Making a TK neck seal

[Doggydoc[Staff]]

Hi everyone,  I though I would post the process I used to make my neck seal for others to use if they want to try and make their own.

 

Materials:

 

• Stretch fabric - I used a tshirt type elastic material for the bib and the inside of the neck piece and a elastic stretch fabric with a shiny rubber like surface for the outside of the neck piece.
• Batting 
• Paper for making a pattern.
• Right angle ruler.
• Sewing supplies.

 

My neck size is 17”, so you may need to adjust some of the sizes accordingly. Based on your neck size.

 

Step 1 - Make the pattern:

 

Using a corner angle ruler, make a rectangle that is 26 inches wide by 14 1/2 inches tall. Mark the middle of the pattern along the long side of the rectangle with a dotted line.

mark one side front and back

 

 

Make a mark 10 1/2” from the edge of the front side. Make a second mark on the midline  12 inches from the edge back edge.  Make a mark 13 3/4 inches from the back edge and 3 1/2 inches in from the side on each side of the pattern.

 

 

 

Now using a pencil, make an oval on one half of the pattern from the 12 inch mark to the side marks at 13 3/4 inches and around to the 10 inch mark.

 

 

Fold the pattern in hale and cut out the oval.

 

 

 

Now we make the neck piece pattern:

 

First make a fitted template for the neck part.  
This is essentially a rectagle measuring 4 inches tall and 17 inches wide (width is the same as your neck size). Mark the midline of the long side of the rectangle and make a mark 3 1/4 inches from the bottom of the neck piece.  Freehand draw the curve from the marked spot up to the top of the neck piece as shown.

 

Fold the paper on the midline and cut out the curve.

 

 

Next, use the sized neck piece to create a pattern by adding an inch or two on either side and a half inch on the top and bottom to allow for seams.

 

 

Seep 2:  cutting the fabric:

 

Pin the pattern to the favric and cut the fabric following the pattern, including the hole in the bib.  For the neck piece,  cut one piece of the outer fabric using the pattern and cut the inner fabric using the same pattern but leave extra length on the bottom to allow for the seam on the neck.

use the fitted pattern to cut the batting.  I used 3 layers of batting.

 

 

 

 

Next, pin and hem the edge of the bib.

 

 

Step 3:  making the neck piece.

 

On the non showing side of the outer piece of fabric, use the fitted template to mark the fabric along the seam line using a white fabric pencil or chalk.
Pin the outer and inner pieces together along the top border of the neck with the inside and outside surfaces facing each other.  Next , lift up the upper piece and fold the lower piece up to sit in between the two pieces.  When the upper piece is dropped back down, then pin the upper and lower pieces along the bottom side of the neck piece.  
 

 

 

Now sew along the top and bottom sides of the neck piece.  Do not sew the sides.

Once sewn, this will create a tube. Turn the piece inside out so that the proper sides are now on the outside.  Slide the batting into place by putting your hand in the tube and gently pulling it through.  Take some time to position the batting inside the neck piece properly.

 

 

Starting at the bottom of the neck piece, use a sewing machine with a walking foot to sew straight lines along the length of the neck piece.  Use the previous line as a guide for the next one.  Continue up the neck piece to the top.

 

 

 

Step 4:  attach the neck piece to the bib.

 

Mark the centre of the front and back of the neck opening as well as the outermost points of neck opening at the shoulders.  
Next, mark the mid point , the back points ( I sewed lines from the top to the bottom where the neck piece will meet at the back), and the side points at the shoulders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, using the marked point to line up the pieces, pin the neck piece to the bib start at the middle front and then do the shoulders,  pin the areas in between next and work your way all the way around the seam.  This takes some time and several readjustments to get it right.  Trimming off the excess length at the back of the neck piece helps a bit.  You will have a gap of about an inch or so in the back but this is ok,  the zipper will close it up. Make sure that the correct sides (inside and outside) of the neck and bib are in correct position.

 

 

 

 

Now sew around the neck from the edge of one back point to the other back point.  
 

You likely will have a fair sized gap between the 2 back points,  simply cut down the back of the bib in the middle of the space and sew a zipper in place that runs up the back and onto the neck section.

 

 

you now have a completed neck seal.  Happy trooping.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2021 by Doggydoc
Corrected typo

[fishgoh0nk[TK]]

Very nice tutorial Gerald! I definitely learned something here; actually quite incentivized to make one myself. Thanks!

[Aradun[TK]]

Man, where were you last week when I tried to follow another tutorial and had an epic fail , which led me to bag the idea and just purchase one.  This is an awesome tutorial and I can see now where my errors were.  All's not lost though, as I need to replace a neck seal for my son, and will be following this tutorial for sure.  This will be a huge help to your fellow troopers down the line.   Well done Gerald and thanks for taking the time to not only post your work, but for all of the detailed photos and instructions that make this tutorial an excellent reference.