5.3 Placket

BACK

Plackets are finished openings constructed in order to make it easy to put on or take off a garment. When the garment is in use, plackets are kept closed with the aid of fasteners such as zips, buttons, and buttonholes, press buttons, hooks and eyes, etc. They are used at waistlines, necklines, wrists, and other snug-fitting parts of garments. A placket may be made in an opening left in a seam, or in a slash-cut in a garment. The former is stronger and gives a better finish when completed.

The following points should be kept in mind while constructing a placket.

A good placket should lay flat on the garment.
A placket should not be thick and should not have gaps at the edges.
The position of the placket should be easily accessible.
The seams of the placket should be strengthened at the closed ends as it has to go through a certain amount of strain during wear.
While choosing a placket the position of the placket, the texture of the fabric, age and sex of the wearer along with the current fashion should be kept in mind.

Do not forget an important rule in placket positioning – In girls’ clothing the right side of the placket overlaps the left and in boys’ clothing left side of the placket overlaps the right side.

5.3.1 Zipper Placket

https://sosopoetry.blogspot.com/2018/06/types-of-plackets-inward-clothing.html

Zipper Placket

Zippers are plastic or metal rows with teeth-like structures, which can be looped or unlooped by a runner. This is used to open or close the garment. It is attached to the placket. The market is filled with different types of zippers which can be matched based upon the side of the placket opening and the color of the garment. Zippers are available in different colors and length

Method of Sewing Zipper Plackets

Cut the opening in the garment where the zipper has to be attached.
Select the zipper according to the opening size.
Towards the end of the cut make a short slit 0.25 cm wide diagonally on both sides (an inverted ‘V’ shape).
Turn all the three raw edges to the wrong side and tack them.
Sew a square piece of tape at the raw edge.
Place the zipper on the sewen lap and stitch through the edges holding the fabric edge.
Cover the zipper edges with a small square piece of tape, tack it first and then sew it.
Hem the raw edges neatly to finish the zip.

5.3.2 Placket Without Zipper

https://sosopoetry.blogspot.com/2018/06/types-of-plackets-inward-clothing.html

Continuous Bound Placket

These plackets are made on a seam or a cut but should not be made on curved seams and bulky fabrics. This is also called a one-piece placket. They are suitable for children’s dresses, undergarments like petticoats, and sleeve openings where a cuff or band is used

Method of Sewing Continuous Bound Placket

To make a placket in a slash, cut a strip of fabric on the lengthwise grain.
The cut should be 3 to 6 cm wide and 3 cm longer than twice the length of the openings.
Match the center of a long edge of the strip to the end of the slashing edge, with the right sides of the garment and strips facing each other.
Pull back the tip of the slash about 0.25 cm from the edge of the placket strip and pin it.
Open the placket edges wide and attach to the strip by a line of tack-ing worked 0.25 cm from the edge of the strip.
From the right side of the garment, machine over the tacking line from one end up to its midpoint.
Keep the machine needle in the fabric, raise the pressure foot and move the fullness backward out to prevent fold created on the placket.
Lower the presser foot and stitch along the opposite end of the opening.
Press the seam edges towards the placket strip and fold under the free edge of the strip of 0.25 cm and crease.
Fold the strip over the seam edge and hem it along the stitching line.
Fold the strip under the overlap section and tack it close to the seam.
Tacking should be removed after fixing the fasteners.

https://sosopoetry.blogspot.com/2018/06/types-of-plackets-inward-clothing.html

Bound and Faced Placket / Two-Piece Placket

As the name indicates, this is done with two pieces of fabric. This placket is commonly used in skirts, petticoats, and back opening dresses. The overlap and underlap sides are finished with facing and binding respectively

Method of Sewing Bound and Faced Placket

Cut two separate strips of fabric, measuring 8 cm width for the over-lap and the other with 6 cm width for the underlap.
The length of the strips should be 2.5 cm more than the length of the placket opening.
The overlap and underlap sides are finished with the narrow and wide strips respectively.
Care should be taken to maintain the stitching line of the seam along with the strips stitching line.
The one-inch extra length of the strips should extend below the placket opening.
Crease the strip back over the seam and turn the free edges under the wrong side of the garment hem and finish the underlap.
The completed bound side of the placket should be 0.25 cm wide.
Turn the overlap strip over completely to the wrong side making 0.25 cm fold on the wrong side of the garment and hem neatly.
Finish the placket with a row of hand stitches on the wrong side catching the under and overlap together.

https://sosopoetry.blogspot.com/2018/06/types-of-plackets-inward-clothing.html

Miter Placket

Miter placket is mainly used in men’s shirts, sleeve opening, and on neck openings for children’s garments where strength is the major requirement. It is also called a tailored placket

Method of Sewing Miter Placket

Prepare a strip on straight grain measuring 7 cm wide and the exact length of the slit which is normally 12-15 cm for the underlap.
Place the strip right side facing to match the end of the slit and with right side facing, sew about 5 cm to join the strip.
Fold and machine along the stitch-ing line over the folded edge (0.25 cm) along the strip.
Point the strip to about 2.5 cm wide.
A strip measuring 5.5 cm wide and 3 cm longer than the slit is cut for the overlap and this is placed on the seam line about 0.25 cm.
Keep the right sides of the strip facing the wrong side of the garment and tack the short side of the strip to the free side of the placket opening on the seam line.
Machine stitch and bring the overlap on the right side of the garment.
Turn under the seam allowance and adjust the position of the strip so that overlap and underlap are together, sew it.
Make a row of topstitch on the strips and garment together turn around the point and downward till the opening.
Then sew twice keeping the overlap and underlap in position on the garment to form a square shape.

https://sosopoetry.blogspot.com/2018/06/types-of-plackets-inward-clothing.html

Faced Placket Open

It is one of the simplest methods of finishing a neckline. It is mostly used for infants, children and night dresses.

Method of Sewing Faced Placket Open:

Cut a placket open for the required length at the center back or front
Place the facing piece right side of the garment and make a row of stitches
Turn the facing to the wrong side and then topstitch
Hem neatly to finish the facing

Shirt Placket: 6 Types of Dress Shirt Plackets

The shirt placket refers to the part of your shirt where the buttonholes are placed. Located at the center front, plackets are almost always made with more than one layer of fabric. In the past, plackets were entirely separate pieces of cloth that were sewn to the front; today, the edges are simply folded. From conventional to concealed, read on for a mini-education on this essential shirt component.

https://www.hockerty.com/en/blog/shirt-plackets

FRONT PLACKET

A front placket is the most popular type of shirt placket. It has a very business-like, dressy appearance. The placket fabric is folded back outside and sewn to the rest, but it can also feature a separate piece of fabric to create the same look.

https://www.hockerty.com/en/blog/shirt-plackets

NO PLACKET (FRENCH FRONT)

This sophisticated shirt placket creates a clean one-piece fabric look because the placket fabric is folded back and sewn from the inside. The plain design looks very elegant but it is often used on casual shirts, too. It might be a bit trickier to iron this kind of shirt placket where you cannot reach the underside, but it is nothing a true gentleman could not master.

https://www.hockerty.com/en/blog/shirt-plackets

COVERED PLACKET (FLY FRONT)

Fly Front has an additional piece of fabric to cover the buttons below it. A covered shirt placket is a very stylish choice and one of the most formal options. Even though it is not very common, it gives you the cleanest look you can achieve. Due to its formality, this type of shirt placket is often associated with tuxedo events.

https://www.hockerty.com/en/blog/shirt-plackets

POPOVER PLACKET

This sporty and informal shirt placket is often used on casual shirts. The fabric is also folded back to create the front placket look, but the lacing part is shorter and features only three buttons. Comfortable to put on, just pop the shirt over your head and close the three buttons.

https://www.hockerty.com/en/blog/shirt-plackets

TUXEDO FRONT (PLAIN)

Tuxedo Front is a tuxedo shirt version of the French front placket with one significant difference – the top four buttons can be removed and replaced with tuxedo studs. As the name suggests, we recommend wearing this shirt placket only on tuxedo shirts

https://www.hockerty.com/en/blog/shirt-plackets

PLEATED TUXEDO FRONT

This type of tuxedo shirt placket features small fabric folds on the shirt front. An extravagant tuxedo or a classic black choice may complement the bold appearance of the shirt. Similar to the plain tuxedo front, the top four buttons are also replaceable with tuxedo studs.

How To Draft And Sew A Sleeve Placket With Cuff

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

A sleeve placket is an opening at the end of a sleeve that allows your hand to fit through a narrow space easily. It’s most often seen on shirts or blouses and is generally finished with a cuff. Not only it is functional, it can also be used as a design detail.

Materials

The fabric of your choice
Matching sewing thread
small buttons
fusible interfacing (optional)

Tools

Pattern paper, scissor, ruler, pins, chalk, fabric marker, pen, buttonhole foot, needle, seam ripper, a sewing machine

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

Drafting the Pattern

The finished placket is generally 3/4″ (2 cm) wide x 5″ (12,5 cm) high for womenswear and 1″ (2,5 cm) wide x 7″ (18 cm) high for menswear. Note that this template is easily adapted to make plackets of all sizes.

Note that this tutorial is for the left sleeve. To make a right sleeve, inverse the position of the placket on the sleeve so that it is a mirror image to the left sleeve.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

Here’s how you position the placket for the left sleeve:

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

And for the right sleeve:

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

1. The key to sewing a great placket is to carefully mark and sew precisely. Which is why we recommend transferring your template markings to the wrong side of the fabric to help you know what goes where once you start press and sew.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

2. Make a small snip in the seam allowance (where it says “cut” in the diagram) to meet the second fold line.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

3. Press the placket’s seam allowances to the wrong side

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

4. Position the placket fabric on top of the sleeve fabric with both wrong sides facing you. Match markings (the slash lines) on sleeve and sleeve placket and pin.

Note that the higher column of the placket should be closest to the center of the sleeve and the shorter one – to the side of the sleeve.

When you start working on the second sleeve, double-check that the plackets on the two sleeves are mirror images of each other

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

5. Stitch around the box that surrounds the slit line, pivoting at the corners. Use a shorter stitch length when you come to the corners as you’ll later need to clip quite close to them.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

6. Now that you’ve stitched your box, carefully cut in the middle but stop 0,5” from the end and clip diagonally to create a «Y». Clip as close as possible to the stitch line but don’t snip through it. You should be cutting through both layers (the sleeve and the placket).

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

7. Turn the placket to the right side of the sleeve and gently press the seams flat to smooth out any possible wrinkles.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

8. Fold the narrow side of your placket along the line slightly covering the line of stitching. Press and pin.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

9. Working from the right side, topstitch the folded edge to the placket.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

10. Now fold the wider edge of the placket along your marked line, covering the gap and the line of stitches of the narrow edge. Press but do not pin yet.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

11. Before you edgestitch our triangular side of the placket (often called “tower”) in place, you need to check where the top of the opening is as you want to make sure that you don’t topstitch too far away from it or over it. Make a small chalk mark at the point or place a pin.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

Now you can pin the tower section.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

12. Edgestitch your tower placket piece in place, starting at the bottom and sewing up towards the point. Use a smaller stitch length when you approach the point and pivot your fabric with your needle still in it when you reach the lower edges.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

When you reach the mark, stop, pivot your fabric again and sew straight across the placket. Remember to backstitch when you reach the end.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

If you wish, you can even create a decorative X to stabilize the seams.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

13. Press your finish sleeve placket one more time and you are all done!

Now, you need to finish the sleeve with a cuff.

Drafting The Cuff

Note: At this point, your sleeve should be already attached to the garment and closed up at the sides to form a tube. Follow the instructions in your pattern to attach the sleeve.

Depending on the width of your sleeve opening and your finished cuff, you might need to gather or pleat your sleeve fabric first. In our case, the sleeve opening is quite narrow so our cuff’s width is identical to our sleeve’s width – 9,25″.

Start by drafting your cuff.

1. Measure the length of the wrist line on either your finished sleeve or directly around your wrist and decide how long you want your cuff to be.

2. Take a piece of paper and draw a horizontal line that corresponds to your measurement.

Then draw two perpendicular lines to the desired width of your cuff. If you are not sure what width to choose, you can always refer to a shirt in your wardrobe to get an idea of an appropriate cuff width for your project. We went for 1,5″ (3,8 cm).

Connect the dots to complete your rectangle and decide what shape you would like your cuff to be. The most common cuff types are: round cuff, cut corner cuff or square cuff. We chose the latter.

3. Add your usual seam allowances around all edges (we work with a 3/8″ (1 cm) seam allowance) and for one cuff cut 2 pieces in fabric and one in interfacing (without the seam allowances for the interfacing).

Here’s a little diagram that will help with the drafting:

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

Sewing And Attaching The Cuff

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

1. For one cuff, cut 2 pieces from fabric and one from fusible interfacing.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

2. Apply fusible interfacing to the wrong side of one of your cuff pieces and press the top edge under 3/8″ (1 cm).

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

3. Take your non-interfaced (outer) cuff piece and pin the two right sides together, aligning the curved edges.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

4. Stitch the outer cuff to the inner cuff all along the curved edge at a 3/8″ (1 cm) seam allowance.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

5. On the wrong side of the sleeve, pin the non-interfaced cuff panel to the sleeve sandwiching the folded cuff panel in between but making sure not to catch it when you pin. Both wrong sides should be facing you.

Match up the finished sleeve edges to your cuff’s line of stitching so that when you turn your cuff right side out, they’ll be aligned.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

6. Stitch the cuff to the sleeve making sure that the folded cuff edge is not caught.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

7. Turn the cuff right side out and press the seam flat folding the seam allowances towards the cuff. Use a dull pointed object like a chopstick to get the corners.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

8. Edgestitch the remaining edge of the outer cuff to the sleeve through all layers.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

9. To make sure that your sleeve cuff stays in place, topstitch around the curved outer edge 1/8″ from the edge.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

9. To make sure that your sleeve cuff stays in place, topstitch around the curved outer edge 1/8″ from the edge.

https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/12/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-sleeve-placket-with-cuff/

10. Overlap the cuff and decide where you want to place your button. Make a small mark and sew a buttonhole and attach a button

5.3.3 Sewing & Attaching Placket to Pants

A Pant Fly refers to the short opening over the crotch line in pants. A zippered fly has a zipper fastener securing the opening of the fly; this opening has to be sewn in such a way that the zipper is concealed and fixed to the inside.

How to Sew A Fly Front Zipper

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

These are the pieces you’ll need to install the zipper:

-Fronts x 2 in main fabric

-Fly facings x 1 in main fabric and interfacing

-Fly shield x 1 in main fabric and interfacing

-Zipper 15 cm (6″) long (it can be longer as in this tutorial)

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

2. Finish the center front seam of the front pieces with a serger or zigzag stitch. Report your marks on the front pieces.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

3. With right sides together, pin the front pieces together at the center front seam.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

4. Stitch from the inseam to the dot mark with a 1,5 cm (5/8″) seam allowance.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

5. Interface the fly facing piece.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

6. Finish the curved seam.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

7. Pin the fly facing to the left side front piece (when you wear the pants) with right sides together.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

8. Stitch together from the top edge to the dot mark with a 1,5 cm (5/8″) seam allowance.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

9. Open the fly facing. Trim and press the seam allowances toward the front.

Place the zipper face down (with the teeth toward the fabric) over the zipper facing, with the zipper ribbon touching the front seam. The zipper end should arrive just above the dot mark.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

10. Stitch the left side of the zipper ribbon to the fly facing. Turn the facing in and press lightly.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

11. Interface the fly shield piece.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

12. Fold it in half lengthwise and stitch the bottom edge with a 1,5 cm (5/8″) seam allowance.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

13. Turn the fly shield inside out, press and finish the edge with a serger or zigzag stitch.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

14. Press the right side front piece (when you wear the trousers) 0,5 cm (1/4″) toward the inside.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

15. Baste or pin the zipper to the folded edge.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

16. Baste or pin the fly shield to the zipper.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

17. Stitch very close to the folded edge throughout all layers (front, zipper and fly shield) from the top edge to the dot mark.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

18. Pin the fly shield out of the way so that it won’t get caught when we sew the fly topstitch.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

19. Close the zipper (but don’t cut it yet). Place the trousers front correctly and draw the topstitching line (you can use the front pattern piece or the fly facing as guide).

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

20. Stitch the fly topstitching throughout both layers (front and fly facing).

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

21. Unpin the fly shield and place it over the zipper. Pin in place again.

https://www.paulinealice.com/sew-fly-front-zipper/

22. Make bar tacks to reinforce the fly: one at the bottom of the topstitching line and one at the curve. This time make sure you stitch through the fly shield as well.