DIY: Scalloped Peter Pan Collar on a Button-Up

My first project from the famed craft suitcase was a cute vintage button-up that I wanted to dress up a little. I am always finding great vintage shirts in the classic button-up style, but there are only so many of those that you can own. So, I decided to keep the pretty checkered pattern and the buttons and add a new collar:


Materials & Supplies
* collar pattern (download yours here - formatted to print on a regular 8.5x11 paper)
* 1/4 yard of your fabric of choice (I picked a sturdy white cotton twill with some weight to it - you want it to be heavy enough to lay flat)
* one package of folded bias tape. I bought the 1/4 inch kind in matching white, but it could be fun to add some color contrast here.
* button up shirt (that already fits you well)
* thread


* scissors
* pencil & paper
* a sewing machine
* iron


1) Fold your collar fabric in half and line the edge of the collar pattern up with the folded side - trace it onto the fabric (please note that the photo shows the unfolded version of the collar pattern, but yours will look like half of that on the edge of the fabric). You'll need four of these collar pieces.

2) Cut the pieces out.You should have four scalloped collar cut-outs.

3) Sew along the scalloped side of the pattern, giving yourself a 1/4" seam. Don't sew up the straight edge of the collar. It should look like a little scalloped pita bread with an open top when you finish.

4) Trim the excess around the edges down to 1/8 inch or less. You'll want to trim the curves quite close to the stitching to get your scallops nice and smooth (I like a close trim rather than clipping and notching around the rounded edges to bend a little easier, but that is another option if you are worried about fraying).

5) Flip the collar inside out and press the seams down until you get a nice, smooth scalloped edge. Iron it good and flat.


6) Lay both collar pieces onto your shirt so that they sit nicely on the shoulders and barely touch in the front and the back (when the shirt is buttoned), then pin in place.


7) Cut the shirt along the collar line, You'll cut the existing collar clean off.


8) While it is pinned, sew the collar to the shirt in a simple stitch all around the neckline. Above the buttons you will have some raw edge that the collar doesn't cover - I bent that raw edge over to make a little triangle and sewed it down.

9) Cover the raw seam with the folded bias tape, leaving an unattached foot or two of length on each side of the collar that will become your collar stays.

10) Sew the bias tape, covering that raw edge up for good. Sew little square edges of contrasting shirt fabric onto the ends of your stays for a cutesy finale.



Tadah! You've attached a new collar to your button-up.