Sunburst Pleat Sheath Dress
A sophisticated women's sheath dress pattern featuring elegant sunburst pleats radiating from the front bodice, creating a refined and flattering silhouette.
When To Wear
This elegant dress is ideal for various occasions, including:
- Work & Business Settings: Its professional cut and elegant details make it perfect for office wear or business meetings.
- Formal & Semi-Formal Gatherings: Suitable for events that require a polished yet comfortable ensemble.
- Everyday Elegance: Versatile enough for stylish daytime outings or an elevated casual look.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: a fitted sheath silhouette designed to flatter the figure, reaching just above the knee.
Front Bodice: Features distinctive sunburst pleats radiating from a central point on the upper bodice, creating unique texture and visual interest.
Neckline: a graceful boat neckline in the front, extending to cap sleeves. The back features a higher, gentle scoop.
Sleeves: Short, extended cap sleeves that flow seamlessly from the bodice.
Back: a neat, high back with vertical princess seams for shaping, and a concealed zipper closure.
Closure: a discreet concealed zipper is positioned along the center back seam.
Waist: a gently defined waist that flows into the skirt for a smooth, unbroken line.
Hem: a clean, straight hemline.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Involves working with pleats, installing a concealed zipper, and applying bias binding.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose fabrics that offer both drape and some structure, such as:
- Cotton dress fabrics
- Lightweight denim
Additional Supplies
- Concealed zipper
- Lining fabric
- Fusible interfacing
- Bias binding (4 cm wide)
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: hem allowance for the dress bottom – 3.0 cm, other seams 1 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 (don't forget to account for paired and symmetrical pieces). Inscriptions on the patterns are on the right side.
- From main fabric:
- Center back - 2 pieces
- Side back - 2 pieces
- Side front - 2 pieces
- Center lower front – 1 piece
- Upper front - 1 piece
- Back neckline facing - 2 pieces
- From lining:
- From fusible interfacing:
Sewing Instructions
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- Interface pieces with fusible interfacing.
- Overlock the center back edge. Stitch the center seam from the zipper notch to the bottom. Press the seam open, pressing the zipper opening flat. Insert the zipper from the top edge to the notch.
- Stitch the back princess seams, press the seam towards the center and overlock.
- Overlock the outer edge of the facings. Place the back pieces with the facing right sides together, aligning the neckline edges. Before reaching 5 mm from the edges of the concealed zipper, fold back the facing and pin it to the top edge of the dress. On the right side of the dress, fold back the allowances along the zipper and pin them to the neckline edge over the facing. Stitch the neckline edge. Clip the seam at the curves, turn the pieces right side out and press. Fold the allowances along the zipper to the wrong side. Attach the facing to the zipper tape.
- Cut (if not ready-made) bias binding 4 cm wide and a length equal to the back armhole length + 5cm. Fold the bias binding in half lengthwise right side out and press. Place the binding with the back armhole edge right sides together and stitch, fold the binding to the wrong side and topstitch along the fold to the main piece. Press the seam.
- On the upper front, create and secure pleats along the princess seam as follows: start from the outermost pleat and create all on the right side. Join the two lower marks together, directing the resulting inner fold downwards. Pin the pleat. Join the next two lower marks together and pin (directing the inner fold downwards), and so on, up to the center front line. The inner folds of all pleats are directed downwards. A box pleat is formed at the center line of the upper front.
- Place the main and lining pieces of the upper front right sides together. Stitch along the neckline and armhole edges. Clip the allowances, turn the pieces right side out and press. Turn the upper front inside out. Insert the back shoulder edge into the front shoulder between the main and lining. Stitch the shoulder edge. Turn the pieces right side out and press. Secure the front along the bottom and side edges and continue to process as a single-layer piece.
- Stitch the side front parts to the upper front. Press the seam downwards and overlock.
- Stitch the front princess seam. Press the seam towards the center and overlock.
- Stitch the side edges of the back and front. Overlock the seams and press towards the back. Place a bar tack on the side seam at the armhole.
- Press the hem allowance of the dress bottom first by 1 cm, then by 2 cm. Topstitch the hem.
