Sleeveless Double Breasted Trench Dress
A women's fitted sleeveless dress, about knee length, with a double-breasted front, notched collar, princess seams front and back and two welt pockets. Worn with a self-fabric belt and buckle.
When To Wear
- To the office in spring and autumn, over a thin top or on its own.
- For daytime meetings and dinners, with pumps or ankle boots.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted, shaped by princess seams from the armholes on the front and back.
Length: About knee length.
Collar: Notched collar with lapels; the under collar is sewn to the dress neckline, the upper collar to the facings.
Sleeves: Sleeveless; armholes finished with a 4 cm bias binding turned to the inside and topstitched.
Closure: Double-breasted, three pairs of outer buttons (six), with buttonholes on the right front and an inner button on the left front. Front facings cut separately.
Pockets: Two single-welt pockets set into the fronts, with pocket bags of lining fabric.
Back: Centre back seam and princess seams.
Waist: Separate belt topstitched 0.1 cm from the edge, with a buckle.
Finishing: Front edges stitched 0.2 cm from the seam; interfaced collar, front facings, back neck facing and welts.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Welt pockets, a notched collar set between the dress and the facings, bias-bound armholes and a double-breasted buttoned front.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics in natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing
- Lining fabric (pocket bags)
- Bias binding 4 cm wide, or fabric to cut it
- Buckle
- 6 outer buttons
- 1 inner button
Cutter's Must
If the patterns have a double contour, seam allowances are included. If the contour is single, seam allowances are not included. Seam allowances: hem allowance — 2.0 cm, other seams 1 cm. Attention! First, 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:
- Center back – 2 pieces
- Side back — 2 pieces
- Side front — 2 pieces
- Center front — 2 pieces
- Collar — 2 pieces
- Front facing — 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 1 piece
- Belt – 1 piece
- Welt – 2 pieces
- Pocket facing – 2 pieces
- From fusible interlining:
- Collar — 1 piece
- Front facing — 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 1 piece
- Welt – 2 pieces
- From lining fabric:
- Large pocket bag – 2 pieces
- Small pocket bag – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Interface details with fusible interlining.
- Stitch back princess seams, press allowances towards the center and overlock. Stitch center back seam, press allowances to the left side and overlock.
- Mark pocket placement on the front. Press the welt in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Stitch the small pocket bag to the wrong side of the welt. Stitch the pocket facing to the large pocket bag. Stitch the welt to the front along the lower pocket marking line. Stitch the large pocket bag to the front along the upper pocket marking line. Stitching ends at the short marking lines. Cut open the pocket opening. Make diagonal cuts 1-1.5 cm from the end of the pocket. Turn the welt and large pocket bag to the wrong side through the opening. Secure the pocket ends from the wrong side with a double backstitch at the base of the corners. Stitch pocket bag edges.
- Stitch front princess seams, press allowances towards the center and overlock.
- Stitch side and shoulder seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Fold collar pieces right sides together and stitch along the ends and outer edge. Start and end stitching strictly at the marked collar attachment line. Trim allowances at corners, clip at the notch. Turn collar right side out, shape and press.
- Stitch and press open shoulder seams of back neckline facing and front facing. Overlock the outer edge.
- Place front facing on the right side of the front, right side down, pin and stitch along the front edge. Stitching is done upwards to the notch indicating the end of collar attachment. Trim seams at corners. Topstitch the front edge allowance: in the button placket area – onto the front facing, in the lapel area – onto the front. Place stitching 0.2 cm from the seam. Turn fronts right side out, shape seams.
- Stitch the under collar to the dress neckline, and the upper collar to the neckline of the back facing and front facing. Clip collar attachment seam allowances, press open and secure close to the seams.
- Cut (or use ready-made) bias binding 4 cm wide and length equal to armhole length + 4 cm. Fold bias binding in half lengthwise, right side out, and press. Place binding with armhole edge right sides together and stitch. Fold binding to the wrong side, clip allowances and topstitch along the fold onto the main piece. Press seam.
- Overlock the hem allowance of the garment, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- On the right front, make buttonholes, on the left front, sew on buttons. Make buttonhole on the left front, sew on inner button. Sew on decorative buttons.
- Fold belt in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch along the long and short sides. Turn belt right side out, shape, press. Overlock the short side. Topstitch 0.1 cm from the edge around the perimeter. Thread and secure the buckle on the overlock side of the belt.
