Drawstring Waist Roll-Tab Shirt Dress
A women's knee-length shirt dress with a collar on a stand, a separate button placket from neck to hem, a drawstring waist casing and sleeves with buttoned roll-up tabs. Two chest pockets with button flaps and two large lower patch pockets.
When To Wear
- In spring and summer for everyday wear and travel, with sandals or flat shoes.
- At a casual office, with the sleeves rolled down or buttoned up.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Straight, gathered at the waist by a drawstring; bust darts on the front.
Length: Knee length, hem 3.5 cm turned and topstitched.
Collar: Shirt collar on a stand, topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge.
Sleeves: Set-in sleeves with a tab sewn to the inside; the tab buttons onto the sleeve to hold it rolled up.
Closure: Separate topstitched plackets, buttonholes on the right, buttons on the left.
Pockets: Chest patch pockets under flaps topstitched 0.5 cm, each flap with a button; lower patch pockets with curved openings bound in bias.
Back: Back yoke topstitched 0.5 cm from the seam; back cut on the fold.
Waist: A casing band topstitched over the waist, with buttonholes at the front for the tie; the tie is about waist measurement plus 50 cm long and 4 cm wide before folding.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A two-piece collar and stand, separate plackets, flapped and bound patch pockets, sleeve tabs and a drawstring casing.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (plackets, collar, collar stand, flaps)
- 15 buttons
- Bias binding, 4 cm wide (or cut from the fabric)
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: Hem allowance – 3.5 cm, upper edge allowance of the upper pocket – 2 cm, other seams – 1 cm. Attention! First, print out the paper patterns and lay them out on the fabric width (fabric width can be from 90 cm to 150 cm) to determine how much material you will need (do not forget to account for paired and symmetrical details). When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- From main fabric:
- Back yoke - 1 piece
- Back - 1 piece on fold
- Front - 2 pieces
- Placket – 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Collar stand – 2 pieces
- Sleeve placket – 2 pieces
- Upper pocket – 2 pieces
- Lower pocket – 2 pieces
- Flap – 2 pieces
- Belt – 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing:
- Placket – 2 pieces
- Collar – 1 piece
- Collar stand – 1 piece
- Flap – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the inner collar stand, collar, flaps, and plackets.
- Attach the yoke to the back, overlock the allowances and press them upwards. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Mark and stitch the bust darts on the front, press the dart depths upwards.
- Overlock the upper allowance of the upper pockets, press to the wrong side and topstitch. Press the side and lower allowances of the pockets to the wrong side. Place the pockets on the front according to the markings and topstitch.
- Place the flap pieces right sides together and stitch around. Clip the allowances at the curves and turn right side out. Straighten the seams and press. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the edge. Overlock the raw edge of the flaps. Attach the flaps to the front above the upper pockets, turn down and topstitch.
- Cut (if not ready-made) a bias binding 4 cm wide and a length equal to the lower pocket opening length + 5 cm. Fold the bias binding in half lengthwise, right side out, and press. Place the binding with the lower pocket opening edge on the right side and stitch. Clip the allowances. Fold the binding to the wrong side and topstitch along the fold to the main piece. Press the seam. Press the side and lower allowances of the pocket to the wrong side. Place the lower pocket on the front according to the markings and topstitch.
- Stitch the side and shoulder seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Make buttonholes on the belt. Press longitudinal allowances to the wrong side, place the belt on the dress according to the markings and topstitch.
- Attach the outer edge of the placket to the front, press allowances towards the placket. Turn the inner edge of the placket inwards and topstitch into the seam of the outer placket attachment.
- Place the upper collar with the lower collar right sides together. Stitch the ends and outer edge of the collar. Trim the seams. Turn the collar right side out, straighten and press. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the edge. Place the collar stand pieces right sides together, insert the finished collar between them, align the notches and stitch, simultaneously stitching the ends of the collar stand. Start and end the stitching strictly at the marked line of the collar stand attachment seam. Turn the finished collar right side out and press. Attach the upper collar stand with the collar to the neckline, turn under the open edge of the lower collar stand and topstitch into the seam of the upper collar stand attachment.
- Fold the sleeve placket right side in and stitch along the long side and one short side. Trim allowances, turn right side out and press. Attach the placket to the inner of the sleeve according to the markings.
- Stitch the sleeve seam, press allowances towards the back and overlock. Set the sleeve into the armhole, press allowances and overlock.
- Overlock the hem of the garment and sleeve hem, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Topstitch along the placket. Make buttonholes on the right placket and sleeve plackets. Sew buttons on the left placket, flaps, and sleeves.
- Cut a tie of the desired length (approximately, waist circumference + 50 cm) and 4 cm wide. Press the tie in half lengthwise, right side out. Then unfold and press the longitudinal raw edges to the marked center line. Fold the short allowances inwards and stitch the tie along 0.1 cm from the edge. Thread the tie through the casing.
