A-line Dress with Cap Sleeves and Pleated Bodice

Name: A-line Dress with Cap Sleeves and Pleated Bodice
Brand: Minerva Patterns
SKU: 4832
Price: 5.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Pattern #4832

A women's knee-length dress for low-stretch knit fabric, with a fitted bodice, a wide front waist insert and a flared panelled skirt. The shoulders extend into short cut-on cap sleeves, and the front bodice has small pleats under the bust. Drafted to your own measurements. Recommended fabric: low-stretch knit fabrics from natural or blended fibres.

Tech. Description

A-line Dress with Cap Sleeves and Pleated Bodice

When To Wear

In late spring and summer, on its own or with a light cardigan.
For daytime events and dinners, with heels or flat sandals.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Fitted to the waist, then flaring to the hem.

Length: About knee length.

Neckline: Wide round neckline finished with interfaced front and back facings.

Sleeves: Short cap sleeves cut in one with the bodice; armholes bound with a 4 cm bias strip folded in half and topstitched.

Front: Upper front cut on the fold with pleats under the bust, turned away from the centre; a separate wide insert at the waist; the skirt has a centre panel cut on the fold and two side panels joined by shaped seams, with pleats on the side panels.

Closure: Invisible zip in the centre back seam.

Back: Upper back with darts, joined to the lower back at the waist; centre back seam from neckline to hem.

Finishing: Hem overlocked, turned up 2 cm and topstitched.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. An invisible zip, pleats and a waist insert that must line up across the front, shaped skirt seams and bias-bound armholes.

Fabric Recommendations

Low-stretch knit fabrics from natural or blended fibres.

Additional Supplies

Invisible zip
Fusible interfacing (neckline facings)
Bias binding, or bias strips cut from the main fabric

Cutter's Must

If the patterns have a double contour, seam allowances are included. If the contour is single, seam allowances are not included. Seam allowances: all seams 1 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 (don't forget to account for paired and symmetrical pieces).

From main fabric:
- Upper back – 2 pieces
- Lower back - 2 pieces
- Lower center front – 1 piece on fold
- Lower side front – 2 pieces
- Upper front – 1 piece on fold
- Front insert – 1 piece
- Back neckline facing - 2 pieces
- Front neckline facing - 1 piece
From fusible interfacing:
- Back neckline facing - 2 pieces
- Front neckline facing - 1 piece

Sewing Instructions

When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!

Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces.
Stitch darts on the upper back pieces, press allowances towards the center of the pieces.
Stitch the upper and lower back pieces together, press allowances upwards and serge.
Serge the center back seam separately on each piece. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark to the bottom, press allowances open. Insert the zipper.
Form and secure pleats on the upper front piece and on the lower side front piece. Pleat depths are directed away from the center. Stitch the shaped seam of the lower front piece, press allowances towards the center, serge.
Attach the front insert to the upper front piece, press allowances upwards and serge. Attach the lower front piece to the front insert, press allowances upwards and serge.
Stitch side and shoulder seams, press allowances towards the back and serge.
Stitch shoulder seams of neckline facings, press allowances open. Serge the outer edge. Place facing and garment right sides together and stitch the neckline edge. Turn facing to the wrong side, straighten, press. Secure facing to the main garment at shoulder seams and center back seam.
Cut (if not ready-made) a bias binding 4 cm wide and length equal to the armhole length + 5cm. Fold the bias binding in half lengthwise, right side out, and press. Place the binding along the armhole edge on the right side and stitch. Clip allowances. Fold the binding to the wrong side and topstitch along the fold to the main piece. Press the seam.
Serge the bottom edge of the dress, press to the wrong side and topstitch.