How to Sew a V-Neck With Buttons – Laurence Top Dress Hack

This is a hack I have been wanting to try but couldn’t find specific instructions for what I had in mind – so I just had to figure it out myself! In this tutorial I will go through the steps for how to add a button placket on a v-neck top pattern.

I’m using the Laurence Top by Vivian Shao Chen to make a button down bodice for a dress. This is a favorite pattern of mine and I’ve made quite a few Laurence Top dress hacks – with and without buttons, a two tiered skirt version and a wrap front dress hack.

These techniques should work on any v-neck top pattern and you can choose to make just a top, or make a dress version like I made.

This page contains some affiliate links to products and I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links (at no extra cost to you).

Some Things You’ll Need

• Existing pattern to trace – I’m hacking the Laurence Top by Vivian Shao Chen
• Paper to trace onto – I like this thicker weight Kraft paper to trace onto
• Ruler – this is my favorite quilting ruler
• Rotary cutter or fabric scissors
• Cutting mat – a must have if using a rotary cutter
• Pins
• Buttons – I’m using small buttons (3/8″) in my example, but really the size is up to you
• A small amount of interfacing for the button placket
• Fabric

Here’s a Table of Contents if you’d like to skip around to certain steps:

Step 1: Trace Your Pattern

Front bodice

Trace your pattern onto paper and add seam allowance to the center front. I added 1/4″ to the center front (this is the seam allowance when we later add on the button placket).

NOTE: Typically when adding a button placket to a top, you need to add more to the center front, so that when it overlaps the front piece width is the same as the back. I originally tried adding 1 3/8″ to the front there was quite a bit of gaping at the neckline. By only adding 1/4″ to the center front, it means that my Front piece is slightly smaller than the Back piece. However, since there is a lot of ease in this top, it’s not noticeable at all.

Button Placket

To make the button placket, turn over your Front pattern piece you just made and trace the center front line and v-neck curve. Measure out 1 3/8″ wide and make sure it’s the same length as the bodice.

Now you have the front bodice piece with seam allowance added and the button placket piece.

Step 2: Cut & Prepare The Pieces

If you would like to, you can make a toile (or test version) to check the fit before cutting into your final fabric.

Button Placket

Remember to cut a mirrored pair for your button placket. Apply a 3/4″ wide piece of interfacing to the wrong side of the button placket 1/4″ away from the edge on shorter side of the placket (see photo below). I didn’t have my piece of interfacing go all the way down to the button since I’m attaching a skirt later.

Fold over the longer edge of the button placket 3/8″ (it should fold flush over the interfacing) and press. Cut off the extra pieces sticking out at the top of the placket to match the angle of the v-neck.

Front, Back, and Bias Tape

Cut out two mirrored front pieces, the back piece on the fold, and enough bias binding for the neckline and armholes (I’m using 1″ wide bias binding).

I always make my own bias tape from leftover fabric. Head over to my tutorial How to Make Bias Tape if you need more details for this step.

Skirt Panels And Pockets

If you’re making a dress, then measure out your skirt panels and cut out pockets if you want to add those in. I made my skirt panel about 1.75 times the width of the bodice and cut two panels at that width. Also decide how long you want your skirt and make sure to add in seam allowance.

In my tutorial How to Attach a Gathered Skirt to a Bodice, I go into more detail on figuring out the skirt panel dimensions, gathering the skirt and attaching to the bodice. If you need more detail on sewing inseam pockets, then head over to my tutorial How to Sew Inseam Pockets.

Step 3: Sew Side Seams & Button Placket

If you’re working from a pattern that has bust darts, sew the bust darts on the front piece and press down towards the bottom.

With right sides together, sew the side seams at 1/2″ seam allowance. Finish seams and press towards to the back.

Step 4: Sew Button Placket & Bias Binding

Place the button placket right sides together to the left front. Line the raw edges at the center front, corner and v-neckline. Repeat on the right side.

Next, place the bias binding right sides together on top of the button placket, and line up the raw edges. The folded edge of the button placket should still be folded and underneath the bias binding. Make sure the binding does not go all the way to the edge of the button placket – keep it about 1/4″ away from the edge – or it will get sewn over on the next step (this makes it tricker when folding over the bias binding on a later step).

Pin the bias tape all around the neckline ending about 1/4″ away from the edge of the button placket on the other side.

Starting at the bottom of the placket, sew all the way around with 1/4″ seam allowance. At the corners where the button placket meets the neckline, sink the needle, lift the presser foot and pivot to start stitching around the neckline.

Press the bias binding seams up towards the binding and understitch all the way around the neckline.

Next, press the button placket seams towards the placket and understitch as close as you can to the corners.

Carefully turn out the corners with a point turner and press.

Fold bias binding in once and then again – make sure it’s tucked neatly under the button placket.

Pin the button placket and bias binding in place. Starting at the bottom of the placket, edgestitch all the way around the bodice.

At the corners where the button placket and bias binding meet, sink the needle, raise the presser foot and pivot before continuing to edgestitch around the rest of the neckline.

And that’s the neckline done!

Step 5: Armhole Bias Binding

Sew the bias tape to the armholes with 1/4″ seam allowance. Press seams up toward the binding and understitch. Fold over the bias tape twice like you did at the neckline and edgestitch.

Step 6: Sew Buttonholes And Buttons

Now it’s time to choose your buttons! Since the button placket isn’t very wide I used 3/8″ buttons for my dress bodice to match the daintiness of the fabric. I used 5 total, but really it’s up to you!

Figure out the spacing that you want between your buttons – I spaced my buttonholes 1″ apart. If you’re making a dress, make sure to account for the seam allowance at the bottom where the skirt will attach – you don’t want your button too close to the skirt.

You can see on my green striped version (photo below) that I didn’t follow my own advice and put my last button a little close to the skirt. I also used a seam allowance when attaching the skirt and sewed the button on afterwards so I didn’t run over it with my machine. It all worked out though!

There are buttonhole marking tools like an expandable buttonhole marker (Affliate Amazon link) but I haven’t managed to try any yet. Let me know if you have a buttonhole marking tool that you love!

The buttonholes are typically sewn on the right side of the bodice (as you’re wearing it) but if you’re left handed, you may want them on the left side – it’s up to you! I’m not going into detail about how to sew buttonholes, and since it can depend on your sewing machine and buttonhole foot, I recommend checking in your sewing machine manual for instructions.

Here’s what I usually do: After I’ve chosen the buttons I want to use, I eyeball about how far apart I want them and how many buttons will look good on the button placket. I make a test buttonhole on a scrap piece of fabric and measure how long it is. I make the first buttonhole at the top, and then measure the space after it and mark where the next one will go. I work one buttonhole at a time until I’ve made the desired amount.

After you’ve sewn your buttonholes and they all look somewhat straight and spaced evenly, carefully open up the finished buttonholes with a seam ripper. Tip: Place a pin at the end so the seam ripper doesn’t cut through the buttonhole.

Lay the opened buttonhole side on top of the other side of the bodice. Mark right in the middle of the buttonhole with a chalk pencil or fabric marker where the buttons will be sewn.

Sew your buttons on and test them to make sure the bodice lines up – it’s easy to take a button off and redo it if you need to!

If you’re only making a top, then all you have left to do is hem at your desired length and you’re done! If you’re attaching a skirt to make a dress, then read on 🙂

Step 7: Attach The Skirt To The Bodice

Before attaching the skirt to the bodice, sew a basting stitch at the bottom of the button placket.

Prepare your skirt for gathering by sewing two lines of basting stitches. Place the skirt inside the bodice, right sides together. Pull on the bobbin threads until the skirt matches the bodice circumference. Sew with desired seam allowance (I did a 3/8″) making sure the gathers are all laying nicely.

For more in-depth instructions, head over to my tutorial How to Attach a Gathered Skirt to a Bodice.

Try the dress on to double check the fit before finishing the skirt seams with a serger or zig-zag stitch. Press the seam allowance up towards the bodice and remove any visible basting stitches. Hem at your desired length and you’re done!

I was very excited to figure out this v-neck button placket and be able to add variety to an already well-loved pattern! I also made a version in a striped green linen with a two tiered skirt (see photos below).

I love how this dress turned out and it’s a perfect dress for summer (but I’m already imagining layering a tee under it for cooler months!) Hope that this button down v-neck tutorial was helpful for you! Thanks for reading and happy sewing 🙂