Sleeveless Shirt Dress
The pattern offers a chic sleeveless shirt dress, distinguished by its collared V-neckline, functional button placket, and a gracefully flared a-line skirt.
When To Wear
This versatile dress is perfect for a variety of occasions, making it an excellent choice for:
- Casual Outings: Ideal for comfortable yet stylish everyday wear, such as brunches or shopping trips.
- Work & Office: a professional and polished option for a warm-weather office environment.
- Travel & Vacation: Light and breathable, perfect for exploring new destinations or resort wear.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: An a-line silhouette, fitted through the bodice and cinched at the natural waist before flaring gently to the hem.
Neckline & Collar: Features an open V-neckline transitioning into a classic pointed shirt collar with a collar stand.
Closure: a partial front button placket secured with four buttons.
Sleeves: Sleeveless design with clean-finished armholes.
Pockets: a single patch pocket on the left chest, detailed with a subtle box pleat.
Back: Designed with a shaped back yoke, a center back seam, and a defined waist seam for optimal fit.
Waist: Clearly defined by a horizontal waist seam.
Length: Finishes at or just above the knee.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Requires confident sewing skills, including constructing a collar with a stand, setting a button placket, creating a patch pocket with a pleat, and precise seam matching.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose light to medium-weight woven fabrics with good drape and body:
- Dress fabrics made from natural or blended fibers
Additional Supplies
- 4 buttons
- Fusible interfacing (for placket, collar, stand, and pocket facing)
Cutter's Must
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- From main fabric:
- Upper back – 2 pieces
- Lower back – 2 pieces
- Upper front – 2 pieces
- Lower front – 1 piece on fold
- Front side – 2 pieces
- Front placket – 4 pieces
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Collar stand – 2 pieces
- Pocket facing – 1 piece
- Pocket – 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing:
- Placket – 2 pieces
- Collar – 1 piece
- Collar stand – 1 piece
- Pocket facing – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
- Interface the pieces with fusible interfacing.
- Stitch darts on back pieces. Press dart allowances towards the center. Stitch upper and lower back parts. Overlock and press allowances upwards. Stitch center back seam. Overlock allowance and press to the left side.
- Stitch dart on front. Trim dart depth with overlocker and press towards the center. Attach front side to front. Overlock allowance and press towards the center.
- Form a box pleat on the pocket and secure it at the upper and lower edges. Fold pocket facing in half lengthwise, right sides out, and stitch to the upper edge of the pocket. Overlock and press allowances downwards. Fold side and lower pocket allowances inwards and press. Topstitch pocket onto the left front according to markings.
- Stitch upper and lower front parts. Overlock and press allowances upwards.
- Stitch side and shoulder seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Fold plackets in pairs, right sides together, and stitch the center edges of the plackets. Turn plackets right side out and press. Attach plackets to the right side of the front along the long edge, stopping 1 cm from the bottom. Overlock allowances. Clip the front allowance at the corners, stopping 1 mm from the stitching. Position the right placket over the left. Tuck the ends of the plackets inwards and stitch, securing the bottom edge.
- Fold upper collar with lower collar, right sides together. Stitch the ends and outer edge of the collar. Trim seams. Turn collar right side out, shape and press. Fold collar stand pieces right sides together, insert the finished collar between them, align notches and stitch, simultaneously stitching the ends of the collar stand. Start and end stitching strictly at the marked line of the collar stand attachment seam. Turn finished collar right side out and press.
- Attach the outer collar stand with collar to the neckline, turn under the open edge of the inner collar stand and topstitch into the attachment seam. Topstitch along the collar and collar stand 0.1 cm from the edge.
- Cut a bias binding 4 cm wide and length equal to armhole length + 4 cm. Fold bias binding in half lengthwise, right sides out, and press. Fold binding with armhole edge, right sides together, leaving tails, and stitch. Fold binding to the wrong side, clip seams, and topstitch along the fold onto the main piece. Press seam.
- Overlock the bottom edge of the garment, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Overlock buttonholes and sew on buttons.
