Three-Quarter Sleeve Crossover Lapel Dress
A women's below-knee fitted dress with a crossover front: the right front folds back into a lapel and is topstitched over the left. Princess seams on the bodice, a waist seam and vertical panel seams on the skirt. Centre back zipper.
When To Wear
- At the office and for business meetings in autumn, winter and spring.
- For dinners and daytime events, with court shoes.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted through the bodice and hips, slightly narrowing towards the hem.
Length: Below the knee.
Neckline: Deep V formed by the crossover; the right front is faced, folded back as a lapel and topstitched to the left front along the marked line. The back neckline has its own facing.
Sleeves: Three-quarter length, one-piece set-in sleeves.
Front: Separate right and left centre fronts with interfaced facings; side front panels joined by princess seams from the armholes.
Waist: Horizontal waist seam joining the bodice to the lower front and lower sides, seam allowances pressed up.
Back: Princess seams in the bodice, waist seam, vertical panel seams in the lower part and a centre back seam with a zipper.
Finishing: Seams overlocked; garment and sleeve hems turned and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. An asymmetric faced crossover front, many panel seams to match at the waist seam, a front set between the back and its facing at the shoulders and a zipper.
Fabric Recommendations
Medium-weight wovens that hold a lapel: suiting, gabardine, wool crepe, heavier crepe, stretch cotton.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (front facings, back neckline facing)
- Zipper for the centre back seam
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Upper Center Back – 2 pieces
- Lower Center Back – 2 pieces
- Back Side – 2 pieces
- Lower Side Back – 2 pieces
- Front Side – 2 pieces
- Lower Side Front – 2 pieces
- Right Center Front – 1 piece
- Left Center Front – 1 piece
- Lower Center Front – 1 piece
- Left Center Front Facing – 1 piece
- Right Center Front Facing – 1 piece
- Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
- Right Center Front Facing – 1 piece
- Left Center Front Facing – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Right Center Front Facing, Left Center Front Facing and Back Neckline Facings.
- Overlock the outer edges of the Right and Left Center Front Facings and the Back Neckline Facings.
- Place the Left Center Front Facing on the Left Center Front, right sides together, and stitch along the neckline edge. Turn the facing to the wrong side and press. Overlock the slanted edge. Stitch the Right Center Front Facing to the Right Center Front along the front edge. Trim the seam allowance at the corner. Turn the facing to the wrong side and press. Lap the Right Center Front over the Left Center Front and topstitch along the marked line. Fold back the lapel.
- Stitch the Front Side pieces to the center fronts, overlock the seam allowances and press them towards the center. Stitch the Lower Side Front pieces to the Lower Center Front, overlock the seam allowances and press them towards the center. Stitch the upper and lower front together at the waist, overlock the seam allowances and press them upwards.
- Stitch the Back Side pieces to the Upper Center Back pieces, overlock the seam allowances and press them towards the center. Stitch the Lower Side Back pieces to the Lower Center Back pieces, overlock the seam allowances and press them towards the center. Stitch the upper and lower back together at the waist, overlock the seam allowances and press them upwards.
- Overlock the center back edges separately. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark to the hem. Press the seam allowances open and insert the zipper.
- Place the Back Neckline Facings on the back, right sides together, and stitch the neckline edge exactly up to the marked shoulder seam line. Clip the seam allowances, turn the facings to the wrong side and press. Secure the facings to the zipper tape.
- Stitch the shoulder seams, placing the front between the back and the Back Neckline Facing. Press the seam allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Stitch the sleeve seam and overlock the seam allowance. Set the sleeves into the armholes. Overlock the seam allowances.
- Overlock the hem allowances of the dress and sleeves, press them to the wrong side and topstitch.
