Cropped Sleeveless Draped Neck Top

Fitted Vest with Draped Voluminous Collar and Sculpted Silhouette

A cropped, fitted sleeveless women's vest with a large draped collar made of two folded pieces crossed left over right, front and back darts, an invisible zipper in the lower part of the centre back seam and a full lining.

When To Wear

• As a top with high-waisted trousers or skirts: the length stops at the waist.
• In spring and autumn, worn on its own without a layer underneath, the collar covering the neck.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Fitted, shaped with darts on the fronts and on the back.

Length: Cropped, ending at the waist.

Collar: Two collar pieces, each folded right sides together and stitched along the outer edge, then turned out. The left piece is lapped over the right and both are set into the neckline, forming soft folds that cross into a V at the front and stand up around the neck at the back.

Sleeves: Sleeveless; the armholes are finished with the lining.

Front: Centre front seam and front darts.

Closure: Invisible zipper in the lower part of the centre back seam, with the slider at the bottom when closed.

Back: Centre back seam and back darts.

Lining: Full lining cut from the main back and front pieces, stitched to the neckline, armholes, hem and zipper tape; the vest is turned through an opening in the left side seam of the lining.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. An invisible zipper set into the lower part of a seam, a two-piece crossed collar set into the neckline with clipped corners, and a full bag lining with the armholes stitched in two steps.

Fabric Recommendations

Suiting fabrics from natural or blended fibres.

Additional Supplies

• Lining fabric
• Invisible zipper

Cutter’s Must

From Main Fabric:

1. Back – 2 pieces
2. Front – 2 pieces
3. Collar – 2 pieces

From Lining Fabric (cut from the main Back and Front pattern pieces):

1. Back – 2 pieces
2. Front – 2 pieces

Important Information

Before cutting your fabric:

• Print and lay out pattern pieces to determine yardage.
• Check mirrored pieces, notches, and grainlines.
• For patterned fabrics, align carefully for symmetry.

Assembly Instructions

1. Back

Stitch the darts on the Back pieces.
Trim the dart intake and press toward the center.

Stitch the center back seam from the top down to the zipper marking.
Press the seam allowances open.

Insert the invisible zipper into the lower part of the seam.
(The slider of the closed zipper should be positioned at the bottom.)

2. Front

Stitch the darts on the Front pieces.
Trim the dart intake and press toward the center.

Stitch the center front seam.
Press the seam allowances open.

3. Shoulder and Side Seams

Stitch the shoulder and side seams.
Press the seam allowances open.

4. Collar

Fold each Collar piece right sides together and stitch along the outer edge.

Turn the Collar pieces right side out and press.

Lap the left Collar piece over the right one and baste them together along the lower edges.

Stitch the collar into the neckline, clipping the seam allowances into the corner.

Press the seam allowances toward the main garment.

5. Hem

Press the hem of the vest to the wrong side.

6. Lining

Stitch the seams of the lining in the same way as the main garment, leaving an opening in the left side seam.

Stitch the lining to the neckline.

Stitch the lining to the vest along the armholes in two steps: first the front armhole, then the back armhole.

Stitch the lining to the vest hem.

Stitch the lining to the zipper tape.

7. Finishing

Turn the vest right side out through the opening.

Stitch the opening closed.