Sleeveless Wrap Front Sheath Dress with Shoulder Yokes
A women's sleeveless, knee-length sheath dress with a waist seam. The bodice has a crossover front with lapels set into the front edges, princess seams, and shoulder yokes that extend past the shoulder line. Concealed zip and a vent at the centre back.
When To Wear
- At the office and for business meetings, with pumps and a jacket over it in cooler weather.
- For daytime and evening events in warm weather.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Close-fitting sheath, shaped by princess seams in the bodice and darts in the skirt and back.
Length: About knee length.
Collar: Two-layer interfaced lapels, stitched into the centre edges of the bodice fronts, form a crossover V-neck.
Sleeves: Sleeveless; armholes finished with interfaced facings.
Front: Right bodice front laps over the left. Centre bodice panels lined, side panels joined by princess seams. Shoulder yokes are longer than the bodice front and stand out at the shoulder. Lower front in one piece with darts.
Back: Waist seam, darts in the upper and lower back, centre back seam with a concealed zip and a vent at the hem.
Finishing: Neckline and yoke edge finished with an interfaced facing; hem turned up and sewn by hand with blind stitches.
Lining: Only the centre bodice panels are lined.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Lapels set between bodice and lining, princess seams, a concealed zip, a lapped back vent and facings.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics in natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric (centre bodice panels)
- Fusible interfacing (lapels, neckline and armhole facings, vent)
- Concealed zip
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; slit allowance – 6 cm; hem allowance – 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 parts). When stitching parts, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- From main fabric:
- Upper back - 2 pieces
- Lower back - 2 pieces
- Front yoke - 2 pieces
- Central upper front - 2 pieces
- Side upper front - 2 pieces
- Lower front - 1 piece
- Lapel - 4 pieces
- Neckline facing – 2 pieces
- Back armhole facing – 2 pieces
- Front armhole facing – 2 pieces
- From lining fabric:
- Central upper front - 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Lapel – 2 pieces
- Neckline facing – 2 pieces
- Back armhole facing – 2 pieces
- Front armhole facing – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Interface the pattern pieces with fusible interfacing.
- Stitch the darts on the upper and lower back parts, press the dart depths towards the center. Stitch the darts on the lower front, press the dart depths towards the center.
- Stitch the upper and lower back parts together, press seam allowances upwards and overlock.
- On the left lower back, trim 5 cm along the vertical edge of the slit. On both lower back parts, interface the slit from the wrong side. On the right side, mark the center seam line (slit fold line). Press the left along the slit fold line; on the right, press only the allowance of the right side of the slit (6 cm) to the wrong side. Align the parts along the center seam and secure at the upper edge of the slit. Overlock the center back edge separately on each. Overlock the slit allowances. Stitch the center back edge from the zipper mark to the slit corner. Clip the corner of the slit seam allowance on the right. Press open the center seam allowances, press the slit allowances and secure them on the right side with machine stitching. Insert the zipper.
- Fold the lapel pieces right sides together and stitch the outer edge. Turn the piece right side out, smooth, and press.
- Fold the central upper front with the lining, insert the lapel between them, and stitch the center edge. Turn the lining to the wrong side, smooth, and press. Secure the lining to the front along the edges and then treat as one piece. Secure the lapel to the front along the upper edge.
- Stitch the princess seams on the upper front pieces. Press seam allowances towards the center and overlock.
- Attach the yoke to the upper front (the yoke is longer than the front), press seam allowances upwards and overlock. Overlap the right front over the left and secure along the lower edge.
- Attach the lower front to the upper, press seam allowances upwards and overlock.
- Stitch the shoulder and side seams, press seam allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Overlock the outer edge of the neckline facing. Place the neckline facing with the garment right sides together and stitch the neckline and the yoke section up to the mark. Clip the allowances at curves, trim at corners. Turn the facing to the wrong side, smooth, and press. Secure to the shoulder seams and center back seam.
- Stitch the shoulder and side seams of the armhole facings, press allowances open, overlock the outer edge. Place the facing with the armhole right sides together and stitch. Clip the allowances at curves, turn the facing to the wrong side, smooth, and press. Secure to the shoulder and side seams.
- Overlock the hem allowance of the dress, press to the wrong side and hem with blind stitches.
