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
- Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- Waistband (tie belt) – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Collar – 1 piece
- Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to one Collar piece, the Center Front Facing pieces and the Back Neckline Facing.
- Fold each Waistband (tie belt) piece in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch along the long side and one short end. Turn it right side out, straighten and press. Topstitch all around 0.1 cm from the edge.
- Stitch the center back seam, press the allowances to the left and serge. Stitch the Back Yoke to the Back, press the allowances upwards and serge. Stitch the back princess seams (Back to Side), inserting one Waistband piece into the left seam; press the allowances towards the center and serge.
- Stitch the bust darts on the Front, press them upwards. Stitch the front princess seams (Front to Side), press the allowances towards the center and serge.
- Stitch the shoulder seams, press the allowances towards the back and serge.
- Place the two Collar pieces (upper collar and undercollar) right sides together and stitch the ends and the outer edge. Trim the allowances at the corners, clip at the mark, turn the collar right side out, straighten and press.
- Place the Center Front Facing on the Front right sides together and stitch along the front edge and lapel up to the mark, inserting the second Waistband piece into the right front edge. Clip the allowances at the mark, turn right side out, straighten and press.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the Center Front Facing pieces and the Back Neckline Facing, press the allowances open. Serge the outer edges.
- Stitch the undercollar to the dress neckline and the upper collar to the facing neckline, press the allowances open and tack them together. Tack the shoulder seams of the facings to the shoulder seams of the dress.
- Cut (if not ready-made) a bias strip 4 cm wide and as long as the armhole plus 5 cm. Fold the bias strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press. Place the binding on the right side of the armhole, raw edges matching, and stitch. Clip the allowances. Turn the binding to the wrong side and topstitch it to the dress along the fold. Press the seam.
- Serge the hem edge of the dress, press it to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Make buttonholes on the left front edge and sew on the hidden buttons.
