Fitted Dress with Lace Trim and Cuffs
A women's fitted knee-length dress with a waist seam, a wrap-effect bodice with princess seams and a V-neck, a lace panel along the right neckline and lace cuffs on the sleeves. The skirt front overlaps right over left, with a vent at the overlap.
When To Wear
- For the office with court shoes and a short jacket.
- For dinners, receptions and family celebrations.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted at the bust, waist and hips, with a seam at the waist.
Length: About knee length.
Neckline: V-neck formed by the right upper front lying over the left; both fronts are finished with interfaced facings, the back neck with a facing.
Front: Upper fronts with princess seams; a lace trim piece is laid over the right upper front along the neckline. The lower front is cut in two parts: the right part overlaps the left with a curved upper edge, and the overlap opens into a vent towards the hem.
Sleeves: Set-in sleeves with a single seam, finished with a lace cuff sewn into a ring and turned down over the sleeve end.
Back: Upper and lower back joined at the waist, both shaped with darts; centre back seam with a vent (6 cm allowance).
Closure: Invisible zipper in the centre back seam.
Finishing: Seams overlocked; 2 cm hem sewn by hand with blind stitches.
Level Of Difficulty
Advanced. Asymmetric fronts with an overlap and a front vent, a back vent with an invisible zipper above it, princess seams, and lace applied to the bodice and cuffs.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics from natural or blended fibres; lace fabric for the front trim and the cuffs.
Additional Supplies
- Lace fabric
- Invisible zipper
- Fusible interfacing (front facings, back neck facings, vents)
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; allowance along the back vent – 6 cm; allowance for dress hem – 2.0 cm. Attention! First of all, 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 consider paired and symmetrical parts).
From main fabric:
- Upper back - 2 pieces
- Lower back - 2 pieces
- Central upper front right - 1 piece
- Central upper front left - 1 piece
- Side upper front right - 1 piece
- Side upper front left - 1 piece
- Lower front right - 1 piece
- Lower front left - 1 piece
- Sleeve - 2 pieces
- Front facing right – 1 piece
- Front facing left – 1 piece
- Back neckline facing – 2 pieces
From lace fabric:
- Front trim – 1 piece
- Cuff – 2 pieces
From fusible interfacing:
- Front facing right – 1 piece
- Front facing left – 1 piece
- Back neckline facing – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match! Markings on the patterns are made on the right side!
- Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces.
- Stitch darts on the upper and lower back parts, press allowances towards the center.
- Attach the lower back to the upper back, press allowances upwards and overlock.
- On the left lower back, trim 5 cm along the vertical edge of the vent. On both lower back parts, fuse interfacing to the vent from the wrong side. On the right side, mark the center seam line (vent fold line). Press the left along the vent fold line, on the right, press only the allowance of the right side of the vent (6 cm) to the wrong side. Align the pieces along the center seam and secure at the upper edge of the vent. Overlock the center back seam separately on each piece. Overlock the vent allowances. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark to the vent corner. Clip the corner of the vent seam allowance on the right. Press the center seam allowances open, press the vent allowances and secure them on the right side with machine stitching. Insert the zipper.
- Place the front trim on the right upper and secure along the edges. Stitch the princess seams on the upper front pieces, press allowances towards the center and overlock.
- Overlock the outer edge of the left facing. Place the left upper front with the facing right sides together and stitch the neckline edge. Turn the piece to the right side, straighten, and press.
- Place the right upper front with the facing right sides together and stitch the neckline edge. Turn the piece to the right side, straighten, and press. Place the right upper over the left and attach the left upper front to the right facing. Press allowances, overlock.
- Fuse interfacing to the vent allowance on the right lower. Press the vent to the wrong side along the marked line. Fuse interfacing to the corner of the lower left front, carefully clip, stopping 0.1 cm before the corner. Overlock the vent allowance, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Attach the lower right front to the left, tapering the stitching to the corner. Press allowances upwards and overlock. Secure the vent allowances together at the top from the wrong side.
- Attach the lower front to the upper, press allowances upwards and overlock.
- Overlock the outer edge of the back neckline facing. Place the back neckline facing with the main piece and stitch the neckline edge. The stitching should start and end strictly at the marked shoulder seam line. Clip allowances at curves.
- Stitch shoulder seams, placing the front shoulder seam between the back shoulder seam and the facing. Press allowances and overlock. Turn the neckline facing to the wrong side, straighten, and press. Secure the center edges of the facing to the zipper tape.
- Stitch side seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Stitch the sleeve seam, press allowances towards the back and overlock. Set sleeves into armholes, matching notches. Press allowances and overlock.
- Stitch the cuff into a loop, press allowances open. Fold the cuff with the sleeve wrong sides together and attach. Overlock allowances, fold the cuff down, and press.
- Overlock the hem of the garment, press to the wrong side and hem with blind stitches.
