Tiered Ruffle High-Low Maxi Dress
A women's maxi sundress with a high waist, a gathered bust with a vertical band at the centre front, wide straps, and a flared skirt with two gathered tiers whose ruffled headings are topstitched on top. The hem is shorter at the front and longer at the back.
When To Wear
- In hot weather, on holiday and at the seaside, with flat sandals.
- At summer daytime parties and garden events.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted at the bust, seamed under the bust, flaring to the hem.
Length: Maxi, high-low: the front is shorter than the back.
Neckline: Two self-lined upper front pieces, gathered at the sides and centre, joined at the centre front; the excess of the centre front piece forms a vertical band between them.
Sleeves: Sleeveless, with a wide strap cut in one piece, gathered at the marked point; when the dress is put on, the straps are twisted, adjusted to length and secured at the back.
Back: Upper back is a self-lined band with stitched pleats, gathered at the sides; plain centre back panel below.
Skirt: Front and back each have a centre panel and two tiers (middle and lower flounce); the upper flounce edges are finished with a narrow rolled hem, gathered and topstitched over the tier below, forming a ruffle.
Closure: Invisible zipper in the left side seam.
Finishing: Hem turned twice by 1 cm and topstitched. If the flounces are wider than the fabric, they are cut with a centre seam.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Gathered and self-lined bodice pieces, forming the centre front band, twisted straps, rolled-hem ruffles and an invisible side zipper.
Fabric Recommendations
Thin dress fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
Cutter's Must
If the patterns have a double contour, they include seam allowances; if the contour is single, the patterns do not include seam allowances. Seam allowances: all seams 1 cm. Hem allowance for the lower edges of the center back and front pieces, lower edges of the back and front flounces - 2 cm. Attention! First, print out the paper patterns and lay them out on the fabric width (fabric width can be from 90cm to 150cm) to determine how much material you will need. When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- From main fabric:
- Upper outer back piece – 1 piece
- Upper inner back piece – 1 piece
- Center back piece – 1 piece
- Center front piece – 1 piece
- Upper outer front piece – 2 pieces
- Upper inner front piece – 2 pieces
- Middle back flounce – 1 piece
- Lower back flounce – 1 piece
- Middle front flounce – 1 piece
- Lower front flounce – 1 piece
- Strap – 2 pieces
If the back and front flounces do not fit the fabric width, they should be cut with a center seam.
Sewing Instructions
- Lay and secure the pleats on the upper outer back piece. Along the side edges of the piece, stitch with loosely tensioned stitches and gather. Fold the upper back pieces right sides together and stitch the upper edge. Turn the inner piece to the wrong side. Align the side edges and secure the pieces together along the side and lower edges.
- Stitch the upper back piece to the center piece, press the allowances upwards and overlock.
- Overlock the lower edge of the center back piece and the lower edge of the middle back flounce. Overlock the upper edges of the middle and lower back flounces with a narrow rolled hem. Along the upper edges of the flounces, stitch with loosely tensioned stitches and gather. Lay the middle back flounce on the center back piece, aligning the stitching lines, and topstitch. Lay the lower back flounce on the middle back flounce, aligning the stitching lines, and topstitch.
- Along the side and center edges of the outer front piece, stitch with loosely tensioned stitches and gather. Stitch with loosely tensioned stitches along the center edge of the inner front piece and gather. Fold the pieces right sides together and stitch the armhole edge, clip allowances at curves. Turn the inner piece to the wrong side. Align the side edges and secure the pieces together along the side and lower edges.
- Stitch the upper front piece to the center piece along the horizontal line. At the corner, clip the allowance, gather the center edge of the upper piece to the length from the mark to the corner, and stitch. Press and overlock the allowances, also overlocking the section of the center front piece from the mark to the edge.
- Fold the front piece right sides together, align the center edges and stitch from the "circle" mark to the upper edge. Form a bridge from the excess of the center piece, positioning the seam in the middle of the piece, and overlock the short edge.
- Fold the strap right sides together and stitch the long side from the edges to the marks, clip allowances near the marks. Turn the strap right side out. Fold the strap with the upper front edge right sides together and stitch, folding back the bridge. Press and overlock the allowances. Fold the bridge to the wrong side, adjust and hem to the main piece. Gather the straps at the "circle" mark into an accordion and secure.
- Overlock the lower edge of the center front piece and the lower edge of the middle front flounce. Overlock the upper edges of the middle and lower front flounces with a narrow rolled hem. Along the upper edges of the flounces, stitch with loosely tensioned stitches and gather. Lay the middle front flounce on the center front piece, aligning the stitching lines, and topstitch. Lay the lower front flounce on the middle front flounce, aligning the stitching lines, and topstitch.
- Stitch the right side seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock. Overlock the left side seams separately on each piece. Stitch the left side seam from the zipper mark to the bottom. Press the seam allowances open, pressing the opening for the zipper. Insert the zipper.
- Press the lower edge of the garment twice by 1 cm and topstitch.
- Put on the sundress, twist the straps, adjust their length and secure them at the back.
