Detachable starched collars were also popular for women in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries. Typically they were more expensive than men’s models, had embroidered or lace decoration, were lighter weight, and were more varied in style. This one has hand fagoting insertion. The name of the collar seems to refer to the Sorosis Club of NYC, the first club in the US for professional women.
A recent eBay purchase of assorted starched linen military collars in an old box of a French brand of military collars. Sizes are in centimeters, and the names are in French and English. Most of the collars are straight bands and one is a curved band. This page has scans of the collars flattened out so you can use them to make your own straight or curved WWI military collars in these styles.
These are all band collars that button into the neck of a military tunic like this one seen on General Pershing c. 1918
It just forms a small edge in the interior collar, and meets in the front without buttoning closed.
1a Mako garant. 4 fach collar M 465 Uniform 40 36:
PDF of 1a Mako garant 4 fach collar M 465 Uniform 40 36
You can use these patterns above to make replicas of this curved military collar.
1a. Qual. 4 Jacky Uniform 37:
PDF of 1a Qual 4 Jacky Uniform 37
You can use these patterns above to make replicas of this straight military collar.
ST 70 Armee 37:
You can use these patterns above to make replicas of this straight military collar.
17 Armee 45:
You can use these patterns above to make replicas of this straight military collar.
Celluloid collars provided a low maintenance, waterproof, alternative to starched linen collars, and were stronger than paper ones. Their high point seems to have been in the 1880s when they were new, but they still regularly sold through the 1920s. Celluloid collars are given to cracking, especially after they age, so this one can’t be flattened and scanned for a pattern. However, you can use a bleach bottle and a pattern from a linen collar to make a replica that is stronger than celluloid, washable, and cheap.
Students from the DVC Beginning Costume Design Class Sp2018 make plastic collars using bleach bottles:
You need:
Instructions continued below
Click here for a printable 4 page PDF of these instructions for an “Easy Gathered Rehearsal Skirt with Pictures” as shown above
2.Press open the seam, then press it into a fold with the raw edge inside, and the seam stitching on the edge.
3. Sew the seam again, this time right side together with a line of stitching 5/8″ parallel to the first seam. You have just made a French Seam which is very strong, even if you sewed it by hand with 3/16″ stitches!
4. Press the little 2.5″ bit of fabric at top of the seam open, and tuck the seam allowance under itself and stitch the seam allowances so they will stay open.
5. Fold the top selvedge over by 1.5″ with wrong sides together, and press flat. Sew this flap into a 1″ waistband tube for elastic and ribbon.
6. Measure the distance from your natural waist to the floor and subtract the amount you want it raised from the floor (like 2” or 4″) this is your Waist to Hem
Waist to Floor – Distance off floor = Waist to Hem
7. Apply the Waist to Hem measure number to the skirt. Measure from the bottom of the waistband casing down towards the selvedge, mark with chalk or pencil every 6 inches or so. Fold the hem in on that line and press.
8. Sew this hem up by hand or machine with a large (and easy to remove) stitch that can be altered for future wearers
9. Cut the two yards of ribbon into two 1-yard sections. Depending on desired size, cut 24″ of the elastic for a small woman, 30″ for a medium woman, or 36 for a large woman, you can use larger amounts for XXL folks, and smaller ones for children, generally 3-5″ less than the waist measure is a good amount.
10. Sew the two pieces of ribbon to the two ends of the elastic.
11. Attach the two safety pins to the two far ends of ribbon. Fasten one pin to the French seam allowance at top, and push the other end through the waistband tube at the top of the skirt till you have ribbon coming out at both sides of the tube.
12. Get the center of the elastic to stick in the center of the waistband tube, and do a little bit of hand stitching to fix it there at the center. Pull more of the ribbon out at both ends and try it on.
13. Remove the safety pins and cut the ends of the ribbon at a sharp pointed angle to reduce unraveling. Tie the ribbons into a bow to adjust the snugness of the waist.
That’s it. It’s done!
