V-Neck Puff Sleeve Button-Front Maxi Dress
A floor-length women's dress with a V-neckline, a fitted midriff band front and back, a gathered bodice and skirt, and long sleeves gathered into deep buttoned cuffs. A row of small buttons on rouleau loops runs down the centre front seam; the dress closes with a concealed zipper at the centre back.
When To Wear
- For daytime summer events, garden parties and weddings as a guest, in a light dress fabric.
- In autumn and spring with a cardigan or a short jacket over it.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted midriff under the bust, with gathered fullness above and a full skirt gathered below it.
Length: Maxi, to the ankle.
Neckline: V-neckline finished with a facing.
Sleeves: Long set-in sleeves gathered at the cap and the wrist, with a slit at the wrist and a deep interfaced cuff fastened with buttons and rouleau loops.
Front: Upper front gathered at the shoulder seams and into the midriff band; centre front seam with buttons and bias-cut rouleau loops from the neckline to below the hip.
Closure: Concealed zipper in the centre back seam.
Back: Upper back shaped with darts, joined to a back midriff band; centre back seam.
Skirt: Front and back skirt pieces gathered into the midriff band, with seams at the centre front and centre back.
Finishing: Hem allowance of 2 cm, overlocked, turned up and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Gathering into bands and cuffs, a concealed zipper, a faced V-neck, and making and spacing many rouleau loops.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics in natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (cuffs, neckline facings)
- Concealed zipper
- 33 buttons (front and cuffs)
- Ready-made loop tape (optional, instead of self-made rouleau loops)
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: all seams 1 cm. Hem allowance for the bottom edge of the garment – 2.0 cm. Attention! First, print out the paper patterns and lay them out on the fabric width (fabric width can be from 90cm to 150cm) to determine how much material you will need (do not forget to account for paired and symmetrical details). When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- From main fabric:
- Upper back – 2 pieces
- Back insert – 2 pieces
- Lower back - 2 pieces
- Lower front – 2 pieces
- Front insert – 2 pieces
- Upper front – 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 4 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 2 pieces
- Front neckline facing – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 2 pieces
- Front neckline facing – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Interface the details with fusible interfacing.
- Stitch the darts on the upper back pieces, press the seam allowances towards the center of the pieces. Attach the back insert to the upper back, press the seam allowances towards the insert and overlock.
- Along the upper edge of the lower back piece, stitch with a loosened thread and gather. Attach the lower back piece to the back insert, press the seam allowances upwards and overlock.
- Overlock the center back edges separately. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark to the bottom, press the seam allowances open. Insert the zipper.
- Along the lower edge of the upper front piece, stitch with a loosened upper thread and gather. Attach the front insert to the upper front, press the seam allowances towards the insert and overlock.
- Along the upper edge of the lower front piece, stitch with a loosened thread and gather. Attach the lower front piece to the front insert, press the seam allowances upwards and overlock.
- Cut a strip 2.5 cm wide at a 45-degree angle for the loop fasteners. Fold the strip in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch 0.3 cm from the fold. Trim the seam allowances close to the stitching, turn the strip right side out and straighten the rouleau. Cut into sections. Adjust the length of the loops. Stitch the loops onto the right front (folds facing away from the edge).
- Stitch the center front seam, press the seam allowances to the right side and overlock.
- Along the shoulder edges of the front piece, stitch with a loosened thread and gather. Stitch the side and shoulder edges, press the seam allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Stitch the shoulder edges and the front center seam of the neckline facings, press the seam allowances open. Overlock the outer edge. Place the facing on the garment right sides together and stitch the neckline edge. Turn the facing to the wrong side, straighten, and press. Secure the facing to the main garment at the shoulder seams, center front edge, and zipper tape.
- Along the sleeve cap and the lower edge of the sleeve, stitch with a loosened upper thread and gather. Overlock the sleeve edges separately. Stitch the sleeve seam from the armhole to the slit mark, press the seam allowances open. Stitch the slit 0.1 cm from the fold. Set the sleeves into the armholes, press the seam allowances and overlock.
- Fold the cuff pieces right sides together and stitch the side and lower edges, inserting the loop fasteners. Start and end stitching precisely at the marked seam line for attaching the cuff. Turn the piece right side out, press. Attach the outer side of the cuff to the sleeve, fold the seam allowance of the inner side of the cuff inwards and stitch into the seam of attaching the outer cuff.
- Overlock the bottom edge of the garment, press to the wrong side and stitch.
- Sew buttons onto the left front and cuffs. Tip: instead of self-made loop fasteners, you can use pre-made loop tape.
