Puff Sleeve Gathered A-Line Dress

Name: Puff Sleeve Gathered A-Line Dress
Brand: Minerva Patterns
SKU: 2553
Price: 5.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Pattern #2553

A women's dress with princess seams on the front and back, gathered lower side panels that add fullness to the skirt, short puff sleeves with pleats and a folded cuff, and an invisible zipper at the centre back. Drafted to your own measurements. Recommended fabric: dress fabrics with good drape, of natural or blended fibres.

Tech. Description

Puff Sleeve Gathered Dress

When To Wear

In summer, for daytime outings, as a short-sleeved dress worn on its own.
For family celebrations and garden parties, made in a drapey dress fabric.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Fitted through the bust and waist by princess seams, flaring below the hip where gathered side panels are set in.

Length: About knee length.

Neckline: Round, finished with an interfaced facing tacked to the shoulder seams and zipper tape.

Sleeves: Short set-in puff sleeves: pleats at the cap turned towards the back, four pleats at the lower edge turned towards the front, and a cuff folded in half lengthwise.

Front: Centre front panel cut on the fold and running to the hem; each side front is split into an upper part and a gathered lower part joined by a curved seam.

Back: Same panel layout as the front, with a centre back seam and an invisible zipper.

Finishing: Hem pressed under and topstitched.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. Princess seams joined to gathered panels, pleated puff sleeves with cuffs, an invisible zipper.

Fabric Recommendations

Dress fabrics with good drape, of natural or blended fibres.

Additional Supplies

Fusible interfacing (neckline facings)
Invisible zipper

Cutter's Must

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

From main fabric:

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

From fusible interfacing:

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

Sewing Instructions

Fuse interfacing to the Front Neckline Facing and Back Neckline Facing pieces.
Finish the center back edges of the Center Back pieces separately. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark down to the hem, press the seam open, pressing the allowances of the zipper opening in the same way. Insert the invisible zipper.
Along the upper edge of the Lower Side Back, sew a line of stitching with a loosened upper thread and gather. Stitch the Upper Side Back to the Lower Side Back. Finish the seam allowance and press it upwards. Stitch the back princess seams (Center Back to the side back). Finish the seam allowances and press them towards the center.
Along the upper edge of the Lower Side Front, sew a line of stitching with a loosened upper thread and gather. Stitch the Upper Side Front to the Lower Side Front. Finish the seam allowance and press it upwards. Stitch the front princess seams (Center Front to the side front). Finish the seam allowances and press them towards the center.
Stitch the side and shoulder seams, press the seam allowances towards the back and finish.
Stitch the shoulder seams of the Front Neckline Facing and Back Neckline Facing pieces, finish the outer edge. Place the facing on the dress right sides together and stitch along the neckline. Clip the seam allowances at the curves, turn the facing to the wrong side, straighten and press. Tack the facing to the shoulder seams and the zipper tape.
Stitch the Sleeve seam, press the seam allowances and finish. Fold the pleats at the sleeve cap, turned towards the back. Fold 4 pleats at the lower edge, turned towards the front. Stitch the Cuff into a ring, press the seam open. Fold the cuff in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and stitch it to the sleeve. Finish the seam allowance and press it upwards. Set the sleeves into the armholes, matching the notches. Press the seam allowances and finish.
Finish the hem edge of the dress, press it to the wrong side and topstitch.