that edge, rather than a folded hem or a strip of binding. Because it exactly follows the neckline curve, it can enclose the edge without adding bulk or visible stitching on the right side, which makes it the standard finish for necklines, armholes and openings where a clean, invisible edge is wanted.

The facing is usually cut from the garment fabric and interfaced for support. It is stitched to the edge, then turned entirely to the inside so nothing shows from the outside except the smooth finished edge.

Interfacing the facing gives the neckline edge body and stops it stretching out of shape, which is critical on a curved edge cut partly on the bias. Apply a lightweight fusible or sew-in interfacing to the facing pieces before assembling them, matched to the fabric weight so the edge stays crisp without becoming stiff.

Join the facing pieces at the shoulders first and finish the outer edge of the facing, by serging, turning and stitching, or pinking, before you attach it. Finishing that outer edge now is far easier than after the facing is buried inside the garment.

1. 1.Stitch the interfaced facing to the neckline, right sides together, matching shoulder seams and notches.
2. 2.Grade the seam allowance, trimming the facing layer narrower than the garment layer to reduce bulk.
3. 3.Clip into the seam allowance around the curve so it can spread and lie flat.
4. 4.Understitch the facing to the seam allowance, close to the seam, through both allowances.
5. 5.Turn the facing to the inside, press, and tack it to the shoulder seams so it stays put.

Understitching is a line of stitching that joins the facing to the seam allowances just inside the seam, invisible from the right side. It forces the seam to roll a fraction to the underside and holds the facing firmly on the inside of the garment. Without it, the seam sits on the edge and the facing is free to flip outward.

To understitch, press both seam allowances toward the facing, then stitch from the right side of the facing, catching both allowances underneath, as close to the seam as you can hold a straight line. The neckline will visibly want to roll inward as you go, which is exactly the intended effect.

A concave neckline curve will not lie flat until the seam allowance is released. Clip small snips into the allowance up to, but not through, the stitching line, spaced closely around the tightest part of the curve so the allowance can spread as it turns. Grade the allowances first, trimming each layer to a different width, so the enclosed edge is not a thick ridge.

On an outward, convex curve such as some armhole facings, notch small wedges out of the allowance instead of clipping, so the allowance can compress rather than spread. Matching the release to the curve type is what lets the finished edge sit perfectly smooth.

Even a well-understitched facing benefits from being tacked to the garment at the shoulder seams and, on longer facings, at the center back or side seams. A few hand stitches or a machine tack in the seam allowance stops the facing lifting away from the body during wear and laundering. Where a pattern provides the facing shape, it is drafted to match the neckline exactly. Minerva Patterns supplies made-to-measure patterns in DXF AAMA, PLT and PDF with facings included and notched to the garment, so the curve matches and the finished edge sits clean.