Placket is basically an opening in clothes that allow easy putting on and removal.It is usually used as opening in necklines, sleeve cuffs, waistbands of pants and skirts. Sometimes plackets are used solely as a decorative element especially with embroidery or in contrasting coloured fabrics.
In sewing plackets, they should be placed so that they could be very comfortably accessed for fastening and unfastening.
Do not forget an important rule in placket positioning – In girls’ clothing the right side of placket overlaps the left and in boys’ clothing left side of the placket overlaps the right side.
The common types of fasteners used are Buttons, zippers , hooks and eyes. Plackets for buttons are also called Button stand ( Button plackets)
An important aspect in sewing plackets is not to forget interfacing the area of plackets.Plackets bear a lot of strain when it is being fastened and unfastened. Buttons and zippers can really test the fabric fibers there. So interfacing will share the strain and protect the fabric.
4 Main types of Plackets
- Partial Plackets
These are plackets used on clothes without a full front opening. There is no center seam.One piece of the placket will cover the other projected piece of placket. Two pieces of clothes strips are used to sew this placket.
- Continuous placket / single piece placket
This is a one piece partial placket
- Shirt Plackets
These are plackets used on clothes with a full front opening. In shirt plackets the selvage end is folded and used as the placket. There is no extra fabric stitched additionally.
- Blouse Plackets
These are plackets which has one side extended placket. This is hidden beneath the garment edge which serves as the other side placket.Checkout the tutorial to sew these kind of plackets in the post on sewing a princess cut blouse.
The three tutorials given below are for partial plackets. You need a partial placket for a number of reasons – consider that you have sewn a top but find that your neck is not fitting in – this is a worst case of course – but this is a case when you definitely need a partial placket. Partial placket is also used as a decorative element with the placket made in a contrasting or complementing colour.
How to sew an easy placket with a single facing
This method is a very easy to sew method and will give you a placket with the measurement – 1.5 inch wide placket with length 6 inches
Find the center fold line of the bodice
Mark a parallel line 2 centimeters to the right on the bodice – ie as you look at it on the right side of the center line. the measurement of the line is 6.5 inches . Mark 1/4 inch from the top edge on the same line
This is marked on the right side for girl’s bodice and on left side for men’s bodice
Prepare the placket facing
1. Cut out placket facing measuring 6 5/8 inch width ( 5/8 translates to 1.5 cms I find it easier to mark 1.5 cms after I have marked the 6 inches) and 8 3/4 inch length
2. Cut out an interfacing strip 3 inch wide and 7 inch long.
Fuse the interfacing to the placket fabric 1″ from the left side edge
Mark a line on the center of the interfacing strip, 1/2 inch from the top edge . The line should be 6 inches long
Mark two lines parallel to this center line on either side 1/16 inches from the center line . These lines should stop 1/4 inch from the bottom end of the center line and join the center in a tapered line
Keep the placket facing interfacing side up on the bodice, placket extending 1/2 inches from the top edge , the long marked lines aligning correctly. pin in place
Stitch the placket to the bodice along the parallel lines you have drawn on either side of the center line. When you reach the tapered bottom edge, reduce the stitch length. Be careful that you donot waver from the drawn lines.
Cut through the center. Use sharp scissors and stitch to the absolute end but make sure that the stitching line is not cut.
Turn the facing to the back of the bodice.
Finger press everything in place
Fold the placket facing on the left side, turned inside. Pin in place
Stitch the placket. This is better done from the top.The placket will extend a little to the top ( just for safety). You can cut it off on level with the bodice neckline when sewing the neckline.
You can bind the neckline as usual but remember that you will need a little extra binding tape for placket top also. Checkout the tutorial for binding with bias tape.
How to sew a 2 Piece placket ( Kurta Placket)
For the placket you need
The bodice front piece with neckline already cut
2 strips of cloth
- Length = Length of opening + 2 inch
- Width = 2.5 inches
Take the wrong side of the bodice. Mark the front opening. Add 1/2 inch to either side . Mark that line. From the bottom edge mark up 1/2 inch . From their join to the left and right edges in a triangular shape as in the picture below. Mark 1/4 inch from the center line to either side also.
Cut out a strip 1/4 inch to either side of the center line. The diagonal triangle should be cut too.
Cut out the facing pieces. Iron the interfacing to the wrong side of the 2 strips of cloth if you like some thickness.
Pin one of the strips to the side of the center line on the right side of the bodice as in the picture
Stitch them together along the edge with a 1/4 inch seam allowance till the end ( which is the beginning of the diagonal cut) Backstitch.
Take the other edge of the strip over to the back through the opening and pin in place.
Stitch the edge with all layers together.
Do the same thing for the other side and fabric strip.
Now Overlap the two bands and take the ends to the back through the opening at the bottom,for a square bottom edge . Pin the two bands together at the bottom. you can take the ends inside through the bottom opening and stitch them together with the triangular piece of the bodice. If you want an extended front placket just take the back one to the inside and stitch.
You can finish the edges with a zig zag stitch. On the front side a small square stitching may be given if it is a kurta.
If you want a classic tower shape at the bottom edge, you will have to manipulate the end of the placket into a tower shape.Cut off 1 inch from the end.
Turn in excess fabric diagonally to the inside. Pin in place.
Now turn in from the other corner also. You will get a tower shape.
Pin in place.Top stitch the shape in place
How to sew a continuous placket
Continuous placket is an easy to sew placket. It best suits kid’s dresses, sleeve cuff openings
1. Mark the opening straight down a- b
1/4 inch to either side of the line mark c and d . Mark down to the point b
2. Prepare a strip of fabric of
width = 2.5″ and length = twice the length of the opening a-b
3. Cut open the opening a-b
4. Keep the opening in a straight line as in the picture below
c – b – d should now be a straight line
5. Stitch along the opening with the fabric strip below 1/4 inch from the edge. Please note that at point b the seam allowance tapers to almost nil for the opening. But the 1/4 inch should be the seam allowance throughout for the fabric strip.
6.Press the placket to the other side of the main fabric.
7. Fold the edge of the fabric strip inside 1/4 inch . press in place
8.Fold this edge to cover the seam you have made. Making sure that the stitching line is covered by this placket, stitch in place from the right side. Make sure to stitch close to the edge
you can finish this placket to the outside as well as to the inside
9.if you want the placket inside , stitch diagonally catching together the two plackets on the wrong side. stop at the stitching line and do a back stitch.
10. if you want the placket outside follows the steps as below
Bring the placket to the front of the garment .
Fold the placket so that one side is lying horizontally away from the other side.
Now bring back the placket up so that a tip is formed at the bottom of the placket – you will have to help the forming of this tip
Stitch around the bottom of the placket in the shape acquired. Now you can proceed to attach buttons and sew the buttonholes in place.
After completing the plackets, you should ensure that they adhere to the following standards
- The placket is lying flat and it is free from excess bulk.
- It is not looking out of place or very conspicuous unless you intend it to be that way ( decorative placket)
Sew quick and easy placket
Mark the center line of the placket. Draw two lines 1/8 inch to either side of the center line ; Join it to the end of the center line
Mark the center fold line in the placket as well
Pin the placket facing on top of the right side of the bodice, center lines aligned
( If you are adding thread loops , prepare the thread loops and keep them along the rightside line you have made between the facing and the bodice piece ( for girl’s tops) )
Stitch along the two lines you have marked on either side. The stitching length should be decreased for stitching this. Decrease further as you reach the point at the bottom
Cut along the center line. Use a very sharp scissors and cut very carefully till the very tip
Turn the facing to the wrong side of the bodice.Press the seam allowance to the facing .
Take a strip of fabric 4 inch wide and length equal to the placket opening +1″
Turn inside 1/4 inches from top and bottom and press in place
Fold this piece by half. Finish the raw edges of this pieces together with a zig zag stitch
Stitch this piece on the right side of the bodice, keeping it under the right side of the bodice( for girl’s top)