Sheath Dress with a Turn-Down Collar
A women's sleeveless sheath dress with a halter neck: the side front panels continue up into straps that end in a pointed turn-down collar joined at the centre back of the neck. Square front neckline, open upper back, princess seams, a concealed zip and a vent at the centre back.
When To Wear
- Summer evenings, dinners and parties, with heeled sandals.
- Warm-weather receptions and events, with a jacket over the shoulders.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted sheath shaped by princess seams on the front and back.
Length: To the knee.
Collar: Cut in one with the side front panels and their facings; the halves are joined along the centre line of the collar, and the collar edge and points are stitched to the facing and turned.
Neckline: Square at the front, on the centre front panel, finished with a facing.
Sleeves: Sleeveless halter armholes, the allowances turned in and the layers edge-stitched 0.2 cm from the edge.
Back: Open above the back panels; the straight upper edge is finished with a back facing. Centre back seam with a concealed zip, princess seams, a vent at the hem with interfaced 5 cm allowances.
Finishing: All edges finished with interfaced facings, no lining; 2 cm hem.
Level Of Difficulty
Advanced. A collar cut in one with the front panels and their facings, stitched into the princess seam with a clipped corner; a lapped back vent; a concealed zip; facings joined at the side seams.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics made from natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (back facings, front facings, vent)
- Concealed zip
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Center back – 2 pieces
- Side back – 2 pieces
- Center front – 1 piece
- Side front – 2 pieces
- Facing for center front – 1 piece
- Facing for side front – 2 pieces
- Back facing – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Back facing – 2 pieces
- Facing for center front – 1 piece
- Facing for side front – 2 pieces
- Vent – 2 pieces (cut to the vent area of the back pieces)
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the back facings, and the center and side front facings.
- On the left lower back piece, trim 5 cm along the vertical vent edge. On both lower back pieces, fuse interfacing to the vent from the wrong side. On the right side, mark the center back seam line (the vent fold line). Press the left piece along the vent fold line. On the right piece, press only the right vent allowance (6 cm) to the wrong side. Align the pieces along the center seam and secure at the top edge of the vent. Overlock the center back edge separately on each piece. Overlock the vent allowances. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark to the vent corner. Clip the vent seam allowance corner on the right piece. Press open the center seam allowances, press the vent allowances and secure them with machine stitching. Insert the concealed zipper.
- Stitch the back princess seams. Overlock the allowances and press towards the center.
- Overlock the lower edge of the front neckline facing. Place the front neckline facing onto the front, right sides together, and stitch the upper edge. Clip the allowances, turn the facing to the wrong side and press.
- Stitch the side front facings along the center collar line. Press open the allowances. Stitch the side front pieces along the center collar line. Press open the seams. Overlock the lower edge of the side front facing.
- Place the facing and the side front piece right sides together. Stitch the collar edge, the collar corners, and then stitch the facing to the front princess seam, inserting the center front piece between the side front and the facing. Clip the seam allowance at the corner. Overlock the seam from the corner to the hemline and press towards the side piece. Turn out the collar and press.
- Overlock the lower edge of the back facing. Place the back facing onto the back, right sides together, and stitch the upper edge. Start and end the stitching exactly at the marked side seam line.
- Press inwards the allowances along the front armhole and along the collar. Topstitch the pieces together, stitching 0.2 cm from the edge.
- Stitch the side seams, inserting the front piece between the back and the facing. Overlock the seams and press towards the back.
- Overlock the lower edge of the dress, fold inwards and topstitch.
