Tailored Sheath Dress with Front Details
A women's knee-length sheath dress with a waist seam, short raglan sleeves with cuffs and an inverted-V centre panel on the bodice. Buttoned shoulder yokes and buttoned hip flaps decorate the front; a belt with a buckle is worn in belt loops.
When To Wear
- At the office in spring and summer, on its own or under a jacket.
- For daytime meetings and events, with court shoes.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted sheath, shaped by darts on the bodice and skirt and a seam at the waist.
Length: To the knee.
Neckline: Round neck finished with interfaced facings.
Sleeves: Short raglan sleeves cut in front and back halves with a seam over the shoulder, finished with a folded cuff. The lower armhole is bound with bias binding.
Front: Upper front with a centre panel pointing down to the waist and two side panels. Lined shoulder yokes topstitched 0.7 cm, each with a buttonhole and button.
Pockets: No pockets; lined flaps topstitched 0.7 cm, each with a buttonhole and button, are caught into the side seams at the hip.
Back: Centre back seam with a concealed zip from the neck and a vent at the hem; darts above and below the waist seam.
Waist: Belt topstitched 0.7 cm with a 6 cm buckle, held by two belt loops at the side seams.
Finishing: Hem turned up 3 cm and sewn by hand with blind stitches.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Concealed zip with a faced neckline, a back vent, raglan sleeves with a bound lower armhole and lined flaps and yokes.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics in natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (cuffs, flaps, neck facings, vent)
- Concealed zip
- 4 buttons
- Decorative buckle, 6 cm wide
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Upper back – 2 pieces
- Lower back – 2 pieces
- Center upper front – 1 piece
- Side upper front – 2 pieces
- Lower front – 1 piece
- Yoke — 4 pieces
- Front sleeve – 2 pieces
- Back sleeve – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Flap – 4 pieces
- Back neckline facing — 2 pieces
- Front neckline facing – 1 piece
- Belt loop – 1 piece
- Belt – 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing:
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Flap – 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing — 2 pieces
- Front neckline facing – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces.
- Stitch darts on the upper and lower back PANELs. Press darts towards the center seam. Stitch the upper and lower back PANELs together, press seam allowances downwards and serge.
- On both back pieces, fuse the vent from the wrong side. Serge the center edge of the back separately on each piece, serging the vent simultaneously. Stitch the center edge of the back from the zipper mark to the bottom, including the vent. Clip the corner of the vent seam allowance on the right side. Press open the center seam seam allowances, pressing the zipper opening and vent. Topstitch the vent seam allowances onto the lower back according to the technical drawing. Insert the zipper.
- Stitch darts on the front, press depths upwards. Attach the side front to the center front, press seam allowances towards the side edge and serge. Stitch the upper and lower front PANELs together, press seam allowances downwards and serge.
- Place yoke pieces right sides together and stitch the outer edge. Clip seam allowances at curves, turn the yoke right side out, and press. Topstitch at 0.7 cm. Serge the buttonhole according to markings. Place yokes on the front and secure along the neckline and armhole edges.
- Stitch the upper sleeve edge, press seam allowances towards the back and serge. Press the cuff in half lengthwise, right side out. Attach the cuff to the wrong side of the sleeve, press seam allowances and serge. Fold the cuff to the right side, and press.
- Attach the back sleeve to the back. Clip seam allowances at the mark, serge the upper and press towards the sleeve. Attach the front sleeve to the front. Clip seam allowances at the mark, serge the upper and press towards the sleeve.
- Place flap pieces right sides together and stitch the outer edge. Clip seam allowances at curves, trim corners, turn the flap right side out, and press. Topstitch at 0.7 cm. Serge the buttonhole according to markings. Place the flap on the front and secure along the side edge. Stitch the side edges, press seam allowances towards the back and serge.
- Cut a bias binding 4 cm wide and a length equal to the lower armhole length + 6 cm. Fold the bias binding in half lengthwise, right side out, and press. Place the binding along the armhole edge on the right side, extending the ends, and stitch. Fold the binding to the wrong side, clip the seams, and topstitch along the fold to the main piece. Press the seam.
- Stitch the shoulder edges of the FACINGs. Press seam allowances open and serge. Serge the outer edge of the FACINGs. Place the dress with the facing right sides together, aligning the neckline edges. Stopping 5 mm before the edges of the concealed fastener, fold back the facing and pin it to the upper edge of the dress. On the right side of the dress, fold back the seam allowances along the zipper and pin them to the neckline edge over the facing. Stitch the neckline edge. Clip the seam at curves, turn the pieces out and press. Topstitch the seam allowances to the facing. Secure the facing to the zipper tape.
- Serge the bottom edge of the dress, fold to the wrong side and hem with blind stitches.
- Serge one long edge of the belt loop. Fold the belt loop in 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.
- Fold the belt in half lengthwise, right side in, and stitch along the long and short sides. Turn the belt right side out, and press. Serge the short side. Topstitch around the perimeter at 0.7 cm. Insert and secure the buckle.
- Sew on buttons to match the buttonholes.
