Structured Waist Sheath Dress
A fitted, knee-length women's sheath dress with a square neckline framed by princess-seamed upper front panels, cut-on cap sleeves and a separate waistband crossed by a folded trim. Invisible zip and a vent at the centre back.
When To Wear
- At the office and business meetings, on its own or under a jacket.
- For daytime events and dinners in spring, summer and early autumn.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted sheath, shaped with darts on the back and the lower front.
Length: Knee length.
Neckline: Square at the centre front: the central upper front panel has a hemmed upper edge and sits between two side panels joined to it by princess seams. The side panels and the back neckline are finished with facings.
Sleeves: Cap sleeves cut in one with the bodice; armholes bound with a 4 cm bias strip folded in half.
Waist: Separate waistband on the front and back. On the front, two trim pieces folded in half lengthwise cross right over left along the waistband seam.
Closure: Invisible zip in the centre back seam.
Back: Centre back seam through the upper back, waistband and lower back, ending in a vent at the hem.
Finishing: Hem turned up 3 cm and sewn by hand with blind stitches.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Princess seams caught together with the facing, a crossed trim, an invisible zip, a lapped back vent and bias-bound armholes.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics made from natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Invisible zip
- Fusible interfacing (neckline facings, vent)
- Bias binding, 4 cm wide, or fabric to cut it
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. Hem allowance for the lower edges of the back and front pieces – 3.0 cm. Vent allowance – 6 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 pieces). When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches – they must match!
- From main fabric:
- Upper Back – 2 pieces
- Back Waistband – 2 pieces
- Lower Back – 2 pieces
- Lower Front – 1 piece on fold
- Front Waistband – 1 piece
- Side Upper Front – 2 pieces
- Center Upper Front – 1 piece on fold
- Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Trimming – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Back Neckline Facings and the Front Neckline Facings.
- Stitch the darts on the back pieces and the Lower Front, press the dart depths towards the centre.
- Stitch the Back Waistband to the Upper Back, press the seam allowances towards the waistband and overlock. Stitch the Lower Back to the Back Waistband, press the seam allowances towards the waistband and overlock.
- Overlock the centre back edge of each piece separately. On the left Lower Back, trim 5 cm off along the vertical edge of the vent extension. On both Lower Back pieces, fuse interfacing to the vent extension on the wrong side. On the right side, mark the centre back seam line (the vent fold line). Press the left piece along the vent fold line; on the right piece, press only the vent seam allowance (6 cm) to the wrong side. Align the pieces along the centre back seam and tack them together along the top edge of the vent. Overlock the vent allowances. Stitch the centre back seam from the zip mark down to the vent corner. Clip the seam allowance at the vent corner on the right piece. Press the centre back seam allowances open, press the vent allowances and secure them with machine stitching. Insert the invisible zip.
- Stitch the Front Waistband to the Lower Front, press the seam allowances towards the waistband and overlock.
- Overlock the upper edge of the Center Upper Front, press it to the wrong side and slip-stitch by hand. Overlock the free edge of the Front Neckline Facings. Stitch the front princess seams, inserting the Center Upper Front between the Side Upper Front and the Front Neckline Facing; press the seam allowances away from the centre and overlock. Turn the facing to the inside, ease out the edges and secure it.
- Press each Front Trimming piece in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Place the right piece over the left and tack them together. Place the trimming on the upper front and tack it along the edges. Stitch the Front Waistband to the upper front, press the seam allowances towards the waistband and overlock.
- Stitch the side seams, press the seam allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Overlock the lower edge of the Back Neckline Facings. Place the Back Neckline Facing on the Upper Back, right sides together, and stitch along the neckline exactly up to the marked shoulder seam line. Clip the seam allowances.
- Stitch the shoulder seams, placing the front shoulder edges between the Back Neckline Facing and the Upper Back. Press the seam allowances towards the back and overlock. Turn right side out and press. Stitch the centre back allowances of the facing to the zip tape.
- Cut (if not ready-made) a bias strip 4 cm wide and as long as the armhole + 5 cm. Fold it in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press. Place the binding on the right side of the armhole, raw edges matching, and stitch. Clip the seam allowances. Fold the binding to the wrong side and topstitch it to the dress close to the folded edge. Press the seam.
- Overlock the lower edge of the dress, press it to the wrong side and slip-stitch by hand.
