Tailored Collar Draft

Drafting A Tailored Collar. 

Whether you consider yourself a tailor or a pattern cutter determines how you draft a tailored collar. A bespoke tailor will use fabric manipulation and internal structure to create shape, while a pattern cutter will  use seams. As a pattern cutter, I prefer to use seams.

Novices often  find it very difficult to understand how to draft a tailored collar, because they  usually  just copy a draft formula from a book or the internet without really understanding what they are doing.

The basic one piece tailored collar draft is fairly easy to do, but does not generally produce a very refined shape. When the collar deviates from the standard, the draft can become very complicated, and the beginner does  not  understand how to adapt the drafting method to compensate for a different shape.

If they use the standard  method they may find that the collar does not look quite right. A deeper fall than standard for instance, may result in a loose collar. A higher break point may result in a distorted shape entirely.

Fabric Thickness.

Collar drafts do not allow for different fabric properties and thicknesses. An experienced pattern cutter or tailor can  allow for this in the draft, by increasing the fall edge for example. But a novice may want to ignore these factors  initially, adjusting the pattern later.

Drafting The Under Collar Vs Top Collar. 

Whether you draft the under collar or the top collar depends on what method of tailoring you use. Ladies tailoring usually uses the same fabric for both top and under collar. In this case the under collar is drafted, and the top collar is created from this.

In mens tailoring, to avoid excess bulk,  the under collar is usually made of a melton fabric with no seams. In this case the draft is of the top collar, and the under collar is created  from the top collar.

One Piece Collar Vs Two Piece Collar

The  collar can either be constructed in one piece or two pieces (A stand and a fall) with a seam along the fall edge. The deeper the collar is the more need there is for a two piece collar if you want a tailored look.

In actual fact the stand seam would be 1.5 cms below the fall edge to allow for the pressed open seam allowance and the fabric thickness. Tailors may create a one piece collar and create shaping  through some intensive iron work,

For simplicity it may be  better to draft the collar initially in one piece, and to adjust it later if required. This would give you a better understanding of the process.

Having a two piece collar allows for a better fit at the neck, but a bespoke tailor may choose to use a one piece construction by manipulating the fabric to provide for the better fit.

The Standard Tailored Collar.

The standard mens or ladies tailored collar will have a  stand depth of 2.5 cms and a fall of 4.5 cms. This makes the total pattern height 7 cms. As the fall is 2 cms longer than the stand, it will sit 2 cms below the neck line.

The front jacket edge is generally 2 cms from the centre front for a single breasted jacket. The same drafting methods can be used for double breasted  jackets, but  the rever angle can change, so again, you may have to adapt the draft.

lapels

SB Tailored Notch Collar Draft.

This is a simple draft for a single breasted, tailored jacket one piece collar. It is the method I have used for years as a professional pattern cutter. This draft is for mens or ladies jackets. It can be adjusted later to have a collar stand.

This draft method should help you to  understand exactly what you are doing and why. It isnt just a formula or drafting system  to be followed blindly. It is a practical method for drafting any standard tailored collar.

For simplicity we are using a standard  collar depth of 2.5 cms. The rever can be any shape you like. Once you understand the logic of the method you can adapt it for any type of collar.

The standard tailored collar is 2.5 cms high, and lies 2cms under the back neck line. This makes the back pattern depth a total of 7.5 cms.

The centre front extension measures 2 cms, making a total button wrap of 4 cms. The breakpoint can be anywhere along the front edge, but for very high break points the draft method would need more explanation and understanding.

The Back Collar Template.

What makes this method easy to understand is the creation of a back neck template that can be used for multiple collar shapes.

The back collar neck edge has to measure the same as the back neck seam. The outer edge  measurement must equal the line on which it falls, at 2cms below the back neck line, from shoulder seam to shoulder seam.

I make the back collar template based on measurements for the collar height, the back neck seam, and the outer collar edge from the CB to  the shoulder, along a curved line 2 cms below the neck line.

The template is 7.5 cms wide ( Collar height + fall).  The bottom line (A-B ) is the back neck measure. The top line ( B-C ) is the back outer collar edge measure. I  add a little (.3 cms) to allow for fabric thickness.

The Rever And Notch Collar.

Trace off the front body.

Add  2 cms overlap parallel to the centre front.

Mark where you want your break point to start along the front edge. Mark point E

Mark a point 2.5 cms from the neck point. This is the collar depth. Mark point F.

Join E to F and extend the line.

Mark point G 2cms from the neck point. This is where your collar will sit.

Draw your desired  shape for the rever, joining to point G

Fold your pattern along the fold line and trace through your collar, shoulder and neck lines.

Adding A Collar Stand.

A two piece collar pattern with a separate stand will provide a more tailored fit at the neck. Although it is a simple adjustment, you need to take care that the seam does not interfere with the fold line.

If the seam is placed on the fold line itself, when the jacket is constructed, and the seams pressed open,  it will distort the  fold line. The seam needs to be positioned 1.5 cms below the break line.

One Button – 1B

Draping On The Stand.

Some pattern cutters prefer to model their collars on the stand, while others will use a mix of drafting and modelling.

Pattern Cutting Classes.

If you are interested in one to one pattern cutting classes, please email us for details. We provide both face to face and online classes for beginners and intermediates.

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