Ahoy there sewalongers! Just a quickie post for the weekend - prepping the collar, lapels and cuffs so we're all set up for the home stretch next week. In this post we'll be:

• Prepping the collar, lapels and cuffs
• Showing you how to reinforce lightweight fabrics without interfacing

To be taken to all posts in the Victoria Blazer Sewalong, please click here.

*Before you begin: make sure that you have your one collar piece, two lapel pieces and two cuff pieces, notched and ready to go - and that you're sure which is which!*

Prepping the collar, lapels & cuffs:

Starting with the collar piece - fold it in half lengthways, right side in, and with our usual 5/8" or 15mm seam allowance, stitch the two short ends at either side. Use pinking shears to snip away the excess seam allowance.

Now turn it out to the right side and give those end seams a good press. To get the corners super sharp, a good tip is to use the pointed end of a knitting needle to gently push them out from the inside.

Repeat this process in exactly the same way for the lapels and both cuff pieces.

And now let's tawk a little about gettin' those collars nice n stiff. We're really digging a contrasting collar (or lapels or cuffs) to match the blazer's lining, and by the looks of all the awesome Victoria's we've been spotting out in the wild, so do you. But how do you get a crispy collar (or lapel or cuff - we'll just refer to them as collars from now on, but this is applicable to all three!) out of a lightweight lining fabric? You could, of course, use fusible interfacing, but personally, we really try to avoid it as we have yet to find a really good one that doesn't result in crunchy collars.

This is how we do it:

For our sleeveless Victoria, we're using a light-medium weight chambray for the shell, and a very lightweight and drapey coral rayon for the lining - and it's this coral lining fabric that we want to be on show for our contrasting collar. In order to give an otherwise super floppy collar some more substance, we simply cut another collar piece from the main shell fabric...

...And basted them together, right sides out:

Then we fold the this new doubled up collar piece in half lengthways - right side in - and close those short ends, snip off the excess, turn to the right side and press, as outlined above.

And there you have it guys, easy peasy lemon squeezy. Now put some ciders on ice and get back to enjoying your weekend!