Men's Sierra Pullover

I am thrilled that I was able to test again for 5 Out of 4 Pattern Group. And my husband was even more thrilled when he found out I would be sewing for him.  The Men's Sierra Pullover is pretty great and well thought out.  It has lots of options, including solid or color blocked pullover and on-seam zippered pockets (so the man stuff won't fall out).  I love all of it, and it looks really cool too.  Who needs that fancy, high priced stuff when you can make your own. What!? You don't have the pattern yet.  Well, head on over to 5outof4.com and pick it up.  Quick!

I loved the design of the original pullover with the zippered front, but I wanted to try a snap style placket, to make things just a little different.  It turned out to be easy enough and looks good too.

So, if you'd like to try out the snap placket on your Sierra, here's how to get it done...

Okay, first off, let's acknowledge the fact that the color blocking on the chest is not the same as the original pattern.  I modified it with every intention of adding a chest pocket, which I thought would be pretty cool...  And then mommy brain got the best of me, and I forgot. I had both parts of the bodice serged and top-stitched  before I realized what was happening.  If you'd like to modify the color blocking, here's a quick sidebar on that.

Color Blocking Mod:
With the bodice folded at center front, lay the original pattern piece for the color blocked option on top carefully matching the edges at the neck, arm, and shoulder.

Using a quilting ruler, use the grid to create a straight line from the center front of the bodice to the lowest point on the shoulder accent.  This is important to get the color blocking to match correctly when the sleeves are sewn to the bodice. Slide a piece of pattern or scrap paper under your fabric (not pictured) and carefully trace around the edges.  Connect the bottom line with your straightedge.

Use your new paper pattern piece to cut one new shoulder accent on the fold of your contrasting fabric.  I cut two not on the fold because of fabric constraints.

You will need to add 3/8" seam allowance, before you can trim off the upper part of the bodice.  Use your gridded ruler to measure.  With bodice folded and your new shoulder accent laying on top, slide the ruler between the two pieces. Line up the bottom edge of the shoulder accent with the 3/8" marking on the ruler.  Remove the accent piece and use a rotary cutter to cut the bodice along the the top edge of the ruler.  

Then, right sides together, serge the shoulder accent to the bodice.  Press your seam toward the shoulder accent and top-stitch.  

Snap Placket Mod:
First we will need to cut an opening along the center front seam where we will add the placket.  I chose a measurement of  9-1/4" from the neckline.  Adjust this measurement to your liking, just remember to lengthen or shorten the placket pieces as well.  With your bodice piece laying flat on the table, find the center front.  Measure from the neckline straight down 9-1/4" making sure the ruler is straight along the center front. (If it is not straight you will end up with a caddywompus placket.)

Mark this 9-1/4" vertical line with a water soluble marker.  Next, use your ruler to mark a 1" line perpendicular to your vertical mark (there should be 1/2" on either side of the vertical line).  

 Again, use your ruler to mark 1/2" from the bottom of the vertical line.  Connect the end points of your horizontal line to this mark.  You should have a triangle with a line through the center.

Stay-stitch beginning at the neckline and continuing down and around the bottom of the markings and up again along the other side, as shown by the green line.  Stay-stitching should be approx. 1/2" from you center vertical line.  I forgot to do this, but please don't forget... this little step will make your placket much neater and keep the bottom opening from stretching and getting all wonky.


Cut along the vertical line and two diagonal lines, creating an upside down Y.  (Do not cut all the way to the bottom of the vertical line.)  If you remembered to stay-stitch, clip to the corners of your box, taking care not to cut through the stitch line.


 Next attach the collar piece to the neckline.


 Measure the placket opening from the top of the collar down to the bottom of the placket opening.

Add 1-1/2" to your measurement to get the length of the placket pieces.  From the top of the collar and with the additional 1-1/2" the length of my placket pieces are 14".

Cut 4 placket pieces measuring 14" long x 2" wide. Be sure to cut the length of the placket pieces along the straight of grain.  Cutting the opposite direction will cause the placket to stretch... bad news.
After cutting the above pieces, I chose to go back and use a lighter weight fabric for the insides of the placket.  This particular sweater knit fleece is very thick and would have created too much bulk. New pieces (seen below) are a cotton twill.

To create the placket, Line up your placket piece, right sides together, even with the top of the collar.  Stitch placket piece to the bodice 1/2" from the edge, along your line of stay-stitching.  Stop and back-stitch at the point shown by the arrow to secure.

Open up the placket piece.  Lining up the top and unfinished edges, place another placket piece on top.  Note that the piece on top should be black, as it is the inner placket piece. Sorry for the confusion.

Stitch along the edge, using a 3/8" seam allowance.


Open the placket.  Your pieces should look like this when opened.

Again, matching the top and sides and having right sides together, place the inner collar piece on top of the opened placket.

Turn up 1/4"of the collar lining and pin to secure.  Stitch along the green line, using a 3/8" seam allowance.



Flip open, turn the inner placket (black) piece up by 3/8" and press.


 Next, we will stitch the placket piece to the opposite side of the bodice.  If you are using two colors for your placket piece, be sure to switch the order in which you stitch the pieces onto the bodice.
Beginning with the inner placket (black) piece, line up the edges, starting at the top of the collar.


 Stitch the placket piece to the bodice, using a 1/2" seam allowance, on top of your line of stay-stitching.  As before, stop at the bottom corner and back-stitch.

Flip open and lay your outside placket piece (gray) on top, right sides together.  Stitch along the edge using a 3/8" seam allowance.  Sorry no picture.

Open the pieces to lay flat.  Line up the inner collar piece, right sides together, with the top and outer edges of the placket.  Make sure the collar is not twisted.  Turn up 1/4" at the bottom of the collar and stitch using a 3/8" seam allowance.



Flip open, turn the outer placket (gray) piece under by 3/8" and press. Sorry no picture. 

Working on the previously stitched side, fold the plackets, right sides together, taking care to match seams.  Pin or clip to hold in place.  Repeat on the opposite side.
 

 Using a 3/8" seam allowance stitch along the upper edge of the collar.  Back stitch at both ends 1" to reinforce the corner.

Clip the corners to reduce bulk. 

This is an extra step I like to do to get a really nicely finished edge at the bottom of the placket. .  With right sides together, stitch along the bottom edge of the placket (between the two green dots) using a 3/8" seam allowance.  Trim edges to reduce bulk.



 Flip the inner collar to the inside.  Use a point turner to help create a nicely squared points, both at the points of the collar and the bottom corner of each placket.    


Tuck in the raw edges on the bottom edge of the placket.  Beginning at the green dot (also the bottom corner of the stay-stitch line) top-stitch along the inside edge of the outer placket, making sure to catch the folded edge of the inner placket on the underside of your work.  End and back-stitch at the start point.  Be sure to keep the rest of the bodice out of the way.  Repeat for the other side.


At this point you can and should finish the collar.  Fold under 1/4" on inner collar piece toward the wrong side.  Secure to the outer collar piece with pins.  Top-stitch from the outside, making sure to catch the turned up edge in your seam.  Add a line of top-stitching around the upper part of the collar as well.

Almost Done!!!  You should now have two beautiful placket pieces similar to those pictures below.  If you choose to do buttons instead of snaps, now would be the time to add buttonholes.

For a man's pullover, tuck the right front placket to the inside, behind the little triangle. For a woman's pullover the left front would be tucked to the inside.

Next tuck in the little triangle, and fold the left placket over the top (right placket for women's).

It should look like this.  Pin through both plackets to secure. This will hopefully keep your placket from migrating one way or the other.

Match up the two bottom flaps of the placket and top-stitch a box around the edge to secure. Then sew an X.  Add snaps at your desired intervals. I used plastic KAM snaps about 2-1/2" apart, beginning about 2" from the bottom of the placket, and then two snaps on the collar piece.

Whew, you made it!  Good job!!  Now just follow the pattern to add the sleeves and pockets, and you are done.  I hope this made sense and helped you achieve a professional looking snap placket for your pullover.  Don't forget if you don't have the pattern yet, get over to 5outof4.com and pick it up.  The man in your life will be so happy.

Now, enjoy some pictures of my super handsome hubby enjoying his new pullover.











Thanks for reading! Please email me with any questions at turtlebirdies@gmail.com













Comments

  1. This is a nice modification. Thank you for the detailed tutorial!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I really hope the tutorial was clear. I'd love to see pictures if you decide to try this.

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  3. This pullover is so amazing. I like it so much. The stitching of it is also very amazing. I will get this as winter is coming so I need it as well. Now it's time to avail Outbound Call Center for more information.

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  4. Great product! Love the fit and the quality of the material. Highly recommend this pullover!

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