The upper back along the neck had begun to ware very badly.  I figured it was my long hair that sped up the process.  Hemp and oil do no go well together and  I normally let my hair dry naturally and of course I use a good conditioner which has oils. Between the friction of the hair (I have lots) and the conditioners over time wore the hemp to the fashionable grunge look.  That was ok until the neck line split.  .

So I hunted down some thing suitable and found it in a cotton scrap.  I trimmed the cotton to the neck line leaving the seam allowance which I then sniped to just under the seam allowance and basted it into a little neat shape.

This same fabric was used to make a bit of cording that I stitched to the facing side of the dress.  This was to secure the neck line.

Once that was done I stitched the little panel that I had neatened the edges on above to the top of the back neck line.  Once done – I topstitched it together at the top of the neck line.

 

So, I then reviewed the machine stiches and found a broad patter and stitched across the back down to the last ware point.

The finished results will hold it together till winters is past.  In the spring  I am planning to cut the bodice off to make a summer skirt and salvage what I can from the bodice and sleeves for projects and pockets.