Fitted Waisted Dress with Sleeves and Pockets
A women's fitted knee-length dress with a set-in waistband, princess seams on the bodice front, curved in-seam pockets in the skirt, two buttoned tabs on the front waistband and three-quarter set-in sleeves.
When To Wear
- Office and business meetings, with pumps and a jacket.
- Autumn and spring daytime events.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted bodice and straight, close-fitting skirt joined by a separate waistband.
Length: Knee length.
Neckline: Shaped neckline with a short centre front opening, finished with an interfaced facing.
Sleeves: Three-quarter length, set-in, with a 1.5 cm turned and topstitched hem.
Front: Upper front in four panels with princess seams; the waistband is one piece; the skirt has a centre front seam ending in a slit at the hem.
Waist: Two tabs with a shaped end lie on the front waistband, caught in the side seams and held by a button each.
Pockets: Curved pocket openings in the lower front, with pocket bags sewn to the side front pieces.
Back: Upper and lower back with darts, a separate back waistband and a centre back seam with a concealed zipper.
Finishing: Hem and front slit finished with an interfaced hem facing, slipstitched by hand.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Princess seams, in-seam pockets, a faced neckline opening, a faced hem and slit, a concealed zipper.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (neckline and hem facings)
- Concealed zipper
- 2 buttons
Cutter's Must
If the patterns have a double contour, seam allowances are included. If the contour is single, the patterns are without seam allowances. Seam allowances: all seams 1 cm. Sleeve hem allowance – 1.5 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).
From main fabric:
- Upper back – 2 pieces
- Back waistband - 2 pieces
- Lower back - 2 pieces
- Lower front – 2 pieces
- Front side – 2 pieces
- Front waistband - 1 piece
- Side upper front - 2 pieces
- Central upper front – 2 pieces
- Sleeve - 2 pieces
- Pocket bag - 2 pieces
- Strap - 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing - 2 pieces
- Front neckline facing - 2 pieces
- Back hem facing - 1 piece
- Front hem facing - 2 pieces
From fusible interfacing:
- Back neckline facing - 2 pieces
- Front neckline facing - 2 pieces
- Back hem facing - 1 piece
- Front hem facing - 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces.
- Stitch darts on the back pieces, press seam allowances towards the center.
- Attach the back waistband to the upper back, press seam allowances towards the waistband and overlock. Attach the lower back to the back waistband, press seam allowances towards the waistband and overlock.
- Overlock the center back seam separately on each piece. Stitch the center back seam from the notch for the zipper to the bottom, press seam allowances open. Insert the concealed zipper.
- Stitch the center seam of the lower front from the top to the mark, press seam allowances open and overlock.
- Place the pocket bag on the lower front right sides together and stitch the pocket opening. Turn the pocket bag to the wrong side, press. Place the lower front on the side and stitch the edges of the pocket bags, overlock seam allowances. Attach the front waistband to the lower front, press seam allowances towards the waistband and overlock.
- Stitch the princess seams of the front, press seam allowances towards the center and overlock. Stitch the center front seam from the mark to the bottom, press seam allowances open and overlock. Attach the front waistband to the upper front, press seam allowances towards the waistband and overlock.
- Fold the strap in half lengthwise right sides together and stitch the long side and the protrusion. Turn right side out, shape, press. Place the strap on the front waistband and secure along the side edges.
- Stitch the shoulder and side seams, press seam allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Stitch the center seam of the front neckline facing from the mark to the bottom, press seam allowances open. Stitch the shoulder seams of the facings, press seam allowances open. Overlock the outer edge. Place the facing on the garment right sides together and stitch the back neckline, front neckline, and front opening. Turn the facing to the wrong side, shape, press. Secure the facing to the main garment at the shoulder seams and center back seam.
- Stitch the sleeve seams, press seam allowances and overlock. Set the sleeves into the armholes, press seam allowances and overlock. Overlock the sleeve hem, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Stitch the center seam of the front hem facing from the top to the mark, press seam allowances open. Stitch the side seams of the hem facings, press seam allowances open. Overlock the outer edge. Place the facing on the garment right sides together and stitch the back hem, front hem, and front slit. Turn the facing to the wrong side, shape, press. Hand stitch the facing to the main garment with invisible stitches.
- Sew buttons onto the straps, securing them to the front waistband.
