Collar Skills Workshop
Master three essential collar techniques in this online sewing class: the stand collar, convertible collar, and shirt collar with stand. Practice each construction on guided sample pieces, then apply your new skills to a real project using patterns like the Thyme shirt, Natalie blouse, or Roan shirt. Learn to prep, interface, sew, and press crisp, professional collars, and troubleshoot common issues like stretched necklines and uneven points.
Seamwork Members: Free!
Non-Members: $49
Class opens to members on October 1, 2026.
Available to non-members October 31, 2026.
Collars Don't Have to Feel Like a Mystery
Stretched necklines. Lopsided points. Two-piece collars where nothing seems to line up. If collars have always felt more like guesswork than skill, this workshop changes that, breaking the construction down so it finally makes sense.
- Understand how a stand, collar, and undercollar work together
- Build sharp points and a smooth, even neckline every time
- Troubleshoot problems before they become mistakes
Introducing
Collar Skills Workshop
In the Collar Skills Workshop, you'll construct a stand collar, convertible collar, and shirt collar with stand using guided practice pieces and the tools of the trade. By the end, you'll be ready to sew clean, professional collars with confidence on any project you choose.
By the end of this course you’ll be able to:
- Cut, interface, and prepare pieces for three collar styles
- Understand collar anatomy and how the pieces relate
- Construct a stand collar from start to finish
- Construct a convertible collar with clean topstitching
- Build a shirt collar with a two-piece stand
- Finish the inside of a collar stand several different ways
- Troubleshoot stretched necklines, uneven points, and misaligned pieces
- Choose Seamwork patterns that showcase your new collar skills
Meet Your Teacher
Erica is the Head of Education at Seamwork. She’s been sewing since she was 10 and taught sewing at a fabric store for 12 years. She loves the endless possibilities sewing your own clothes offers, and she's excited to share her knowledge with you.
Course Lessons
Lesson 1: Class Overview
If you've felt intimidated by collars before, then this workshop is for you. We will walk through three different types of collars in detail, and by the end you'll feel comfortable tackling this valuable skill on your own, whether you're constructing a stand, convertible, or two-piece collar.
Lesson 2: Gather Your Materials
In this lesson, you'll print and cut your collar template pieces, and gather the fabric, interfacing, and tools you'll need to construct all three collar styles.
Lesson 3: Anatomy of a Collar
You'll learn the parts of a stand collar, convertible collar, and shirt collar with stand, and how understanding the way they're built makes the construction steps that follow feel a lot more logical.
Lesson 4: Prepare Your Practice Pieces
You'll cut, interface, mark, and stay stitch your practice pieces for all three collar styles, so everything is ready to go when it's time to start sewing.
Lesson 5: Stand Collar
You'll construct a stand collar from start to finish, including sewing the plackets, assembling the stand, and attaching it to the neckline with clean, even topstitching.
Lesson 6: Convertible Collar
You'll construct a convertible collar with sharp, symmetrical points, attach it to a facing, and finish it with topstitching for a relaxed, polished result.
Lesson 7: Shirt Collar with Stand
You'll build the classic two-piece shirt collar. You'll learn a tailor's method for perfectly pointed corners, and other tips for achieving beautiful results.
Lesson 8: Attachment Methods
You'll learn several ways to finish the inside of a collar stand, plus a tailoring technique for clean, professional corners where the stand meets the placket.
Lesson 9: Troubleshooting
You'll learn why common collar problems happen, like stretched necklines, uneven points, and pieces that won't line up, and how to fix or prevent them.
Lesson 10: Put It Into Practice
You'll see which Seamwork patterns are a great match for each collar style, and pick up tips for carrying your new skills from practice pieces into a real garment.
What’s Included
You’ll get:
- 10 video lessons covering three collar construction methods
- Practice pattern template (copy shop and home-printer versions)
- Step-by-step instructions booklet with cutting layouts
- Printable swatch card for tracking your practice pieces
- Troubleshooting guide for common collar problems
- Pattern recommendations for your next collar project
- Access to the Seamwork community forum for support and feedback
About our Skills Workshops
Each month, we create a new 30-day live Skills Workshop, focusing on helping you improve one particular sewing ability.
We alternate these with our seasonal Design Your Wardrobe program, and all these resources are available for free to our members.
It’s part of our SEAM method, to help you learn as you sew:
- Seasonally plan the wardrobe you want to wear
- Explore unlimited access to 250+ patterns
- Advance your skills through targeted workshops
- Make connections in our supportive community
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a skill workshop?
- Each month, we focus on a single sewing skill, helping you build your expertise step by step. Over time, you'll create your own skills library with technique samples you can reference again and again. You can apply these skills to any pattern you choose, allowing you to learn while making something you truly want to wear!
How does it work?
- The workshop is made up of self-paced video modules you can watch whenever it fits your schedule. Go at your own pace!
- We will release the workshop on the first day of the month, and then it will be available to you as a member anytime moving forward. There will be video lessons and downloads that you can access anytime, and you’ll be able to go at your own pace through the course material.
- During the month the workshop is released, we will be posting about it in the community and sending emails to keep you motivated so that you can share progress and inspire each other. A new Skill Workshop will be released each month, except for the months where we are doing Design Your Wardrobe.
- You will be able to access this skill workshop anytime starting on October 1, 2026.
Will I be able to interact with other people who are also in the workshop?
- You’ll receive weekly email reminders and forum prompts to keep you motivated and connected with fellow sewists. You’ll be able to ask questions and get feedback to build your skills even more. We’ll also have a live Zoom event for even more interactive learning.
Which pattern should I use to learn the skill?
- We’ve designed these workshops so that you can learn the skill AND pick a pattern that works for you and your style. Unlike a sewalong, you don’t have to make one specific project.
What if I’m not ready to make a pattern? Can I still learn the skill?
- Absolutely! Cut out some test fabric and practice, practice, practice. Use the handy downloadable sample cards to keep things organized and easy to reference later.
Collar Skills Workshop
Master three essential collar techniques in this online sewing class: the stand collar, convertible collar, and shirt collar with stand. Practice each construction on guided sample pieces, then apply your new skills to a real project using patterns like the Thyme shirt, Natalie blouse, or Roan shirt. Learn to prep, interface, sew, and press crisp, professional collars, and troubleshoot common issues like stretched necklines and uneven points.