Sew Chic 7401 - the Myrtlewood

Have you ever had a project that you Just. Couldn't. Stop.  That happened last night.  All of the pieces were prepared and the dress was ready to be assembled, and I just HAD to do it.  So I did!

I wore it to church today, and got some very positive feedback from those who knew it was in progress.  I'm very happy with the way that it turned out.  Mitch was dubious about it when I started the project, but he really loved it when he saw it on this morning.  It a winner!!

I'm making a funny face, but you can see the dress better in this shot.  Turns out that I really love the bow after all.  I'm so glad that I took y'alls advice and put it on!  It really makes a difference in the look of the dress.  And I don't feel frou-frou in it.  Actually, wearing it was a total pleasure today.  It is comfortable, easy to move in (and jump in Logan's Primary class!) and since I made it in a cozy wool, I was the only person who was warm enough in church today.

Let me tell you about this pattern.  It was designed by Laura Nash at Sew Chic (formerly Nostalgic) Patterns.  You can get your own here, as well as peek at her other wonderful designs.  This pattern is beautifully drafted and the instructions are very complete.  Since diagrams aren't included, I did refer to my trusty Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing to help me out with the sleeve gussets.  I'd never done them before and wanted a pictorial reference.  Laura's instructions were spot on though and I'd have done fine without the diagrams, I think.  The only place I had a little trouble was in assembling the hip sash. It is pleated and then basted onto a stabilizing layer of lining fabric, but I never did figure out what I was supposed to do with the fashion fabric at center front as there didn't seem to be a seam allowance there.  Since the FF is cut on the bias, I just seamed it with the tiniest SA possible and then stretched it to fit the underlayer.  It worked out fine.  I'll write a  more complete review on PR, but that is the gist of it.

I added a full lining with the help of Connie Long's Easy Guide to Sewing Linings.  I initially thought I'd use the quick lining method, but the front facings are cut on, so I ended up doing a traditional sew in lining.  It went in beautifully, and I am feeling pretty good about the skills right now!

Here is the lining.  It is so awesome.  I'm going to be adding a lot more linings from now on!

Whew!  I was really starting to feel like this project was lagging, so I was so happy to really get jazzed about it yesterday.  Tomorrow, on to some tops and a new month - with new goals!  Onward and upward!

Sneak Peek

Today has worked out to be a serious sewing day!!  I feel like I am catching up a little after my week "off".  Anyway, here is a little peep at the bodice as it stands.

Wouldn't this pattern make an adorable jacket!  I totally love it!

Obviously I still have quite a bit to do, but I am excited to say that the lining went in without a hitch!  I really appreciate all of the feedback about the bow.  I think y'all are right and the bow really is an integral part of the design, so I'm putting it on.  As Mary Nanna said - I'll wear it on my "bow days"!

So, now I just have to work the buttonholes and put all the pieces together!  Home stretch!

Progressing slowly

It's been a bit of a difficult week here in the sewing room.  I've been a little under the weather.  Nothing serious, just enough to sap away my energy and make it hard to focus, so I really haven't been sewing much.  I wanted to be in top form before I tackled the sleeve gussets!  This morning that magical combination of sleeping kids and reasonable energy happened, and I got the bodice lining fully constructed!

I'm happy!
The dress goes together in sections, so the skirt is already done and fully lined.  Here's a peek at the lined back vent.

I used the instructions from Connie Long's Easy Guide to Sewing Linings, which I also used to draft the bodice lining pattern.  Fabulous book!  The instructions and illustrations are great!

The hip sash is also constructed, but I'm not sure if I want to attach the bow.  I'm not usually a bow sort of girl, but I like the way it looks with this dress, so I'm torn.

Bow?

No bow?

I'm leaning toward the bow, but I think I'll wait until the dress is together and decide then.  It's hard to tell how I feel about it when it is just sitting there on the ironing board...

I was really hoping to get this baby all done this week, but I really don't think it's going to happen.  I still have to construct the bodice, including the gussets, pocket flaps and collar, bag the bodice lining, work the buttonholes, attach all the pieces to each other and then close the lining.  Here's to next week!

A home for lost toys

I rearranged my kids room yesterday.  It was getting out of control.  Of course, I totally used it as an excuse to sew something that wasn't the dress.  I'm really not good at sticking to long projects.  I'll get it done, but I'm much better at quick and easy.  So, I took a very short break from the Myrtlewood to make the quickest bag ever to store all of the kids blocks in.  Of course, I had to have a little fun with it, so I appliquéd the word BLOCKS in felt on the front.

Fun, eh?  I used a piece of grey gingham that has been sitting in my stash forever.  I think it was given to me, since I can't imagine why I would buy a 3/4 yard piece of grey gingham...  The felt was half given to me and half scraps, so it was pretty much a free project.

Logan quickly figured out that bags are for dumping.

I think it makes a nice addition to this little corner of the room.

And in another move to worsen my sewing ADD, my first two issues of Ottobre came today!

For those who may be unaware, when you get a new subscription to Ottobre, you get a free back issue of your choice!  There were so many wonderful ones to choose from!!  I finally settled on 01/2009.  I've seen so many cute things from that issue, both on PR and on Beangirl's blog, I had to get it!  My first subscription issue 01/2010 came as well.  So many yummy things to sew!!

Fleece...and what to make of it.

This has been the winter of fleece for me!  I've made jackets for me and Logan, tunics, tops, blankets, pants - you name it!  I love sewing with fleece, and I thought I'd share some of what I've learned along the way.

Whenever I sew a new to me fabric, I first look it up in Sandra Betzina's More Fabric Savvy, which my mother gave me when I first started sewing again, so that is where much of my information comes from, as well as what I have learned along the way.

So, what is fleece?  The first fleece (Polar Fleece) was a polyester knit with a cut pile.  It has a generous 2 way stretch, sheds water and holds in body heat.  It was designed for cold weather activewear.  In the intervening years, fleece has been transformed, and is available in many fibers, prints, styles and colors.  You can even find burnout fleece that could be suitable for eveningwear!  Want silk, bamboo, organic cotton?  No problem!  Still, the vast majority of fleece is still polyester, and more exotic types are generally only available online.  I buy lots of fabric online, but with fleece, I really want to be able to touch and feel.  There is a lot of variability in the loft and density of the pile, all of which effect durability, drape and appropriateness of your fleece to your project.  This is one fabric that I do buy locally, which limits me to what Hancock, Hobby Lobby and Walmart carries.  One thing to look for is that the fleece is labelled "anti-pill".  This is generally going to be a denser, more durable fleece.  It often has an almost fur-like feel - very cozy.

So, what can you make out of fleece?  Nearly anything!  It is a knitted fabric, and quite stretchy on the cross grain, making it great for tops, pullovers and jackets.  I love it for PJ pants - so warm in the winter!  Of course, it was originally designed for activewear, so it is great for any kind of cold weather gear, like ski tops and pants, running shirts, and other layering pieces.  Since it it a knit, it can be made into garments that are quite close fitting, making it perfect for an under layer.  It is absolutely one of my favorite fabrics for casual baby clothes.  It's easy care, warm and soft.  There are tons of patterns out there designed for fleece, but don't let that limit you!!  You can use any pattern, although those intended for knits will give you the best results.

When sewing fleece, you basically can treat it like you would a knit fabric.  There are a few things that you may want to do differently, however.  When laying out your pattern, you will find that pins rip right through your tissue, so pattern weights are a better option, although since I use soil separator paper for my patterns I just use extra long pins and that works fine.  remember when you are laying out your pattern that fleece does have a right and wrong side!   It curls to the wrong side when stretched.  You can use either side, but be consistent.  The length of the pile tends to differ, so the two sides will wear very differently, even if they look the same when new.  It may help to put a chalk mark or piece of tape on the wrong side.  When transferring pattern markings, the pile of the fleece will make a tracing wheel and paper impossible, but chalk works well.

Once you are all cut out, you're ready to sew!  You can sew fleece with any needle type.  I commonly use a universal needle, but sharps and stretch/ballpoint needles work just as well.  One thing to remember is that fleece will dull your needles quickly, so you may need more than one for a complicated project, and be sure to change your needle after you've finished.  Fleece, much like fur, also tends to create a lot of lint, so give your machine a thorough cleaning after sewing it.  Seam fleece the same way that you would a knit.  I like to use the "lightning" stitch, but a narrow zigzag or triple stitch are also fine.  As with other knits. seams sewn with a straight stitch won't stretch and will tend to break.  I know you want to press that seam open now, but don't.  Fleece is pretty sensitive to the heat of the iron and melts easily.  You can end up crushing the pile, which i not pretty!  The seams lie quite flat in their own, so don't worry that this will make your project look unprofessional.  For seam finishes I prefer just to trim the fleece to about a 1/4 seam allowance.  Fleece doesn't ravel at all, and is very soft.  Serging or binding the edges will not be as soft, so I don't.  You can topstitch the seam allowances down, which will give your garment a sporty look.

Here is the inside of Mitch's running top.  You can see that the seams are trimmed but otherwise left alone.  The shoulder seam is stabilized with a strip of French Fuse (Fusi-Knit) interfacing.  I know, I just said don't iron your fleece, but if you are careful with your temperature, you can get away with fusing interfacing.  There are a few places that you might need it.  Shoulder seams will do better if they are stabilized, and zippers require some interfacing as well.

Here is the zipper of Logan's jacket - interfaced with regular lightweight nonwoven fusible.  Again, just test the temperature of your iron on a scrap of fabric.  You can use fusible interfacing!

But, if you'd rather, I stabilized this shoulder seam with a strip of twill selvage.

While most fleece garments are casual and minimally shaped, you may occasionally want to sew a dart.  This is no big deal, but since the fleece is bulky, I like to trim the dart down to about 1/8 inch and press it as flat as possible.

It fills in nicely and isn't terribly visible on the right side.

So, your seams are sewn.  You garment is shaped.  Your zippers are in.  How to hem?  Well, one option is to leave the edges raw.  Like jersey, fleece doesn't ravel at all, so if you are looking to reduce bulk, just skip the hem.  If you are going to sew a hem, avoid folding multiple layers, unless you want to add some body.  A single fold hem, topstitched with a stretchy lightning stitch is the way I usually go.  While the lightning stitch usually isn't suitable for topstitching, since it can look uneven, on fleece, it ends up buried in the pile, so you can't see the unevenness, but it stretches with the garment.

Here is how it looks.  You can also use a twin needle for a nice stretchy hem.  Theoretically, you could use a narrow zigzag, but I think this looks unprofessional, so I never do it.

OK, you're done!  Go enjoy your cuddly soft garment!

Kwik Sew 2881

The fancy new elastics came in from Sew Sassy, so it was time to try them out on a second pair of running shorts for Mitch.  He loves this pattern, and we have refined the fit so it was time to use the nice Spandex!

I know - I still can't convince him to model them.  Anyway, I really like this Spandex!  It is the Matte Moleskin from Spandex World.  It is an 8 oz. weight, so it a smidge heftier than the average stuff, but still breathes really nicely.  It is actually more slick than the shiny stuff, which is what Mitch was looking for, but it wasn't any more difficult to sew.  It is a winner!  And since I can easily get two pair of shorts out a yard, it is a ridiculous bargain.

Here is a closeup of the fancy gripper elastic in the legs.  Mitch really likes this.  He tells me that you can't find unpadded shorts with grippers, so score one for home sewing!  I asked him how much he would expect to pay for shorts of this quality and he laughed.  He tells me that he generally pays 30-40 dollars for his shorts, but that they are not this nice (ie don't fit him as well, are of cheaper material and don't have the gripper elastic).  These were less than 10 bucks to make (for materials - the pattern was on sale for $8, but I've already used it twice...), so score two for home sewing!!

In case you are wondering, I am working hard on the Myrtlewood.  I've never sewn anything with quite this many pattern pieces before, and I made it worse by adding lining pieces.  It's moving along, though.  I'm still very much in the prepwork stage - interfacing, sewing darts, constructing the collar.  Oh, that collar is beautiful!!  It is cut on the bias and seamed at CB, so my herringbone fabric makes a lovely chevron effect.

See what I mean.  I'm so excited about this dress!!

Kwik Sew 3570 in fleece

I dragged myself from my sickbed to make this shirt for Mitch last week.  He needed a cozy warm layer for biking and running.  I LOVE this pattern.  It is an amazing fit and goes together in a flash.  Seriously, zipper and all, this took a little over an hour to sew once it was all cut out.  Good thing, since I felt like crap.

Since I intended this to be a layering piece, for under a water/windproof layer, I slimmed it down to fit a little closer to the body.  Mitch loves the fit this way, so this will be a change I'll make to this top any time I make it.  This version is made from a thin microfleece.  It is very soft and super stretchy.

I topstitched the zip this time.  It is a little better centered, I think.  He wore it on our date night the other night, and our friend who was watching the wee ones, and who knows I sew, couldn't believe I made it.  She thought I got it at Old Navy.  Hee-hee.  That makes me smile!

I've been sewing a ton with fleece lately, and I love it!  I think I'll consolidate a few tips a tricks for y'all when I'm feeling a little better.  Stay tuned!

Did you notice?

The websites for the Big 3 just got an upgrade.

Vogue
McCall's
Butterick

I haven't really started surfing them yet to see how I feel, although my usual hatred of change is kicking in big time!  The down side?  All my links have to be updated...  Sigh.

On the plus side, I just noticed that Vogue has the new Spring patterns on the site.  I think I'll head over there and check them out.  After the colossal fail that was this Winter's line up, here's hoping for a better Spring...

So, what do you think of the change?

Myrtlewood muslin

Well, I got the muslin for the Myrtlewood dress put together.   It took me quite a while, mostly because the kimono sleeves have underarm gussets, which I've never done before, so I took my time trying to learn how to insert them.  I'm definitely going to need more practice before I do the real dress!

I'm just doing the bodice, since the skirt is a simple straight skirt, and I'll just tissue fit that.  I am pleasantly surprised at how good the fit is out of the envelope.

According to the envelope measurements, I am an 8, but that is based on my upper bust.  Since the design has a bit of extra ease at the bustline, I don't think I'll need an FBA, but there are a few drag lines around the bust I'm not sure about.

Sorry about the blurry-ness, but you can see the lines that point to my bust point, right along the line where I might add a dart if I were to do an FBA.  What do y'all think?  Side darts and kimono sleeves don't seem like a good combo to me, but I'm not sure of another way to fix those lines.

I did let out the back darts just a smidge, based on my tissue fit on my dress form, who is slightly bigger than me.

I think it looks pretty good in the pictures, so I think I'll keep it this way, but I'll be trying it on a lot as I go.

I did manage to get all of the other things I need to make the dress at the MLK sale at Hancock.  I decided on a dark brown dull satin for the hip sash and coordinating dark brown lining and buttons.  I also got the shoulder pads, which I needed for the tissue fitting. They make me feel like a linebacker.

Here is how it looks without them.  Yeah, I'm thinking I'll get used to them.

Conveniently enough, the copy of Connie Long's Easy Guide to Sewing Linings that I ordered last week arrived yesterday.  I'm planning on using her "quick lining" method to line this dress.  My wool fashion fabric is beautiful, but it sure is itchy!

ETA (1/19 @8:10AM) So after staring at these pictures this morning, it occurred to me that maybe those drag lines weren't pointing to the bust, but actually were pointing to the shoulder!  I noticed that although I don't like the shape of the bodice without the shoulder pads, the fit is actually better.  So, I let out the shoulder seam a bit.

Look!  I think I fixed it!  Thoughts?

All dressed up...

Isn't E cute in his Sunday best??

Of course, I think he'd be pretty darn adorable no matter what he was wearing...  That is one cute little guy!

Congratulations, Beth and family!  Thanks for sending me the picture.

Ottobre 03/2004-9 in record time

Our oldest friends from here in Temple invited us over for dessert Saturday night.  This isn't an unusual invite, so I thought nothing of it, but Mitch was wise and called to see if there was an "occasion".  Somehow, I had forgotten that their littlest daughter had turned 2!!  Need a present.  Have two hours.  What's a girl to do?  Well, I'll be honest, I was all for rockin' a trip to Target, but Mitch had more confidence in me.  "Why don't you make her one of those cute cross over tee shirts that you made for Myra?  Use this fabric!"  In two hours?!?!?

Heh.  One hour and 20 minutes actually, but the pattern was already traced, since L is Myra's size but tall. After I finished, I felt it lacked a certain je ne sais quoi, so I tacked the pink bow to center front.  I think it turned out pretty cute!  I hope she enjoys it!

And after this obvious win for Ottobre - I decided it was seriously time to subscribe already.  So, it's official.  I'm an Ottobre girl.  Can't wait to get my first issue!!!

Vintage yummies

Well, I admit that I am late to the vintage pattern party, but a friend at church today gave me this adorable item, so here I am!  My first honest to goodness vintage pattern!  Ironically I actually ordered this last week, but it hasn't arrived yet.

Isn't that the cutest ever!?!  It is in amazing condition, the pattern is uncut and still in factory folds.  How nice was that of Jerry to give it to me?!  It's even Myra's size, so it is totally getting sewn up soon!

So, all you vintage experts out there - how old do you think this baby is?  Based on my limited knowledge of the cover art and logos I'm guessing 40s.  What do y'all think?  The paper is quite fragile, so I'm going to need to take careful care of it.  Any tips?  I'm such a vintage n00b!  Help me out, sewing sistas!

ETA (1/17/09) - Thanks to Myra who sent me this link on Ebay to help date vintage Simplicity patterns.  There is an actual copyright date printed on the back of the instruction sheet.  This one is from 1949!

Simplicity 3765 - boy style

My friend Beth was blessed with a sweet little baby boy last week!  This is their fifth little angel, so they decided to wait to find out the gender of the baby.  Beth didn't want a shower - she has a lot of stuff already!  So, I waited until he came to sew for him.  I know she didn't really need anything, but I love the sew baby clothes, and she has been such a good friend to me, I wanted to do something.

I made another pair of cuffed fleece pants and appliquéd a long sleeve onesie with a tie appliqué.  I hope it keeps him snug and cozy (and stylish!).

Unselfish Shopping

Life in the sewing room has been slow around here thanks to the gastrointestinal distress that has felled the entire family.  As a result, I'm not sure when I'm going to have something cool to show you.  I wanted to pass on something super cool that a fellow sewist/blogger is doing to contribute to the humanitarian effort in Haiti.  If you already follow Elaine's blog, then you've already heard, but if you don't then you are seriously missing out!!

Click here!

Here is the one I just ordered! Except long sleeved, and pink.

Best Patterns of 2009

Look, PR used my Jalie jeans photo for the spread on the best patterns of 2009!

How fun is that?!?  Thanks for spotting me there, Kathi.

Worth saving??

Since I already had this top cut out I decided to go ahead and make it, since I still need a few things before I can start on my Myrtlewood dress.  The pattern is available free from SewingPatterns.com.  It is a Lekala pattern, which is a Russian company that offers patterns drafted to your measurements that you can then print out.  There is an online version as well as CDs that you can purchase for your own computer.  It is an interesting concept, and I wanted to try it out, so it was nice that it was free.  This particular pattern is NOT custom sized.  It comes as a S/M/L, but without any accompanying measurements, so you are on your own to figure out the size you need.  I flat pattern measured, and discovered that the large had a 32 1/2 inch bust and a 31 inch waist.  So, she's square??  And since when is 32 1/2 inches large??  Anyway, that is the size I started with.  I added as much of an FBA as I could without distorting the lines of the pattern.  I rotated my dart into the cowl neckline and then just went for it.

Can you tell from the look on my face that I am underwhelmed with this top?  I haven't hemmed it or added the chain to the neckline - that's what the little tabs are for, and what I thought was cool about this design.

I'm not sure, but I think it might actually be worse from the side, because you can see how the "cowl" sticks out.  Not to mention that there are drag lines EVERYWHERE - across the bust, across the belly, down the back, up the sleeves - seriously, does nothing on this top fit me???
I may not be completely unbiased about this, though.  This thing has been painful from the beginning.  The pattern isn't drafted well.  I'm not sure if there are seam allowances.  The sleeves had too much ease - in a knit top for heaven's sake!  I'm not even going to go into the total lack of information in the instructions.  Poorly translated and sparse at best.  Confusing and contradictory at worst.
I think that I will put it aside for a bit, and come back to it later.  Then maybe I'll be ready to deal with the fact that I think it is too short and will need a band at the hem to lengthen it.

Simplicity 3765

I made some sweet little baby pants last week, but they were a baby shower gift, so I couldn't show them to you until now!  I have really gotten a lot of mileage out of this pattern!  I made the little baby dress for Myra twice, both were in the pre-blog days - but here they are!

Without the front contrast band (which is basically just a facing that you turn to the outside and topstitch) this is a VERY simple dress.
The pants are my favorite part of this pattern.  They are a one-piece style, but with a slight flare at the hem.  Not so much to be girlie - just enough to give them a nice shape.
I used them to make the pants in this Cars themed baby ensemble.  For my friend Miya, who is expecting their first in a few weeks, I made two versions.  The first is in the small size in fleece for this sweet winter princess.

I added foldover cuffs to the bottom to keep out the cold breezes.  I also embellished a little onesie with a princess crown to match.
For the second pair, I used the next size up for some spring/summer wear.

I made them out of lighweight cotton, lengthened the leg and gathered it with clear elastic to form a ruffle.  This onesie got a purse applique.

I love all of the ways you can dress up this simple pair of pants!  This is likely to become my go-to baby shower gift.  I think it took less time and trouble to make these two sets than it would have to get my kids dressed, pack them into the car, drive to Target, fight them in the baby department, find something that I kinda like that everyone else has and drive back home after fighting my two kids into their carseats.  As a bonus, little Hana will be the only tot with these stylin' duds!

Simplicity 4378 again

Whew!  These took me forever, and I fudged so many things on them.  Don't look closely at the breast pocket.  It is completely in Mitch's armpit.  I'm not sure how I did that, since I used the same placement markings as last time and the pocket is fine on the last set.  And the shoulder pleats are facing the wrong direction.  WTH??  Anyway, Mitch declares them wearable, so I'm calling that good enough!

Like the cheesy pose I talked him into?

It just goes to show that when you aren't really excited about a project, you won't really have your mind on it.  My head has been occupied with other things.
My Sew Chic Myrtlewood pattern arrived, as well as the pink and brown herringbone wool from which I am planning to make it.  Now I just need lining fabric and an accent piece for the hip sash.  I was planning a trip to Dallas yesterday with my mom to go to the Golden D'Or in search of the perfect thing, but Myra developed a stomach bug, so I stayed home with her.  Now I'm waiting for some swatches of Ambiance and some silk dupioni to come from fabric.com in hopes of a color match.  We'll see...
On the houndstooth coating front I've nearly decided to use Simplicity 2764, although I am very nervous about pattern matching.  The front isn't actually a princess seam, but rather a shaped release tuck.  Interesting construction, but we'll have to see how it plays out in real life.  The cover picture shows a plaidish fabric, so I'm hoping that bodes well for my houndstooth, but I am worried about how my inevitable FBA will distort the lines.  We'll just have to see.  I'd like for this to be an early foray into learning some tailoring techniques, specifically stabilizing the raglan sleeve with a stay and building in some structure with interfacing.  I'm also planning to add a lining, which the pattern does not include.  It should be an interesting adventure.
These two projects have totally taken over all sewing portions of my brain, so I really can't be responsible for my actions in the sewing room right now.  I think I may have to shove aside my January plans in favor of this dress and jacket.  How fun is that!?
And before I go - another cheesy shot of my cute hubby!

Lust

Have you ever had a piece of fabric just grab you and make you take it home?

It happened to me today.  I've been eying this piece of wool coating at Hancock for many months now.  I'd walk by every time I was in the store and stroke it, imagining the beautiful jacket it kept whispering to me that it wanted to become.  I was there today for Vogue patterns (3.99!) and thread (Metrosene was 50% off) and I spotted it on the clearance table for 50% off.  I couldn't leave it there.  I think I'll spend this afternoon poring over my burdas to decide which jacket it will become.  In my head it is boxy with simple lines, but maybe it wants to be more tailored?  What do you think?
I picked up a couple of Vogues too, of course.

I love the sleeve on that Badgley Mischka jacket.  It says crisp cotton Spring jacket to me.

Tutorial: Bound Neckline on Scrubs

Scrubs are one thing that I always thought should be an easy sew, but pattern companies have failed me. Mostly they are OK, but the neckline finishes that they use are disappointing at best.  Facings and sewn on bands are what I've found, but all RTW scrubs that I've ever seen or worn have a bound neckline.  It's nicer looking and a cleaner finish inside.  Here is how I did mine.

You will need:
A scrub top pattern that you like (aside from the neckline finish!)
A bit of extra fabric for binding.  You'll probably have some scraps that will be plenty large after you cut out your scrubs.  You can skip all of the "making the binding" steps if you find commercial bias tape that is a color and width you like, but I wanted a fabric match and a different width, so I'm including the how-to for that.
Spray starch
Straightedge ruler
Chalk for marking
Fabric glue stick or basting tape

First you need to prep your pattern.  Since you will be binding the neckline, you want both back and front necklines to be at their finished height.  That is, remove any seam allowances for facings.
Now make the pattern for your bindings.  For the back, cut out a rectangle that is the length of your back neckline plus an inch or two for shaping, and four times the finished width.  For example, my back neckline is 9 inches long, and my finished binding width is 3/4 of an inch, so my back binding is 10 1/2 inches long and 4 inches wide. For the front binding, you will need two pieces (one for each side of the V), the length should be a little more than the length from the shoulder to the point of the V, and the same width as the back.  Remember that you will be cutting these out on the bias so that they will stretch and conform to the curve of your neckline.

Once you've cut out all of your pieces, you need to prep your bias strips.  You are basically making bias binding.  I find it very helpful to starch my bias strips before folding and pressing.  I think it helps to control the bias so that you don't end up all stretched out of shape.  So, saturate your strip with starch, then fold it in half and press the folded edge to form a crease.  (Wishing I had taken a picture here!)  Unfold, then fold the two raw edges in to meet in the middle.  Crease those edges and then fold it back in half.  It should be looking like double fold bias tape now.
Now you are ready to apply the neckline!  I do this as my first step in construction.  You can do it when you want, but it does need to be done before you sew the shoulder seams.
For the front neckline, you need to form the V from your two strips.  To determine the angle that you need to sew, line one piece of binding up just as it will be sewn to the neckline, then with your straightedge, draw a line on your binding along center front like so...

This is your cutting line.  Now take your other piece of binding and open it out - just the first fold and put the two wrong sides together, like so -

You can see my chalk line on top.  Now fold them back together.  The one with the chalk mark will fold along the crease, the other piece will be folding against the crease.

Now cut along your chalk line -

Unfold and put the two right sides together with the V's matching up.  Sew with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Be sure to pivot at the corner with your needle in the crease.  Now trim your seam as closely as you can, particularly at the points.  Here's mine with only one side trimmed.

Now press the seams as flat as you can.  I just mash it with the iron.  It's hard to press them open, since you've trimmed them so short.

If you have any threads that hang over the folded edge trim them off.  They'll show.

Here's what it should look like now!  It's ready to be attached to the neckline.  Now for the big secret...  Glue!!

Get your fabric glue or basting tape and glue that baby down where you want it. This way, when you sew it on the layers won't slip and your edgestitching will catch both sides of the binding.

Now edgestitch it down, pivoting with your needle in the seam at the point of the V.  Isn't it pretty?  It looks just as nice on the other side.
For the back, just glue down the binding the same way, and edgestitch it down.  It curves a bit, but your tape has plenty of stretch, so just contour it as you are glueing.  Afterward, it may try to curve in or out.  Just press it down withe the iron and it will lie nice and flat.

Here are the front and back, ready to be sewn together at the side seams.  Now you can finish construction on your top however you like.  Neckline's done!

As pretty inside as it is on the outside!

As a final note, if you want your scrubs to be reversible this is the perfect neckline finish.  All you have to do is add an inside breast pocket and flat fell your seams.  Instant reversible scrub top!