Necklines – How to draft different necklines for your dresses

Updated on December 7, 2022 by Sarina Tariq

When it comes to dressing, the neckline is one of the most critical factors that can make or break your looks. A good neckline can enhance your looks and flatter your body. But a bad one can wreck the whole outfit. Below you will find a list of necklines and the method to draft a pattern for them.

Related posts : Check out also the post on about 60+ different types and variations of neckline designs. You have to decide on which neckline will compliment your body. For this, reading the post on choosing the best neckline would be ideal.

How to Draft patterns for different necklines

Other than suitability, other factors influence the neckline you choose for your dresses, like the type of dress you are designing, the occasion, cloth, etc. You may also go against fashion standards and select a neckline you have never tried. 

Make a Facing 

Checkout this post on making a facing for the neckline and assembling it, for the correct way to  sew the neckline you have drafted. 

Behind every nice-looking neckline is a facing.  Without facing, the necklines will turn out shabby and unprofessional-looking.

Take a square piece of cloth  10 inches into 10 inches. Iron the interfacing onto the wrong side of this square piece of clothing. Mark the  Neckline on the right side of this cloth. After marking, leave one and a half inches margin and cut along the edges of the neck. Finish the fabric edges of the facing before sewing it to the neckline. 

Another option is to cut out interfacing in the shape of your neckline; cut out the facing in this shape with some extra seam allowance and sew this facing to the neckline. 

Assembling the neckline

For all the necklines the breadth of the neckline and the depth is first marked on the folded cloth (I mark on the wrong side of the facing cloth)

I use the following convenient chart to determine how much breadth and depth of the neck I should mark according to the bust measurement. The chart gives the measurement for a neck that is very close to the neck. If you want to, you can fold a favorite top or dress bodice, measure the neckline for neck width from the center fold line and the neck depth, and go from there. 

•  Round neckline

0-1 Mark the neck width as per your bust measurement ( as seen in the table)

1 – 3 Mark the depth of the neckline ( as you need it or refer the table)

1-2 Mark straight down

2 -3   Join 2 to 3 in a straight line

2-4 Mark a straight line inside such that 4 is marked 1 inch inside. Join 1 -4-3 in a nice round shape.

Checkout the tutorial to make a tank top to see how this neckline is assembled with the facing turned outside as an embroidered yoke

•  U neck line

This neckline can be drafted the same way the round neckline is drafted above. U is  a variation of round, the difference being that this one is narrower and deeper.

Checkout this panel dress pattern tutorial where this neckline is bound with bias tape.

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•  V neckline

0-1 Mark the neck width as per your bust measurement ( as seen in the table)

1 – 3 Mark the depth of the neckline ( as you need it or refer here)

1-2 Mark straight down

2 -3   Join 2 to 3 in a straight line

2-4 Mark a straight line inside such that 4 is marked 2 inches inside. Join 1 -4-3 in a straight line with just a hint of a curve -so that the v neck can be stitched nicely and lies beautifully on the body

Checkout the post 6 ways to stitch a V-neckline to your dress/top for more details on stitching this neck – how to sew piping to a v-neckline; how to sew binding on v-neckline etc.

• Scoop neckline 

This is a round neckline lying somewhat low on the bust.

0-1 Mark the neck width as per your bust measurement ( as seen in the table)

1 – 3 Mark the depth of the neckline ( as you need it or refer here)

1-2 Mark straight down

2 -3   Join 2 to 3 in a straight line

B         midpoint of 1-2

C         Take one inch upwards and mark C

A         Take one inch downward and mark

D-E    Mark 3/4 inches from D to E

2-3     From corner 2 Mark 3/4 inches upwards to 3

1-E-A-3-4. Draw the neckline in a nice shape. Mark facing line alongside

• Sweetheart neckline

0-1 Mark the neck width as per your bust measurement ( as seen in the table)

1 – 3 Mark the depth of the neckline ( as you need it or refer here)

1-2 Mark straight down

2 -3  Join 2 to 3 in a straight line

B  – midpoint of 1-2

C  Take one inch upwards and mark

A  Take one inch downward and mark

C- D  Mark D so that C-D is I inch

Join 10 – D- A -3 in a nice shape

The red line indicates the facing cutting line.

• Leaf shaped neck

0-1   Mark the neck width as per your bust measurement ( as seen in the table)

1 -4    ¼ inch inside

1-3      Mark the depth of the neckline ( as you need it or refer here)

1-2      Mark straight down

2-3      Join to 3 in a straight line

C          midpoint of 1-2

C – D  Take half inch outward from C

2 – 5  Take 1 ½  inches inside

4 – D-5 – 3 Join in a curved line

• Keyhole / Kurta style slit opening

0-1 Mark the neck width as per your bust measurement ( as seen in the table)

1 – 3 Mark the depth of the neckline ( as you need it or refer here)

1-2 Mark straight down

2 -3  Join 2 to 3 in a straight line

Mark up 2 1/2 inches from 3 to the point 4

Join in a soft curve from 1 -4

Make a slit from 4 to 3

Related post : Different types of keyhole neckline.

Checkout  the Kaftan tutorial with this type of opening or the cold shouldered top sewing pattern

•  Arch neckline or scalloped neck

This neckline is best suited for both back and front necklines

0 -1                       Take neck width as per chest measurement

1- A                       Take 3/4 inches outside from 1 to A

A – 2                      Take neck depth from 8 -9 inches

Join in a straight line

Divide this line into 4 parts and mark B . Take the center of each part and mark as C

C- D Mark 1/2 inches upwards. Make an arch along these measurements. except on the last one which should be marked as in the diagram

• Basket neck line

0-1   Mark neck width as per the bust measurement

1-3 Neck depth as desired

0-1-2-3 Form a nice rectangle with all right angles

2-A Mark 1 or 1 1/2 inches inside from 2 to A

Join 1 – A – 3 to form the neck shape

• Square neckline

Checkout this post on making a dress – free dress sewing pattern & tutorial for sewing a square neck 

• Jewel neckline 

This neckline lies very close to the neck. It is not broad or deep. This is usually seen in Kids’ clothes

• Boat neckline

This neckline is a variation of the Jewel neckline. It is broader than the jewel neckline and looks like a boat hence the name.

• Cowl necklines

Checkout the tutorial – Cowl neck sewing pattern for drafting this neckline. Read more on different types of cowl necklines here.

•  Straight pentagonal neckline

0-1   Mark neck width as per the bust measurement

1-3 Neck depth as desired

0-1-2-3 Form a nice rectangle with all right angles

1- A Mark A as 1/2 inch inside from point 1

B – Midpoint of 1-2

C Mark C as 1 inch downwards from B

D Mark D i/2 inch outside from C

Join A – D – 3

• Star neck

0-1   Mark neck width as per the bust measurement (refer the table)

1-3 Neck depth as desired

Divide the line 1 -3 into equal parts and mark these points as A & B  Mark the midpoint of A-B as C.

D  Mark D as midpoint of 1 -2

Mark the star point from A & B to D . Join the two lines.

• High neck line

This shrug pattern  features a high neck neckline.

• Strapless neckline

Learn to sew neckline in the post on making a strapless top.

• Off shoulder neckline

• Halter neckline

Checkout the tutorial to draft a Halter neck top pattern for instructions to make this neckline

• Asymmetrical

One factor you have to consider when deciding on the neckline is whether you want a similar neckline on the back also or whether you want a closed neck in the back. If the back neck is to be a closed one, then you have to take care that the depth should start from at least 6 inches for the smallest of bust sizes. Otherwise it will not look good. For bust sizes of 38 inches and above, it should be 7 to 7.5 inches.

When you draft a neck pattern, you should make a muslin first before trying it out on an expensive cloth. Especially if it is a neck design you have not tried before.

Related posts :

• How to finish necklines with facing 
• How to finish necklines with bias binding – 6 methods 
• How to finish necklines of sleeveless bodices with lining
• 50+ Neckline ideas for salwar suits/ Kurtis/churidar.