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Sewing a V-neck: 2 foolproof methods for beginners

11.11.2018 by Sabine Schmidt

V-Ausschnitt nähen: 2 kinderleichte Varianten für Einsteiger

Sewing a V-neck with a facing is child's play. With my instructions, you can transform any round neckline into a V-neck. Bonus: sewing a V-neck with strip binding.

A V-neck is a type of collar where the edges of the neckline meet in a V-shape. It can be deeper and larger than a round neckline. The V-neck can help create a longer and slimmer silhouette, emphasize the neck, and draw the eye upward.

The most important things at a glance

Sewing a V-neck is quite easy if the pattern already includes it. But how do you actually change necklines so that you can create different looks from one pattern? In my online sewing course The SewSimple T-Shirt Sewing Course, I show you exciting neckline variations in great detail, with which you can beautify your shirts and tops in no time. In this post, we will look at how you can sew a V-neck from a round neckline. And all that without much effort.

  • In this guide, I show you how to turn a round neckline into a V-neck
  • And then we will finish the V-neck with a facing
  • All you need is some pattern paper or baking paper and a pen
  • If your fabric is very soft, you can also reinforce the facing fabric
  • Bonus: Instructions for binding the V-neck with fabric strips
  • Both variations are suitable for both woven and knit fabrics

Why should I turn a round neck into a V-neck?

Many sewing fans want this variation, even if it is not included in the pattern. Quite simply because a V-neck flatters every figure. Especially for women with a slightly larger bust, a V-neck can be an attractive solution. But V-necks are also interesting for children's fashion because they offer a larger opening for the head. So let's first look at how to turn a round neck into a V-neck.

Which SewSimple pattern can you use to sew a V-neck?

With the instructions in this post, you can turn any round-neck shirt into a V-neck shirt in no time, no problem. Here, I present patterns with which you can easily practice sewing a V-neck.

Layer Shirt Aenni

The Layer Shirt with the matching undershirt (both included in the pattern) is excellently suited for the V-neck variation shown here.

Why? Because you can let the round-neck undershirt peek out sexily from the V-neck.

It is sewn from sweat fabric, for example, which makes it very easy to work with.

To the Aenni eBook
Tarbox pattern page

Men's Shirt Tarbox

Tarbox is a casual raglan shirt for men that you can easily transform into a V-neck shirt with this guide.

Especially cool: We offer the pattern up to size 10XL. And naturally also as a paper pattern.

It is sewn from fine, elastic fabrics such as jersey or functional fabrics.

To the Tarbox eBook
Tunic Charlie

Tunic Charlie

Charlie (here in the shirt version with ruffles on the sleeve hem) is perfect if you want to sew a V-neck for the first time. Why? Because it is already "built-in" to the pattern.

But this dreamlike, easy-peasy piece can do even more: You learn, quite incidentally, how to sew ruffles. And I show you how to easily conjure up a tunic with sexy side slits.

To the CHARLIE eBook

And now I wish you a lot of fun sewing!

Happy simple sewing, your Sabine

Sewing a V-neck

Step-by-step instructions

Instruction 1 / 3

Step by step: from round neck to V-neck

You'll need pattern paper or baking paper, a pen and a tailor's ruler.

  1. Step

    Adjust the pattern

    1. Copy the front and back pieces of the pattern onto pattern paper.
    2. Place the French curve below the shoulder of the front piece at the angle you want and draw the new neckline.
    3. Cut out the new pattern.
    4. Trace the outlines of the front and back pieces once more, but this time only draw a line 4 cm from the neckline.
    5. These are the facings. Cut them out and mark the fold.
    6. Cut the fabric with your new pattern.

Instruction 2 / 3

Tutorial: sew a V-neck with facing

In this tutorial I'll show you how to sew a V-neck with a facing — e.g. on the Santje shirt. The sand-coloured knit fabric in the photos is stable enough that the facings don't need to be reinforced with fusible interfacing.

  1. Step

    Cut the front piece

    • Cut the back piece on the fold as described in the instructions.
    • Mark the shape of the V-neck you want on the front piece.
    • Cut the front piece with the adjusted V-neck.
    Cut the front piece
  2. Step

    Draw the facing

    • Using the cut front piece, draw a facing that matches the width of the facing for the back neckline.
    Draw the facing
  3. Step

    Cut the facings

    • Cut the facings for the front and back neckline. If you like, you can stabilise the back of the facings with lightweight fusible interfacing.
    • Cut out the facings.
    Cut the facings
  4. Step

    Sew the facings together

    • Sew the facings right sides together.
    Sew the facings together
  5. Step

    Finish the outer edge and close the shoulder seam

    • Finish the outer edge of the facing with the overlock or with a zigzag stitch.
    • Make sure the seam allowance is pressed open.
    • Close the shoulder seam.
    Finish the outer edge and close the shoulder seam
  6. Step

    Staystitch the neckline

    • Sew around the neckline with a straight stitch, a presser foot's width from the edge.
    Staystitch the neckline
  7. Step

    Pin the facing to the neckline

    • Pin the facing to the neckline, right sides together.
    • Mark the point of the V-neck with a pin.
    Pin the facing to the neckline
  8. Step

    Sew on the facing

    • Sew around the neckline a presser foot's width from the edge. At the point of the neckline, stop, leave the needle in the fabric, turn the fabric a little and then continue sewing.
    • When you reach the shoulder seams, make sure the seam allowances are pressed open.
    Sew on the facing
  9. Step

    Clip the seam allowance at the point

    • Clip straight into the seam allowance up to approx. 1 - 2 mm from the point.
    • Trim the seam allowances at the point.
    Clip the seam allowance at the point
  10. Step

    Clip the seam allowance in a zigzag all the way around

    • Now clip the seam allowance in a zigzag all the way around. That way the neckline will lie nice and flat later.
    Clip the seam allowance in a zigzag all the way around
  11. Step

    Fold the facing to the inside

    • Now fold the facing to the inside so that the seam allowances and facing lie on top of each other.
    Fold the facing to the inside
  12. Step

    Understitch the facing to the seam allowance

    • Stitch the facing to the seam allowance with a straight stitch, 1 - 2 mm from the seam.
    • This makes the facing easier to work with afterwards.
    Understitch the facing to the seam allowance
  13. Step

    Fold over the facing and topstitch

    • Fold the facing to the inside and press the edge all the way around.
    • Pin the facing in place.
    • Topstitch around the neckline with a straight stitch, a presser foot's width from the edge.
    Fold over the facing and topstitch

Instruction 3 / 3

Bonus: bind a V-neck with fabric strips

With this method the V-neck is bound with fabric strips. You can work with woven or knit fabric. For very soft, stretchy fabrics I recommend reinforcing the back of the fabric with interfacing first.

You'll need:

  • the prepared V-neck in the front piece
  • 2 fabric strips, 4 cm wide and 5 cm longer than the total length of the neckline
  • pen, pins, iron
  1. Step

    Divide the fabric strip

    Cut the fabric strip in half so that you have two 4 cm wide strips.

    Place the ends of the two fabric strips right sides together, flush at the short edges, and pin them together.

    Divide the fabric strip
  2. Step

    Transfer the outline of the neckline

    Place the pinned fabric strips centred under the V-neck and transfer the outline of the neckline onto the fabric.

    Leave approx. 0.3 - 0.5 cm seam allowance on both sides of the fabric strip.

    Transfer the outline of the neckline
  3. Step

    Sew the V marking with a straight stitch

    Sew along the marking with a short straight stitch.

    A short stitch length is important because it gives you better control over hitting exactly the deepest point of the V.

    When you reach the point, leave the needle in the fabric, turn the fabric and sew back up along the second side of the marking.

    Sew the V marking with a straight stitch
  4. Step

    Cut out the V and clip the point

    Cut out the V and clip the seam allowance at the point to just before the seam.

    Cut out the V and clip the point
  5. Step

    Press and fold the seam allowances

    Fold the seam allowances open and press them.

    Then place the seam allowances wrong sides together. The seams now lie in the middle of the V-shaped strip.

    Press the fabric strip so that all the fabric edges are flush with each other.

    Press and fold the seam allowances
  6. Step

    Attach the strip point to point

    Pin the strip to the neckline point to point.

    Turn the first arm of the strip so that the raw fabric edge lies flush on the neckline edge.

    Sew the strip to the neckline with a seam allowance of 1 cm from the shoulder to the seam of the finishing strip. Secure the seam.

    Attach the strip point to point
  7. Step

    Clip the point and attach the second side

    Clip the point of the neckline up to the seam. Be careful not to cut through the seam.

    Pull the neckline apart far enough that you can place the second arm of the finishing strip flush against the second side of the neckline.

    Clip the point and attach the second side
  8. Step

    Sew the second seam

    You can use pins here or simply hold the fabric strip in place while sewing.

    Start the seam exactly on the centre seam of the finishing strip.

    Sew the strip to the neckline with 1 cm seam allowance, just like on the first side.

    Sew the second seam
  9. Step

    Press the seam and topstitch the seam allowance

    Press the seam neatly.

    If you like, you can now also stitch the seam allowance to the main fabric. That way it won't flip over and the neckline will be nice and stable.

    Done — celebrate your handmade V-neck!

    Press the seam and topstitch the seam allowance

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About the author

Sabine

I come from Siegen-Wittgenstein, where I spent my childhood breaking in cows, jumping off haystacks and scraping a D- in needlework class.

Today, being creative feels like indescribable happiness to me – and it grows even more when I can share it with others. Since 2016 I have been celebrating my passion for sewing on this blog, and I love that sewing connects so many people.