Lace Yoke Sheath Dress with Bishop Sleeves
A knee-length women's sheath dress with a lace yoke and lace sleeves, princess seams, an inset waistband and long buttoned cuffs. It closes with an invisible zip at the centre back and has a back vent.
When To Wear
- To the office or business meetings in autumn and winter.
- To dinners, family celebrations and evening events where long sleeves are wanted.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted sheath shaped by princess seams on the front and back, above and below the waistband.
Length: Knee length.
Collar: Flat collar sewn into the neckline, its ends meeting at the centre back.
Front: Lace upper front joined to the bodice by a shaped facing band with a curved, sweetheart-like lower edge.
Sleeves: Lace sleeves gathered at the lower edge into long cuffs, each with three buttons.
Waist: Straight inset waistband on the front and back, with princess-seamed panels above and below it.
Back: Lace upper back on a facing band, centre back seam with an invisible zip from the neck edge to the notch, and a vent in the lower centre back.
Finishing: Princess seam allowances pressed towards the centre; hem overlocked, turned and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Many princess-seamed panels to match, lace set between facing bands, a vent, an invisible zip, a collar and buttoned cuffs.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics of natural or blended fibres for the body; lace fabric or guipure for the yoke and sleeves.
Additional Supplies
- Lace fabric or guipure
- Invisible zip
- Fusible interfacing (facings, collar, cuffs, vent)
- 6 buttons
Cutter's Must
If the patterns have a double contour, seam allowances are included. If the contour is single, the patterns do not include seam allowances. Seam allowances: all seams 1 cm. Bottom edge allowance – 1.5 cm, slit allowance – 6 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). When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- From main fabric:
- Back facing - 4 pieces
- Back center – 2 pieces
- Back side – 2 pieces
- Back waistband - 2 pieces
- Lower back center - 2 pieces
- Lower back side - 2 pieces
- Lower front side - 2 pieces
- Lower front center – 1 piece
- Front waistband - 1 piece
- Middle front side - 2 pieces
- Middle front center – 1 piece
- Front facing - 2 pieces
- Collar - 2 pieces
- Cuff - 2 pieces
- From lace fabric:
- Upper back - 2 pieces
- Upper front - 1 piece
- Sleeve - 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Back facing - 2 pieces
- Front facing - 1 piece
- Collar - 1 piece
- Cuff - 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces.
- Stitch the princess seams on the middle back pieces, press allowances towards the center and overlock. Stitch the princess seams on the lower back pieces, press allowances towards the center and overlock.
- Place back facings right sides together, insert the upper back piece between them and stitch. Press allowances, fold facings down. Attach the middle back piece to the lower edge of the outer facing, press allowances towards the facing. Overlock the lower edge of the inner facing and topstitch into the seam of the upper facing attachment.
- Attach the back waistband to the middle back piece, press allowances towards the waistband and overlock. Attach the lower back piece to the back waistband, press allowances towards the waistband and overlock.
- On the left lower back center piece, trim 5 cm along the vertical slit edge. On both lower back center pieces, fuse interfacing to the slit from the wrong side. On the right side, mark the center seam line (slit fold line). Press the left along the slit fold line, on the right, press only the allowance of the right side of the slit (6 cm) to the wrong side. Align the pieces along the center seam and secure at the upper edge of the slit. Overlock the center back edge separately on each piece. Overlock the slit allowances. Stitch the center back seam from the notch for the zipper to the corner of the slit. Clip the corner of the slit seam allowance on the right piece. Press the center seam allowances open, press the slit allowances and secure them with machine stitching. Insert the zipper from the upper edge to the notch.
- Stitch the princess seams on the middle front pieces, press allowances towards the center and overlock. Stitch the princess seams on the lower front pieces, press allowances towards the center and overlock.
- Place front facings right sides together, insert the upper front piece between them and stitch. Press allowances, fold facings down. Attach the middle front piece to the lower edge of the outer facing, press allowances towards the facing. Overlock the lower edge of the inner facing and topstitch into the seam of the upper facing attachment.
- Attach the front waistband to the middle front piece, press allowances towards the waistband and overlock. Attach the lower front piece to the front waistband, press allowances towards the waistband and overlock.
- Stitch shoulder and side seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Place collar pieces right sides together and stitch the ends and outer edge of the collar. Start and end stitching strictly at the marked collar attachment seam line. Trim allowances at corners, clip curves. Turn collar right side out, shape and press.
- Attach the undercollar to the neckline, clip allowances and press towards the collar. Fold under the raw edge of the upper collar and topstitch into the attachment seam.
- Overlock the longitudinal edges of the sleeve. Along the lower edge, stitch with loose stitches and gather. Stitch the sleeve seam from the cap to the mark, press allowances open.
- Fold the cuff in half lengthwise right sides together and stitch the short sides. Start and end stitching strictly at the marked cuff attachment seam line. Press allowances, turn cuff right side out. Attach the outer side of the cuff to the bottom of the sleeve, press allowances towards the cuff. Fold under the raw edge of the inner cuff and topstitch into the attachment seam.
- Overlock the bottom edge of the garment, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- On the cuffs, make buttonholes and sew on buttons.
