Any way to save a very stretchy neckline? (sewing)

[PeterParkerSays]

I had a grand idea that I'd make my DS a poncho / camp blanket type thing for when we go camping - essentially a blanket with a hole in the middle for your head, you sit by the fire all warm with it and if you wear it in bed it keeps your back and front warm at the same time.

Brilliant, except that the fleece material is stretching with the weight of the wider blanket. The hole was measured to be generous on a 6 year old's head, presuming he'd be wearing PJs or a onesie under it, but now I could wear the bloody thing.

Is there a way I can get it back to being wearable size by said 6 year old, by stablizing the neckline and bunging elastic in to to pull in the excess material? Looking online for "stablizing necklines" I can oly find blog posts about reducing gaping on bias cut tops and making your own tape for the job. I've only got tomorrow to get this sorted then I'm back at work and we're camping next weekend and I want to get it wearable by then hopefully by DS not his 6"3 dad. What can I get from a general sewing shop (may have to be Dunelm round here as there's nothing else apart from the market on Sat) which would resolve this?

I have these great ideas for sewing things, but fall at the hurdles of being inept and not having enough expertise for what I'm trying to pull off.

[Berthatydfil]

Could you put bias binding on it ?

[PeterParkerSays]

Around the edge of the neck? It would help to hide the pleats to get the blanket material to a reasonable neckline. I'll have to see what our local shops have. I've been eyeing up an old hooded top of mine that 's in the charity shop pile with a view to sewing the blanket onto the shoulders and hood of it, as a way to support the weight in more than one place but I don't want to make it worse. The blanket's supposed to look something like this. Now I know why they use more scratchy, firmer, material for them, mine would fall off her shoulders.

[Berthatydfil]

I was thinking something narrower and in a non stretchy fabric. That looks like they have sewn a neck scarf or bandanna to the neck.

The advantage of bias binding is its folded over so as you sew it so it binds over the inside and outside.
You could make your own but I would use a fairly firm non stretch material like a thick cotton curtain or upholstery Fabric.

[Berthatydfil]

I would also sew a couple of rows of stabilising stitches on the neckline just to stop it stretching any more,

[PeterParkerSays]

Thanks Bertha. I've sewn a couple of rows of stiching around the neckline which should help to stop it getting worse. I'll head out later this morning to look for something suitable for bias binding to sandwich the fleece material.

[JoffreyBaratheon]

To prevent it in future projects try stay stitching. That is, you sew (inside the seam allowance) down from the shoulder on each side to the centre front. That will prevent curved edges from stretching.

It's usually the first thing you do after cutting out.

[lavendersun]

I would use stay tape - stronger than stay stitching and as Joffrey says, the next step after cutting out.

I have this one

www.stuff4crafts.com/stay-tape-1-2-x10-yards-791.html?currency=GBP&CAWELAID=120018150000130808&gclid=CMekmJnx18cCFYIcGwodtkABKw

[fortifiedwithtea]

Bias binding has 'give' and that's the very thing you don't need.

Dart out the excess fullness that has been caused by the fabric stretching.

Then stabilise by stay stitching 1/4 inch India tape (stay tape) a round the neck line.

[nickelbabe]

The only thing that will save you is ribbing.
It's the stuff you get on cuffs and necks of jumpers.

If you can an old sweatshirt with a big cuff around the waist, then chop it off and make it 3/4 the size of the head (without stretching it when you measure it!) Then sew it around the hole (you'll need to pin it and stretch to fit - I usually do 4 pibs at quarters)
If you've got a sewing machine then use a zig zag stitch.
If you're sewing by hand then use an over stitch.

That's your only save now.

[nickelbabe]

Ps, if it's impossible to get it that small, you'll be okay making it headsize but definitely no bigger

[nickelbabe]

You can still put a necker round it