Make a Collar
Add a detachable fur collar to an existing outfit—the easiest way to update your wardrobe this winter.
Another idea is to make a lined rectangle with ties on the ends and wear it in a ring around your neck over a suit or sweater. If you have a short neck, make the rectangle long so it hangs low in the front. If you have a long neck, you could make a ring that hugs your neck.
To keep your costs down, buy a fur with a crosswise rib rather than lengthwise or no rib at all. Or, if you fall in love with a fur with a lengthwise stripe or rib, you’ll need to buy more yardage so the rib will run the length of your collar. Most of the furs are wide, so you’d have enough to make several collars and give them as gifts.
If the fur is thick, reduce bulk by lining the rectangle with a printed silky fabric. For ties, use grosgrain ribbon or strips of Ultrasuede® or Ultraleather®.
Cut your fur single layer from the wrong side being careful not to cut the nap. Only cut through the backing fabric.
Use a 90 or 100 needle and 8 to 10 stitches per inch. Sew in the direction of the nap. If lining the piece, hand baste the lining and the fur along the seam lines so they won’t slip when machine sewing. Sew with the lining on top and use “taut” sewing. From the right side, use a darning needle or crochet hook and pull any pile loose that is caught in the seam.
Finger press if necessary. Don’t use a steam iron as it will flatten the pile.
More Fur Tips
You may need to buy a pattern a size larger than usual as fur takes up a lot of room. Pati once sewed a fur coat for her daughter Melissa, and Melissa couldn’t get her arm into the sleeve. The coat was a size too small and felt like a straight jacket.
Eliminate unnecessary seams by cutting on the fold. Any straight seam is a candidate.
If the pile is really deep, cut away 1/2" of pile in the seam allowance area and sew the seam with a zipper foot. Mark notches with snips, chalk, or a washable marker.
Sew seams using a furrier’s technique. Cut away seam allowances from your pattern pieces entirely. Cut the fur backing with a razor blade instead of scissors to avoid cutting through the nap. An X-acto Knife, available at art stores, works well. Hand sew butted together edges with an overcast stitch.
If you need to press a seam open, try finger pressing first. If an iron is needed, place the fur side down onto a needle board or another piece of fur and press lightly on the seam only. Don’t use steam. Slash darts open to the point and press open. You can eliminate bulk on deep pile fabrics by “shaving” the fur from the seam allowances before pressing them open.
Use the large fur hooks for closures when possible. If the pattern requires buttonholes, use the reinforced slash method. Slash the length of the buttonhole and hand sew four strips of 1/4" twill tape to the back side along the long edges and ends. This will prevent stretching.