Sewing a shirt with a back yoke can be a little perplexing! Because of the yoke and the yoke facing, there’s the extra additional layer of fabric at the shoulders, and at the seam where the yoke meets the back. So there’s some fiddling to get it all sewed together. But there’s a couple of different ways to actually sew a shirt yoke! In my latest YouTube tutorial, I walk you through both how to sew a shirt yoke with the burrito method, and how to sew a shirt yoke with a more traditional way (which is what you’ll find in most vintage sewing patterns).
The most popular modern method that you’ll hear about online is typically called the burrito method. It uses a neat trick to encloses all your seam allowances for a clean finish. You know I love a little sewing trickery like this! In fact, I even have a separate tutorial for how to do an all-in-one facing with the burrito method.
It’s fun and relatively fast, but it’s definitely not a good choice if you’re using a more delicate fabric. It involves a good bit of tugging and pulling, particularly if your yoke is on the narrow side at the armhole edge.
So in my tutorial, I also cover how to sew a shirt yoke with a much more traditional method, with no fabric manhandling involved. It still stands the test of time as a lovely way to do it, too.
Both methods offer a great finish, without any hand stitching! In my latest video, I walk you through both methods step-by-step, including when and where to grade your seam allowances. You can follow along as I demonstrate both techniques on two different shirts, allowing you to see which way you like best for your particular project and fabric. Watch the video and find out!
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