Hello friends! I'm so happy to share this wonderful hack for the Photinia inspired by these Pinterest post here and here! My newest pattern The Photinia Top and Dress is available for purchase HERE if you don't have it already!
I love the simplicity of the Photinia but I appreciate being able to incorporate buttons into any design and this step by step tutorial shows you how to give some oomph to your Photinia by adding a button placket! Let's get started!
PHOTINIA TOP AND DRESS BUTTON PLACKET HACK
Cut your front piece on the selvage of your fabric instead of on the fold. Cut your back piece on the fold and your bias binding and chosen sleeve option following the normal cutting layout.
Follow step 1 of the instructions accordingly to finish the shoulder seams and sew front and back together.
Cut a 1" strip of light/medium weight interfacing the length of the front bodice edge. Iron the strip 3/8" away from the edge. Repeat for the other side.
Fold the raw edge of the front of the bodice in by 3/8" and press. Fold again by 1" and press. Repeat for the other side. Topstitch the inner folded edge of the front bodice down. This is your placket. Optionally you can edgestitch the outer fold of the placket for esthetics.
Sew the front and back pieces together according to the instructions. Sew the side seams according to the instructions. Try the top on to check fit.
Create your gathering/basting stitches according to the instructions, sewing along the back neckline first and then the front bodice necklines. Alternatively you could create your basting/gathering stitches in two lines around the entire neckline. Do not gather the button plackets
You can keep your binding piece the same size if you want a slightly wider neck binding, I trimmed mine to be 2.5" in width. Measure the neck binding to the length of the neckline + 3/4". Fold the binding in half and press lightly or fingerpress.
Fold your binding in half lengthwise creating a temporary fold line down the middle. With the wrong side of the binding facing up, fold one edge of your binding 1/2" inward and press the folded edge in place.
Fold the binding lengthwise, wrong sides together, along the previously made middle fold so that about 1/2" of the raw edge of binding is extending out. Sew down the end of the binding through all layers using a 3/8" seam allowance. Repeat for the other side.
With right sides together, on the wearers right side of the top, match the extended raw edge of the binding to the neckline of the top, making sure to extend the seam allowance right past the placket. Pin the raw edge to the full neckline until you meet the other side.
Sew the neck binding to the top using a 1/2" seam allowance making sure not to catch the folded edge but to only sew the raw edge of the binding to the top.
Trimming is optional here, but if you do choose to trim, trim the raw edge of the neckline to about 3/8" seam allowance. Press the seam allowance towards the neck binding. Trim the neck binding ends and the corners.
Fold the neck binding over so that the folded edge extends over the seam allowance. Use a point turner to poke out the corners of the end of the neck binding. With the right side of the top facing you, pin the binding in place within the seam and stitch in the ditch to edgestitch the binding down. Press.
Add buttons and buttonholes (due to the 1" placket you can choose buttons that go up to 7/8"). Hem the top by finishing the raw edge of the hem and turning it 5/8" upward. Sew using a 1/2" seam allowance.
Voila! Your button down is complete! 