Boat Neck Sheath Dress with Pleated Belt

Name: Boat Neck Sheath Dress with Pleated Belt
Brand: Minerva Patterns
SKU: 2480
Price: 5.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Pattern #2480

A women's knee-length sheath dress with a boat neckline at the front, a deep V-neckline at the back, princess seams in the bodice and a separate pleated belt in a contrast colour that fastens with three hooks and eyes. Drafted to your own measurements. Recommended fabric: dress fabrics from natural or blended fibres, plus a fabric in a contrast colour for the belt.

Tech. Description

Sheath Dress with Pleated Belt

When To Wear

At the office and for business meetings, alone or under a jacket.
For daytime events, dinners and receptions in the warm season.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Fitted knee-length sheath with a waist seam.

Neckline: Wide boat neckline at the front; deep V at the back. Both are finished with one interfaced facing that is tacked to the shoulder seams and the centre back seam.

Sleeves: Sleeveless, with the shoulders extended over the top of the arm; armholes finished with a 4 cm bias binding folded in half and topstitched along the fold.

Front: Bodice with princess seams (centre panel cut on the fold and two side panels) joined at the waist to a lower front cut on the fold.

Back: Upper and lower back joined at the waist, darts in the lower back, centre back seam with an invisible zipper and a slit at the hem topstitched 0.1 cm from the fold.

Waist: Pleated belt in contrast fabric, sewn double, with three hooks and eyes set into its ends.

Finishing: Hem turned up 3 cm and sewn by hand with blind stitches.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. Princess seams, a waist seam, an invisible zipper above a back slit, a combined neckline facing for a deep back V and bias-bound armholes.

Fabric Recommendations

Dress fabrics from natural or blended fibres, plus a fabric in a contrast colour for the belt.

Additional Supplies

Contrast fabric for the belt
Invisible zipper
Fusible interfacing (neckline facings)
3 hooks and eyes
Bias binding, 4 cm wide (ready-made or cut from the fabric)

Cutter's Must

When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!

From main fabric:

Upper Back – 2 pieces
Lower Back – 2 pieces
Side Upper Front – 2 pieces
Center Upper Front – 1 piece on fold
Lower Front – 1 piece on fold
Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
Front Neckline Facing – 1 piece

From contrast fabric:

Waistband (belt) – 1 piece

From fusible interfacing:

Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
Front Neckline Facing – 1 piece

Sewing Instructions

Fuse interfacing to the Back Neckline Facing and Front Neckline Facing pieces.
Stitch the front princess seams (Center Upper Front to Side Upper Front), press the allowances towards the center and overlock. Stitch the darts on the Lower Back pieces, press them towards the center.
Stitch the Upper Back to the Lower Back, press the allowances upwards and overlock. Stitch the upper front to the Lower Front, press the allowances upwards and overlock.
Overlock the center back edges separately. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark to the slit mark. Press the allowances open, pressing the slit allowances in the same way. Insert the invisible zipper. Topstitch the slit 0.1 cm from the fold.
Stitch the shoulder seams, press the allowances towards the back and overlock.
Stitch the shoulder seams of the Back Neckline Facing and Front Neckline Facing, press the allowances open. Overlock the outer edge. Place the facing on the dress right sides together and stitch along the front neckline and the back V-neckline. Turn the facing to the wrong side, straighten and press. Tack the facing to the dress at the shoulder seams and the center back seam.
Cut (or use ready-made) a bias strip 4 cm wide and as long as the armhole plus 4 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. Turn the binding to the wrong side, clip the allowances and topstitch it to the dress along the fold. Press the seam.
Stitch the side seams, press the allowances towards the back and overlock.
Overlock the hem edge of the dress, press it to the wrong side and sew it by hand with blind stitches.
Fold and secure the pleats on the Waistband (belt). Fold the belt in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch along three sides, inserting the hooks and eyes into the end edges and leaving an opening in the long side for turning. Turn the belt right side out, straighten and press. Slipstitch the opening closed.