Sunburst Pleat Sheath Dress

Name: Sunburst Pleat Sheath Dress
Brand: Minerva Patterns
SKU: 4027
Price: 5.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Pattern #4027

A sleeveless women's sheath dress with extended shoulders and a wide boat neckline. Pleats on the lined upper front radiate around the curved top of the centre front panel, and princess seams shape the front and back. Drafted to your own measurements. Recommended fabric: cotton dress fabrics, for example lightweight denim.

Tech. Description

Sunburst Pleat Sheath Dress

When To Wear

In summer, on its own, for work or daytime events.
In spring and autumn under a cardigan or a short jacket.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Fitted sheath, shaped by princess seams front and back, straight to the hem.

Neckline: Wide boat neckline; front finished by its lining, back by interfaced facings.

Sleeves: Sleeveless with the shoulder line extended over the top of the arm.

Front: An upper front piece with pleats laid on the right side along its curved lower seam, all folds turned downwards, meeting in a box pleat at the centre front. The upper front is joined to the side fronts and to a U-shaped centre lower front panel.

Back: Centre back and side back pieces joined by princess seams; centre back seam.

Closure: Invisible zipper in the centre back seam, from the neckline to the notch.

Finishing: Back armholes bound with 4 cm bias binding folded in half; bar tack at the side seam under the armhole; hem pressed under 1 cm and 2 cm and topstitched.

Lining: The upper front only; the back shoulder is stitched between the upper front and its lining.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. Radiating pleats laid mark to mark, a lined upper front with the shoulder seam enclosed, a curved panel seam, facings around an invisible zipper and bias-bound armholes.

Fabric Recommendations

Cotton dress fabrics, for example lightweight denim.

Additional Supplies

Invisible zipper
Lining fabric
Fusible interfacing (back neckline facings)
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:
- Front lining - 1 piece
From fusible interfacing:
- Back neckline facings.

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.