Flap Pocket Collared Pencil Dress
Introducing a sophisticated women's sewing pattern for a button-front pencil dress, featuring a sharp notched collar, a precisely fitted silhouette, and patch pockets with buttoned flaps.
When To Wear
This versatile pencil dress is suitable for a range of occasions, offering a polished and professional look:
- Professional Settings: Ideal for office wear, business meetings, or formal presentations where a tailored appearance is key.
- Smart Casual Events: Perfect for brunches, daytime gatherings, or refined social engagements that call for elegant styling.
- Elevated Everyday Wear: a stylish choice for daily wear when a structured and put-together ensemble is desired.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: a tailored pencil silhouette, closely fitted through the bodice and waist, with a straight skirt falling below the knee.
Neckline & Collar: Features a classic notched lapel collar, creating a refined V-neckline when buttoned.
Closure: a button-front closure extends down the bodice, complemented by a zipper in the center back seam for ease of wear.
Sleeves: Three-quarter length, two-piece set-in sleeves finished with turned-back cuffs.
Pockets: Two patch pockets with buttoned flaps are placed on the front skirt, adding a touch of utility and style.
Back: a center back seam incorporates a zipper closure and a slit at the hem for comfortable movement.
Waist: Defined and contoured through precise seaming, including a waist seam, front princess seams, lower front darts and back darts, for a flattering, hourglass fit.
Length: a sophisticated below-the-knee length, perfect for a professional or elegant daytime look.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Requires skills in collar and lapel construction, setting sleeves, inserting a zipper, and making patch pockets with flaps.
Fabric Recommendations
Select medium to heavy-weight woven fabrics with some body to maintain the dress's structured silhouette:
- Tweed
- Suiting fabrics (e.g., wool blends, gabardine)
- Heavy cotton twill or broadcloth
- Linen blends with good body
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing
- Zipper
- 7 buttons (5 for the front closure, 2 for the pocket flaps)
Cutter's Must
From main fabric:
- Upper Back – 2 pieces
- Upper Center Front – 2 pieces
- Upper Side Front – 2 pieces
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Lower Back – 2 pieces
- Lower Front – 1 piece on fold
- Upper Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Lower Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Pocket – 2 pieces
- Flap – 4 pieces
- Cuff – 4 pieces
From fusible interfacing:
- Upper Center Front – 2 pieces
- Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Collar – 1 piece
- Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Flap – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces. Also, fuse interfacing to the area of the Lower Back near the slit mark.
- Stitch darts on the Upper Back and Lower Back, press the dart intakes towards the center. Stitch the Upper Back to the Lower Back. Overlock allowances and press down. Overlock the center back edges separately. Stitch the center back seam from the top to the zipper mark and from the second zipper mark to the slit mark. Press allowances open. Insert the zipper. Stitch a reinforcing line along the slit 0.2 cm from the edge.
- Stitch the princess seams joining the Upper Center Front and Upper Side Front, overlock allowances and press towards the center. Stitch darts on the Lower Front, press the dart intakes towards the center.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the dress, overlock allowances and press open.
- Place the two Collar pieces (upper and lower collar) right sides together, and stitch along the ends and outer edge. Start and end the stitching strictly at the marked collar attachment line. Trim seams at corners, clip at the mark. Turn the collar right side out, shape, and press.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the Center Front Facings and Back Neckline Facing, press allowances open. Overlock the outer edge.
- Place the Center Front Facing on the right side of the front, right side down, pin and stitch along the front edge and lapel. Stitch upwards to the notch indicating the end of the collar attachment. Trim seams at corners. Topstitch the allowance of the front edge seam: in the button closure area – onto the facing, in the lapel area – onto the front. Position the stitching 0.2 cm from the seam. Turn the front edges right side out, shape the seams.
- Attach the lower collar to the neckline of the main garment, and the upper collar to the neckline edge of the Back Neckline Facing and Center Front Facings. Press the collar attachment seam allowances open and secure close to the seams.
- Place two Flap pieces right sides together and stitch along the side and bottom edges. Trim allowances, turn the flap right side out, and press. Overlock the Pocket along the contour. Fold the upper edge inwards and topstitch. Press the pocket allowances to the wrong side. Place the Pocket on the Lower Front and topstitch. Attach the flap to the front along the upper pocket marking line (the finished edge is directed towards the neckline).
- Place the right front over the left front, aligning the center lines, and secure at the lower edge. Attach the Lower Front to the upper front. Overlock the allowance and press down.
- Stitch the side seams. Overlock allowances and press towards the back.
- Stitch the Upper Sleeve and Lower Sleeve along the elbow seam and press open. Overlock allowances. Stitch and press open the front seam of the sleeve. Overlock allowances. Set the sleeve into the armhole, overlock allowances.
- Overlock the bottom edge of the garment. Fold allowances to the wrong side and hem with blind stitches.
- Place two Cuff pieces right sides together and stitch along the long and short sides, starting and ending the stitching strictly at the marked cuff attachment line. Trim corners, turn the cuff right side out, and press. Attach the outer side of the cuff to the sleeve, aligning the mark with the front seam. Fold the allowance of the inner side inwards and stitch into the attachment seam. Fold the cuff upwards.
- Make buttonholes on the front and the flaps. Sew on buttons.
