Midi Dress with Patch Pockets
A women's below-the-knee A-line dress with a raised waist seam, princess seams in the bodice, an inverted pleat at the centre of the front skirt and two self-lined patch pockets with fold-down pointed flaps. Short set-in sleeves carry buttoned tabs; an invisible zipper closes the centre back.
When To Wear
- For the office and everyday wear in spring and summer.
- With a cardigan or jacket and tights in autumn.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted bodice shaped by princess seams from the armholes, A-line skirt from a waist seam set above the natural waist.
Length: Below the knee.
Neckline: Round neckline with interfaced front and back facings stitched to the zipper tape.
Sleeves: Short set-in sleeves, hem turned 1 cm and 2 cm and topstitched. A tab stitched to the inside of each sleeve is folded up over the hem and held by a button.
Closure: Invisible zipper in the centre back seam.
Pockets: Two patch pockets on the front skirt, each cut from two layers, with a cut-on pointed flap folded down and a button on the flap.
Back: Centre back seam from neckline to hem; back skirt in two pieces.
Skirt: Front skirt cut in one piece on the fold, with an inverted pleat at the centre front; the side seams end in slits topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge.
Finishing: Hem overlocked, turned and topstitched; seams overlocked.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Princess seams, an inverted pleat, self-lined patch pockets with cut-on flaps, side slits, an invisible zipper, set-in sleeves with tabs.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics from natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Invisible zipper
- Fusible interfacing (neckline facings)
- 4 buttons (2 for the pocket flaps, 2 for the sleeve tabs)
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Center Back – 2 pieces
- Center Front – 1 piece
- Side Back – 2 pieces
- Side Front – 2 pieces
- Back Skirt – 2 pieces
- Front Skirt – 1 piece (cut on fold)
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Sleeve Decorative Tab – 2 pieces
- Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- Pocket – 4 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Neckline Facing – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- Fuse interfacing to the Back Neckline Facings and Front Neckline Facing.
- Stitch the princess seams joining the Center Back and Side Back pieces, overlock the allowances and press them towards the center. Stitch the Back Skirt to the back bodice. Overlock the allowances and press them upwards.
- Overlock the center back edges separately. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark to the bottom. Press the allowances open. Insert the invisible zipper.
- Place two Pocket pieces right sides together and stitch along the sides and upper edge. Trim the allowances at the corners and turn right side out. Press. Overlock the lower allowance, fold it in and press. Topstitch the pocket to the Front Skirt along the markings, along the sides and lower edge. Fold the cut-on pointed flap down and press.
- Stitch the princess seams joining the Center Front and Side Front pieces, overlock the allowances and press them towards the center. Fold and baste the inverted pleat on the Front Skirt. Stitch the Front Skirt to the front bodice. Overlock the allowances and press them upwards.
- Stitch the shoulder seams. Overlock the allowances and press them towards the back.
- Overlock the side edges separately. Stitch the side seams from the armhole down to the slit mark. Press the allowances open. Topstitch around the slits 0.5 cm from the edge.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the Back Neckline Facings and Front Neckline Facing. Press the allowances open. Overlock the outer edge. Place the facing on the dress, right sides together, and stitch around the neckline. Clip the allowances and notch the curves, turn the facing to the wrong side and press. Stitch the facing ends to the zipper tape.
- Fold each Sleeve Decorative Tab in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch along the long edge and one short end. Trim the corners, turn right side out and press. Overlock the open short end. Stitch the tabs to the wrong side of the sleeves along the markings.
- Stitch the sleeve seam, overlock the allowances and press towards the back. Set the sleeves into the armholes matching notches, press the allowances, overlock. Fold the lower edge of the sleeve by 1 cm, then by 2 cm and topstitch.
- Overlock the hem allowance of the dress, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Sew a button onto each pocket flap. Fold the tabs up over the sleeve hems and secure each with a button sewn through the tab.
