Square Neck Cap Sleeve Tulip Dress
A knee-length women's fitted dress with a square neckline, short lined cap sleeves, a waist seam and a tulip-wrap front skirt with pleats on the overlapping panel. Invisible zip at the centre back, belt loops at the waist.
When To Wear
- For the office and business meetings, worn with a thin belt.
- For daytime celebrations and summer evenings with heels.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted bodice with princess seams, joined at the waist to a narrow skirt; worn with a belt.
Length: Knee length; the front panels curve up to an overlap at the hem.
Neckline: Square neckline; the lower edge is the fold of a cut-on facing on the centre front panel, the rest is finished with fused neckline facings.
Sleeves: Short cap sleeves, set in, each faced with a lining sleeve sewn along the lower edge.
Front: Centre front panel and side panels, with yokes at the shoulders joined by angled seams.
Skirt: Tulip front of two panels: the right lower front has pleats at the waist and overlaps the left; both curved edges are finished with fused facings. Back skirt with darts.
Back: Princess seams in the bodice, waist seam, centre back seam with an invisible zip.
Finishing: Seams overlocked; side seams wrapped with the back allowance; back hem turned up 2 cm and sewn with blind stitches; two belt loops on the side seams at the waist.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A cut-on facing at the square neck, faced curved front panels, pleats, lined cap sleeves and an invisible zip finished with a facing.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric (sleeves)
- Invisible zip
- Fusible interfacing (neckline facings, front skirt facings)
- Thin decorative belt
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. Seam allowance for the bottom edge of the lower back – 2.0 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 (do not forget to account for paired and symmetrical pieces). When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match! Markings on the patterns are made on the right side!
- From main fabric:
- Center back – 2 pieces
- Side back – 2 pieces
- Lower back - 2 pieces
- Lower front right – 1 piece
- Lower front left – 1 piece
- Side front - 2 pieces
- Center front - 1 piece
- Front yoke - 2 pieces
- Right facing - 1 piece
- Left facing - 1 piece
- Sleeve - 2 pieces
- Belt loop — 1 piece
- Back neckline facing – 2 pieces
- Front neckline facing – 2 pieces
- From lining fabric:
- From fusible interlining:
- Back neckline facing – 2 pieces
- Front neckline facing – 2 pieces
- Right facing - 1 piece
- Left facing - 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interlining to the bottom and neckline facings, as well as the all-in-one facing of the center front.
- Stitch the back princess seams, press allowances towards the center and overlock.
- Stitch the darts on the lower back parts, press depths towards the center. Stitch the upper and lower back parts, press allowances upwards and overlock. Overlock the center back seam separately on each piece. Stitch the center back seam from the mark to the bottom. Press allowances open, pressing the slit for the zipper. Insert the zipper.
- Overlock the all-in-one facing of the center front. Stitch the front princess seams from the fold downwards, press allowances towards the center and overlock. Attach the yokes to the front, press allowances towards the yoke and overlock.
- On the right lower front, create and secure the pleats. Place the right lower front with the facing right sides together and stitch the outer edge. Clip allowances at curves, turn the facing to the wrong side, and press. Place the left lower front with the facing right sides together and stitch the outer edge. Clip allowances at curves, turn the facing to the wrong side, and press. Attach the left lower front to the right facing, press allowances and overlock, simultaneously overlocking the inner edge of the right facing.
- Stitch the upper and lower front parts, press allowances upwards and overlock.
- Stitch the shoulder seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock. Overlock the bottom edge of the back. Stitch the side seams, wrapping the front with the back allowance. Press allowances towards the back, overlock. Turn up the bottom allowance on the back, press and hem with blind stitches.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the neckline facings, press allowances open. Overlock the outer edge. Place the facing with the neckline right sides together. Without reaching 5 mm from the edges of the invisible zipper, fold back the facing and pin it to the upper 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 back neckline, front neckline, and front opening to the mark. Clip allowances at curves, trim at corners. Stitch together the edge of the all-in-one facing of the center front and the edge of the front neckline facing from the mark downwards. Turn the piece to the right side and press. Turn under the center edge of the facing and attach it to the zipper tape.
- Stitch the sleeve seam, press allowances and overlock. Stitch the sleeve seam from the lining fabric. Place the lining with the sleeve right sides together and stitch the bottom edge. Clip allowances, turn the sleeve to the right side, and press. Secure the sleeve to the lining at the cap and then treat as one piece.
- Set the sleeves into the armholes, matching notches, press allowances and overlock.
- Overlock one long edge of the belt loop. Fold the belt loop into three layers and topstitch along the long sides. Cut the belt loop into 2 pieces. Sew the belt loops at the waist on the side seams. Tip: The dress is recommended to be worn with a belt.
