23 Oct 2012

This is a guest post from my former intern Val! 

WhatIWore: Looking for a way to add something to a basic tee or dress? A collar adds just the right amount of chic fun! These have been everywhere lately in a variety of styles and patterns, but weíll be showing you how to make a leather peter pan collar. 

Supplies:

• 1/4  yd Leather
• Cotton or paper for pattern
• Jump ring
• Hook and eye
• Jewelry pliers
• Needle and thread
• Lighter or candle

First, find your leather. I found some at my Hobby Lobby in a bag of leather scraps, but if your fabric store carries leather, definitely get it there so you can see exactly what youíre buying.

Next, make your pattern. I had a shirt with a sewn in collar I liked so I folded my shirt lengthwise and traced the general shape onto my cotton. I did play around with the shape a little bit by looking at it in the mirror and making necessary changes. If you know you want to put your own spin on the collar, I would reccommend making a copy of the original and that way if you mess up you don’t have to make another pattern from scratch. There are also various places online you can find collar patterns. I like the teen vogue pattern. Next, you can either pin the pattern directly to the leather or put some weights on it since you will be able to see the holes made by the pins. I pinned it because I didn’t want the pattern to move and you can barely see the holes, but if you’re picky you shouldn’t use pins. 

Next, hold a lighter up to the edge of the collar to get rid of the frays. 

Poke a hole in both sides of the top of the collar (the nape of the neck). I used a pin and just moved it around so to stretch it. Then take your jump ring in your pliers and put the ring through the hole. Repeat with the other side, then close the ring with the pliers. 

Lastly, sew your hook and eye on the front of the collar. You will want this to be as invisible as possible, so use small stitches and make sure the placement is as far away from the opening as possible while still allowing the ends to come together and lay flat. 

Wear this collar with a plain t-shirt and jeans for a casually classic look, or with a crew neck dress for some vintage elegance!