Denim Panelled A-Line Flared Hem Dress
Introducing a women's made-to-measure sewing pattern for a chic, sleeveless A-line denim dress featuring intricate panel construction, decorative topstitching, and a flared hem band.
When To Wear
This versatile denim dress is perfect for various casual and smart-casual occasions, including:
- Casual Daywear: Its comfortable fabric and relaxed silhouette make it ideal for everyday outings and errands.
- Smart Casual Gatherings: Elevate your look for brunches or informal events by pairing it with stylish accessories.
- Vacation & Resort Wear: The sleeveless design is perfect for warm weather destinations.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: An A-line dress, fitted through the bodice and flaring out towards the hem, finished with a wide hem band.
Neckline: a scoop neckline finished with facings.
Sleeves: Sleeveless, with the armholes finished with bias binding.
Construction: Vertical panels on the front and back (center, middle and side panels) run from the shoulders into the skirt, with a center front seam and a center back seam; all panel seams are topstitched 0.7 cm. A horizontal topstitched seam joins the body to the lower hem band.
Closure: an invisible zipper in the upper part of the center back seam.
Hem: a wide flared hem band (Lower Front and Lower Back) adds movement to the A-line silhouette.
Length: Knee length.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Requires precise panel construction, accurate setting of an invisible zipper, and the application of facings, bias binding and topstitching.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose durable yet soft fabrics that will hold the dress's shape while providing comfort:
- Denim fabrics made from natural or blended fibers
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing
- Invisible zipper
- Bias binding (optional, can be cut from the main fabric)
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 – 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 (don't forget to account for paired and symmetrical pieces). When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- From main fabric:
- Center Back – 2 pieces
- Middle Back – 2 pieces
- Side Back – 2 pieces
- Center Front – 2 pieces
- Middle Front – 2 pieces
- Side Front – 2 pieces
- Lower Back – 2 pieces
- Lower Front – 2 pieces
- Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- Armhole binding – 2 bias strips, 4 cm wide, armhole length + 4 cm (cut by measurement, if not using ready-made binding)
- From fusible interfacing:
- Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Neckline Facing – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Back Neckline Facings and Front Neckline Facing.
- Stitch the back panel seams (Center Back, Middle Back, Side Back), press allowances towards the center and serge. Topstitch along the seams 0.7 cm from the seam. Stitch the Lower Back pieces to the back, press allowances downwards and serge. Topstitch along the seam 0.7 cm from the seam.
- Serge the center back edges separately on each piece. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark to the lower edge, press allowances open. Insert the invisible zipper.
- Stitch the front panel seams (Center Front, Middle Front, Side Front), press allowances towards the center and serge. Topstitch along the seams 0.7 cm from the seam. Stitch the Lower Front pieces to the front, press allowances downwards and serge. Topstitch along the seam 0.7 cm from the seam.
- Stitch the center front seam, press allowances open and serge. Topstitch on both sides of the seam 0.7 cm from it.
- Stitch the side and shoulder seams, press allowances towards the back and serge.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the neckline facings, press allowances open. Serge the outer edge. Place the facings on the garment right sides together and stitch along the neckline. Clip allowances at the curves, turn the facings to the wrong side and press. Tack the facings to the shoulder seams and to the zipper tape.
- Fold each armhole bias strip in half lengthwise, right side out, and press. Place the binding on the right side of the armhole, raw edges aligned, and stitch. Turn the binding to the wrong side and topstitch along the fold to the garment. Repeat for the second armhole.
- Serge the hem allowance of the dress, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
