Sleeveless Sheath Dress with Keyhole Neckline

Name: Sleeveless Sheath Dress with Keyhole Neckline
Brand: Minerva Patterns
SKU: 2540
Price: 5.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Pattern #2540

A women's sleeveless knee-length sheath dress with a waist seam, princess seams on the bodice and a cutout below the round neckline, where the side fronts meet at the neck and part over a lined centre front panel. Lined bodice, concealed zipper and slit at the centre back. Drafted to your own measurements. Recommended fabric: dress fabrics of natural or blended fibres.

Tech. Description

Sleeveless Sheath Dress with Keyhole Neckline

When To Wear

To the office in warm weather, or under a jacket in cooler months.
For daytime events and dinners.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Fitted sheath with a horizontal seam at the waist.

Length: About knee length.

Neckline: Round neckline. The front princess seams are left open about 5 cm below the neck, forming a keyhole-shaped cutout; the upper centre front piece, faced with lining, sits under it, and the side fronts are tacked together at the neckline.

Sleeves: Sleeveless; armholes finished with the lining.

Front: Bodice of a centre panel and two side fronts with bust darts; lower front cut on the fold, with darts.

Back: Princess seams on the upper back, darts on the lower back, centre back seam.

Closure: Concealed zipper in the centre back seam.

Skirt: Straight, with a slit at the centre back hem.

Finishing: Neckline, cutout and armhole edges reinforced with interfacing; 3 cm hem, blind-stitched.

Lining: The bodice is lined; the lining is secured to the zipper tape and the waist seam.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. A centre front panel enclosed between lined side fronts, a princess seam left open to form the cutout, armholes stitched in two steps, a concealed zipper and a slit.

Fabric Recommendations

Dress fabrics of natural or blended fibres.

Additional Supplies

Lining fabric
Fusible interfacing (neckline, cutout and armhole edges)
Concealed zipper

Cutter's Must

If the patterns have a double contour, seam allowances are included. If the contour is single, the patterns are without seam allowances. Seam allowances: all seams 1 cm; hem allowance for the dress bottom – 3 cm; allowance along the slit on the lower back – 2 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 (do not forget to account for paired and symmetrical pieces). When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!

From main fabric:

Upper center back - 2 pieces
Upper side back - 2 pieces
Lower back - 2 pieces
Upper center front - 1 piece
Upper side front - 2 pieces
Lower front – 1 piece with fold

From lining fabric:

Upper center back - 2 pieces
Upper side back - 2 pieces
Upper center front - 1 piece
Upper side front - 2 pieces

Sewing Instructions

Reinforce the neckline, décolleté, and armhole edges with fusible interfacing.
Stitch the princess seams of the upper back, press allowances towards the center, overlock.
Stitch the darts on the lower back parts, press depths towards the center of the pieces. Stitch the upper and lower back parts, press allowances upwards and overlock.
Overlock the center back edges separately on each piece. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark to the slit mark, press allowances open. Insert the concealed zipper. Along the slit, make a reinforcing stitch 0.2 cm from the edge.
Stitch the bust darts, press depths upwards.
Fold the upper center front pieces of main fabric and lining right sides together and stitch the upper edge. Clip allowances at the corner, turn pieces right side out, straighten, press. Then treat as one piece.
Fold the upper side front pieces of main fabric and lining right sides together, insert the upper center front piece between them and stitch the princess seam, stopping about 5 cm from the neckline edge. Turn pieces right side out, straighten, press.
Stitch the darts on the lower front, press depths towards the center. Stitch the upper and lower front parts, press allowances upwards and overlock.
Stitch the shoulder seams on the main fabric pieces, press allowances open. Stitch the side seams on the main fabric pieces, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
Stitch the seams on the lining pieces, press allowances and overlock. Overlock the lower edge. Place the lining with the garment right sides together and stitch the neckline and the unstitched section of the front princess seam. Clip allowances at curves, trim at corners. Turn the garment right side out. Stitch the armhole in two steps: first the front armhole, then the back armhole. Secure the lining to the zipper tape and the waist seam.
Overlock the hem allowance, press to the wrong side and hem with blind stitches.
Secure the upper side front pieces together at the neckline.