Double-Breasted Pencil Dress with Pleated Collar
A knee-length women's pencil dress with princess seams, a double-breasted front with ten buttons and a pleated collar in two halves around a V-neckline. Elbow-length sleeves finish with turn-up cuffs; the dress closes with an invisible zipper at the centre back.
When To Wear
- At the office and for business meetings, worn alone or with a belt.
- For daytime events in spring and autumn.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted pencil shape shaped by princess seams on the front and back.
Length: Knee length.
Collar: Right and left collar pieces with pleats folded and secured at the markings, set into the V-neckline between the front and its lining.
Sleeves: Set-in, elbow length, eased at the cap, with turn-up cuffs that have a short open split.
Front: The right centre front overlaps the left and is held in the princess seams; ten buttons in five pairs.
Back: Princess seams, a centre back seam with an invisible zipper and a vent at the hem, interfaced along the fold.
Finishing: Back neckline facings attached to the zipper tape; hem turned up 2 cm and sewn with blind stitches.
Lining: The centre front panels are backed with lining fabric, which also finishes the neckline.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. An invisible zipper with facings, a lapped centre back vent, a pleated collar set between front and lining, and split cuffs.
Fabric Recommendations
Fine, fluid suiting fabrics in natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric
- Invisible zipper
- Fusible interfacing (back neckline facings, cuffs, vent)
- 10 buttons
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 dress bottom – 2.0 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). Markings on the patterns are on the right side!
- From main fabric:
- Center back – 2 pieces
- Side back – 2 pieces
- Side front – 2 pieces
- Center front right – 1 piece
- Center front left – 1 piece
- Collar right – 2 pieces
- Collar left – 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 2 pieces
- From lining fabric:
- From fusible interfacing:
- Back neckline facing – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- Fuse interfacing to facing and cuff pieces.
- Stitch back princess seams, press allowances towards the center seam and overlock.
- On the left lower back piece, along the vertical edge of the slit, trim 5 cm. On both lower back pieces, fuse interfacing to the slit on the wrong side. On the right side, mark the center seam line (slit fold line). Press the left piece along the slit fold line, on the right piece, 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 edge from the fastener mark to the slit corner. Clip the corner of the slit seam allowance on the right piece. Press open the center seam allowances, press the slit allowances and secure them on the right side with machine stitching. Insert the invisible zipper.
- Stitch collar pieces along the outer edge. Clip allowances, turn collar to the right side, straighten, press. Fold and secure pleats according to markings.
- Overlock the lower edge of the front lining. Place the front lining with the center front piece, insert the collar between them and stitch the neckline. Clip allowances at curves, turn lining to the wrong side, secure along edges with the main piece and continue to treat as one piece.
- Overlap the right center front piece onto the left and secure along the princess seams. Stitch front princess seams, press allowances towards the side seam and overlock.
- Overlock the outer edge of the back neckline facings. Place the facing with the neckline right sides together. Without reaching 5 mm from the edges of the invisible fastener, fold back the facing and pin to the upper edge of the dress. On the right side of the dress, fold back the allowances along the zipper and pin to the neckline edge over the facing. Stitch the back neckline edge, starting and ending the stitching exactly at the marked shoulder seam line. Clip allowances at curves. Turn facing to the wrong side, straighten and press. Fold under the center edge of the facing and attach to the zipper tape.
- Stitch shoulder seams, inserting the front piece between the back and back facing. Press allowances, overlock. Turn facing to the wrong side.
- Stitch side seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Stitch sleeve seam. Press allowances and overlock. Set sleeves into armholes, aligning notches and easing at the cap. Press allowances and overlock.
- Fold cuff in half lengthwise right sides together and stitch ends from fold to mark. Trim allowances at corner, clip at mark. Form cuff into a loop and stitch sections from mark to edge. Turn cuff to the right side, straighten, press. Insert cuff into sleeve, align cuff seam with mark and attach to the lower edge. Overlock allowances. Turn cuff to the right side.
- Overlock the hem allowance of the dress bottom, press to the wrong side and hem with blind stitches. Attach the slit allowance to the hem. Tip: The dress can also be worn with a belt.
