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

A women's knee-length dress for low-stretch knit fabric, with a fitted bodice, a wide front waist inset and a flared panelled skirt. The shoulders extend into short cut-on cap sleeves, and the front bodice has small pleats under the bust.

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 inset 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 inset 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 Inset – 1 piece
Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
Front Neckline Facing – 1 piece
Bias strip for the armholes – 2 strips, 4 cm wide, each the armhole length + 5 cm (if no ready-made bias binding is used)

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 Front Neckline Facing and Back Neckline Facing pieces.
Stitch the darts on the Upper Back pieces, press the dart depths towards the centre of the pieces.
Stitch the Upper Back and Lower Back pieces together, press the allowances upwards and serge.
Serge the centre back edge separately on each piece. Stitch the centre back seam from the zipper mark to the hem, press the allowances open. Insert the invisible zip.
Form and secure the pleats on the Upper Front and on the Lower Side Front pieces. The pleat depths are turned away from the centre. Stitch the shaped seams joining the Lower Side Front pieces to the Lower Center Front, press the allowances towards the centre, serge.
Attach the Front Inset to the Upper Front, press the allowances upwards and serge. Attach the lower front to the Front Inset, press the allowances upwards and serge.
Stitch the side and shoulder seams, press the allowances towards the back and serge.
Stitch the shoulder seams of the neckline facings, press the allowances open. Serge the outer edge. Place the facing on the garment right sides together and stitch the neckline edge. Turn the facing to the wrong side, straighten, press. Secure the facing to the garment at the shoulder seams and the centre back seam.
Cut (if no ready-made binding is used) a bias strip 4 cm wide and as long as the armhole length + 5 cm. Fold the bias strip in half lengthwise, right side out, and press. Place the strip on the armhole edge, right sides together, and stitch. Clip the allowances. Fold the strip to the wrong side and topstitch along the fold onto the main piece. Press the seam. Repeat for the second armhole.
Serge the bottom edge of the dress, press to the wrong side and topstitch.