Notched Collar Faux Wrap Dress with Sheer Sleeves
A women's midi dress with a wrap-over bodice, a lapel collar, a separate waistband and a skirt with pleats at the front and back. Long gathered sleeves in chiffon with buttoned cuffs; invisible zip in the left side seam.
When To Wear
- At the office with plain shoes and a minimum of jewellery.
- For dinners, theatre and family celebrations in spring and autumn.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted bodice, waist marked by a waistband, flared skirt.
Length: Midi, below the knee.
Collar: Lapel collar: the fronts are faced up to the collar notch, and the collar is set into the dress neckline and into the facings and back neck facing.
Front: Upper fronts with pleats turned towards the centre; the right front overlaps the left and the two are stitched together along the lower edge, so the wrap is fixed and does not open.
Sleeves: Set-in sleeves cut from chiffon, gathered at the lower edge, with a slit topstitched 0.1 cm from the fold and a cuff with a buttonhole and button.
Waist: Separate front and back waistband pieces; two decorative buttons on the front waistband.
Skirt: Lower front and lower back each cut on the fold, with pleats turned towards the centre.
Back: Upper back with darts and a centre back seam.
Closure: Invisible zip in the left side seam.
Finishing: Hem overlocked, turned to the wrong side and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A lapel collar set between dress and facings, pleats matched across waist seams, an invisible zip, and gathered chiffon sleeves with slits and cuffs.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics in natural or blended fibres for the body; chiffon for the sleeves.
Additional Supplies
- Chiffon (sleeves)
- Fusible interfacing (collar, front facings, back neck facing, cuffs)
- 1 invisible zip
- 4 buttons (cuffs)
- 2 decorative buttons (front waistband)
Cutter's Must
Fabric recommendations: dress fabrics in natural or blended fibres. Also needed: chiffon; fusible interfacing; 1 invisible zip; 4 buttons; 2 decorative buttons.
- From main fabric:
- Upper back – 2 pieces
- Back waistband — 1 piece
- Lower back — 1 piece on fold
- Upper front — 2 pieces
- Front waistband — 1 piece
- Lower front — 1 piece on fold
- Cuff — 2 pieces
- Collar — 2 pieces
- Front facing — 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 1 piece
- From chiffon:
- From fusible interfacing:
- Collar — 1 piece
- Front facing — 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 1 piece
- Cuff — 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match! Try to observe the grain line direction.
- Interface the pieces with fusible interfacing.
- Stitch darts on the upper back pieces, press allowances towards the center. Stitch the center seam of the upper back, press allowances to the left side and serge. Attach the back waistband to the upper, press allowances onto the waistband and serge.
- Form and secure pleats on the lower back piece (depths directed towards the center). Stitch the upper and lower back pieces, press allowances upwards and serge.
- Form and secure pleats on the upper front pieces (depths directed towards the center).
- Fold collar pieces right sides together and stitch along the ends and outer edge. Start and end stitching strictly at the marked collar attachment line. Trim allowances at corners, clip at the mark. Turn collar right side out, shape and press.
- Stitch shoulder seams, press allowances towards the back and serge. Stitch and press open shoulder seams of the back neckline facing and front facing. Serge the outer edge.
- Place the front facing on the right side of the front piece, right side down, pin and stitch along the front edge. Stitch upwards to the notch indicating the end of collar attachment. Trim seams at corners. Turn front edges right side out, shape seams.
- Attach the lower collar to the dress neckline, and the upper collar to the back facing and front facing neckline. Clip collar attachment seam allowances, press open and secure close to the seams.
- Overlap the right front piece over the left and secure along the lower edge. Attach the front waistband to the upper, press allowances onto the waistband and serge.
- Form and secure pleats on the lower front piece (depths directed towards the center). Stitch the upper and lower front pieces, press allowances upwards and serge.
- Serge the left side edges separately. Stitch the left side seam from the armhole to the first mark and from the second mark to the bottom, press allowances open. Insert the zipper. Stitch the right side seam, press allowances towards the back and serge.
- Serge sleeve edges separately. Along the lower edge, stitch with loosened upper thread and gather. Stitch the sleeve seam from the armhole to the slit mark, press allowances open. Topstitch the slit 0.1 cm from the fold. Attach sleeves into armholes, press allowances and serge.
- Fold the cuff in half lengthwise right sides together and stitch side edges. Turn the piece right side out, press. Attach the outer side of the cuff to the sleeve, fold the allowance of the inner side of the cuff inwards and topstitch into the seam of the outer cuff attachment.
- Serge the lower edge of the garment, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Make buttonholes on the cuffs, sew on buttons. Sew decorative buttons on the front waistband.
