Jalie Sew-A-Long Day 2

I hope you can all forgive this late post. My sewing machine decided to give me a bit of attitude. The foot petal stopped working! It has been giving me some grief for awhile. When I start sewing it just wants to sew one stitch. Over and over again, slowly, then after a minute or two it runs like normal. Almost like it needs to warm up? Well last night it didn't want to work at all. After a couple of hours messing with it I was done!
Today, I turn her on and she is working like normal. Fingers crossed.

So, today we'll work on the collar. Did everyone get their pieces cut?
If you haven't started yet and need some guidance on knits to use, or needles, you can check out THIS post and THIS post back in the archives that touch on both.

Now, for our collar.

Take two of your collar pieces. Stack them right sides together and sew down the longer of the short edges.
Do this with the other two collar pieces. You don't need to finish these seams, they won't show.

Now, unfold both of your collar pieces and stack them on top of each other, again right sides together. Sew all along the top curved edge, from one end all the way to the other.

Turn right side out and PRESS. Please people, press! I don't like to iron things in my daily life, but this is so important while you are constructing a garment. It will make your finished results so much nicer. Press the seam in the middle of your collar flat.

Now, the pattern asks you to finish your bottom edge by using a zig zag stitch, and then putting in a stay stitch 1/4 inch up. If you have a serger you could just serge the bottom, but I'm using my sewing machine.
Now, I find when doing a zig zag stitch on knits it can sometimes bunch them up a little bit. Because of this, I chose to do a straight seam 1/4 in and then zig zagged the edge.

It is hard to see in the previous pic, but this is what you want. A straight seam 1/4 inch in and then a zig zag stitch finishing the seam. Don't mind my zig zag, my machine was having an issue...

Ok, now we want to fold our neckline as shown matching the short raw edges. See next photos for an important note.

When pinning the raw edges you want to make sure on the left that the top layer of your collar is pinned to where you have your 1/4 inch stay stitching, not right to the very edge.

And, on the right, the same thing. The bottom layer should line up with the stay stitching.

Sew together with less than a 1/4 inch seam allowance (I used about 1/8th).

Now, when you open up your collar (looking at that seam), this is what you should have. See how the seam allowance is free at either side?

Ok that is all for today, but now that my machine is back to normal we'll aim for a morning post tomorrow.
If you have any questions leave them in the comments and I'll try to answer them in that post! :)

Now, I need to go and scream. I just heard that we are expecting a snowstorm tonight. Tell me it will end!