Notched Lapel Sleeveless Wrap Dress
A sleeveless women's dress with a notched collar and lapels, a crossover front fastened with three hidden buttons and a tie belt at the side waist. Princess seams, a back yoke and a flared skirt to mid-calf.
When To Wear
- For the office in summer, on its own or over a thin top.
- In light denim for everyday wear with sandals or sneakers.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted through the bodice with princess seams and side panels, flaring towards the hem.
Length: Mid-calf length.
Collar: Notched collar with lapels; undercollar sewn to the dress neckline, upper collar to the facing neckline.
Sleeves: Sleeveless; armholes finished with a 4 cm double-fold bias binding turned to the inside and topstitched.
Front: Crossover front with full facings and bust darts. Buttonholes on the left front edge and three hidden buttons.
Waist: Two-piece tie belt topstitched 0.1 cm from the edge: one end is caught in the right front edge, the other in the left back princess seam, and they tie at the side.
Back: Yoke, centre back seam and princess seams.
Finishing: Hem turned under 3 cm and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A notched collar set between the dress and the facing, princess seams, bias-bound armholes and hidden buttons.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics of natural or blended fibres; light denim.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (collar, front facings, back neck facing)
- 3 hidden buttons
- Bias binding 4 cm wide, if not cut from the main fabric
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Back yoke - 1 piece
- Back - 2 pieces
- Side - 2 pieces
- Front - 2 pieces
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Front facing - 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 1 piece
- Belt - 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Collar – 1 piece
- Front facing - 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces.
- Fold the belt in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch along the long and short sides. Turn the belt right side out, straighten, and press. Topstitch the belt around the perimeter 0.1 cm from the edge.
- Stitch the center back seam, press allowances to the left and serge. Attach the yoke to the back, press allowances upwards and serge. Stitch the back princess seams, inserting one of the belt pieces into the left seam, press allowances towards the center and serge.
- Stitch the bust darts on the front, press depths upwards. Stitch the front princess seams, press allowances towards the center and serge.
- Stitch the shoulder seams, press allowances towards the back and serge.
- Place the upper collar and undercollar right sides together and stitch the ends and outer edge. Trim allowances at the corners, clip at the mark, turn the collar right side out, straighten, and press.
- Place the front facing and front right sides together and stitch the front edge and lapel up to the mark, inserting the second belt piece into the right front edge. Clip allowances at the mark, turn pieces right side out, straighten, and press.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the front facings and back neckline facing, press allowances open. Serge the outer edges.
- Attach the undercollar to the main garment neckline, and the upper collar to the facing neckline, press allowances open, and secure them together. Secure the shoulder seams of the front facings to the shoulder seams of the garment.
- Cut (if not ready-made) a bias binding 4 cm wide and a length equal to the armhole length + 5 cm. Fold the bias binding in half lengthwise, right side out, and press. Place the binding on the armhole edge, right sides together, and stitch. Clip allowances. Fold the binding to the wrong side and topstitch along the fold to the main piece. Press the seam.
- Serge the bottom edge of the dress, press to the wrong side, and topstitch.
- Serge buttonholes on the left front edge, sew on hidden buttons.
