Button-Front Dress with Flounce Hem
A women's collarless shirt dress, buttoned down the full front, with two patch pockets on the chest, elbow-length sleeves with roll-up tabs and a gathered tier at the hem.
When To Wear
- Spring and summer days, with flat sandals or sneakers.
- At work or in town, with a light cardigan or a denim jacket over it.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Straight, slightly widening bodice shaped with waist darts on the front and back and bust darts; a gathered lower tier attached at hip level.
Length: Short, ending around the knee.
Neckline: Round, collarless, finished with front facings and a back neck facing.
Front: Open to the hem, with front facings and topstitching along the front edge; seven buttons on the bodice, buttonholes on the right front.
Sleeves: Set-in, elbow length, finished with a folded cuff; a buttoned tab on the inside of the sleeve holds the sleeve rolled up.
Pockets: Two patch pockets on the chest, with a 3 cm turned and topstitched top edge.
Back: Centre back seam and waist darts.
Skirt: The lower tier is cut in two pieces joined at the centre back, gathered along the top edge and sewn to the dress.
Finishing: 2 cm hem turned and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Bust and waist darts, a front facing turned along the full front edge, gathering, cuffs, sleeve tabs, eleven buttonholes.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics made from natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (front facings, back neck facing, cuffs)
- 11 buttons (front, tabs and sleeves)
Cutter's Must
If the patterns have a double contour, they include seam allowances. If the contour is single, the patterns do not include seam allowances. Seam allowances: hem allowance – 2.0 cm, top edge of pocket allowance – 3 cm, other seams - 1 cm. Attention! First of all, print out the paper patterns and lay them out on the fabric width (fabric width can be from 90 cm to 150 cm) to determine how much material you will need. When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- From main fabric:
- Back – 2 pieces
- Front – 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Tab – 2 pieces
- Front facing – 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 1 piece
- Lower – 2 pieces
- Pocket – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Front facing – 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 1 piece
- Cuff – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces.
- Stitch waist darts on back pieces, press dart allowances towards the center. Stitch the center back seam, press allowances to the left side and overlock.
- Stitch waist darts on front pieces, press dart allowances towards the center. Stitch bust darts, press allowances upwards.
- Fold the top pocket allowance by 1 cm, then by 2 cm and topstitch. Overlock the side and bottom pocket allowances, fold inwards and press. Topstitch pockets according to markings.
- Stitch side and shoulder seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Stitch the center seam of the lower. Overlock the allowance and press to the left side. Along the top edge, stitch with a loosened upper thread and gather. Attach the lower to the dress. Overlock the allowance and press upwards.
- Stitch and press open the shoulder seams of the back neckline facing and front facing. Overlock the outer edge.
- Place the front facing on the right side of the front piece, right side down, pin and stitch the bottom corner, along the front edge and neckline. Trim seams at corners. Turn out the front edges, straighten seams. Topstitch along the front edge on the marked line.
- Fold the tab in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch along the short and long sides. Trim allowances, turn out the tab and press. Make buttonholes on the tabs.
- Stitch the sleeve seam, press allowances towards the back and overlock. Place the tab right side down on the wrong side of the sleeve and secure along the bottom edge.
- Stitch the cuff into a loop, press allowances open. Fold the cuff lengthwise, right side out, and press. Attach the outer side of the cuff to the bottom of the sleeve. Fold the inner side of the cuff inwards and topstitch into the attachment seam. Set sleeves into armholes, matching notches. Press allowances and overlock. Fold the tab to the right side.
- Overlock the bottom edge of the garment, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Make buttonholes on the right front, sew buttons on the left front. Sew buttons on the tabs and sleeves.
