Wrap Front Dress
A women's sleeveless midi dress with a mock-wrap bodice, a waist seam, a flared skirt with princess seams and pockets with welt flaps set into the front seams. Concealed zip at the centre back.
When To Wear
- Office days in spring and summer, with a cardigan or jacket over the shoulders.
- Daytime events and dinners, with heeled sandals or court shoes.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted bodice with a waist seam and a flared skirt.
Length: Midi, below the knee.
Neckline: Deep V formed by the right front crossing over the left; both edges faced and topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge. The overlap is stitched into the seam, so the front does not open.
Sleeves: Sleeveless with extended shoulders; armholes bound with a 4 cm bias strip.
Front: Upper fronts shaped with darts and joined to side fronts by princess seams; lower front in a centre panel cut on the fold and two side panels.
Pockets: In the lower front princess seams, with welt flaps topstitched at their short ends.
Back: Darts on the upper and lower back, a waist seam and a concealed zip in the centre back seam; back neckline faced and topstitched 0.5 cm.
Finishing: Seam allowances overlocked; 1.5 cm hem.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A layered crossover bodice with facings, pockets with welt flaps in princess seams and a concealed zip.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (welt flaps, neckline facings)
- Concealed zip
- Bias binding for the armholes (or cut from the main 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: all seams 1 cm; hem allowance for the dress bottom — 1.5 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 details).
- From main fabric:
- Upper back - 2 pieces
- Lower back – 2 pieces
- Upper right front - 1 piece
- Upper left front - 1 piece
- Upper side front - 2 pieces
- Lower central front - 1 piece on fold
- Lower side front - 2 pieces
- Welt pocket flap — 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing — 2 pieces
- Right front neckline facing — 1 piece
- Left front neckline facing — 1 piece
- Pocket bag — 4 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Welt pocket flap — 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing — 2 pieces
- Right front neckline facing — 1 piece
- Left front neckline facing — 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match! Markings on patterns are made on the right side!
- Fuse interfacing to the designated pieces.
- Stitch darts on the upper and lower back parts, press allowances towards the center. Stitch the upper and lower back parts, press allowances upwards and overlock.
- Overlock the center back seam allowance separately on each piece. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark to the bottom, press allowances open. Insert the concealed zipper.
- Stitch darts on the upper front parts, press allowances upwards. Stitch the princess seams of the front, press allowances towards the center and overlock.
- Overlock the outer edge of the left front neckline facing. Place the facing on the left upper front, right sides together, and stitch the neckline edge. Clip allowances, turn the facing to the wrong side, press. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the edge.
- Overlock the outer edge of the right front neckline facing. Place the right upper front with the left upper, right sides together. Place the neckline facing on the right upper front, right sides together (the left front is positioned between the main piece and the facing) and stitch the neckline edge, continuing the seam down to the lower edge. Overlock allowances, turn the facing to the wrong side, press. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the edge.
- Fold the welt pocket flap piece in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch the short sides. Trim allowances at corners, turn the flap to the right side, shape, press. Attach the pocket bag to the welt pocket flap.
- On the right side of the lower side front, place the pocket bag. On the lower central front, place the pocket bag with the attached welt pocket flap, right side down, aligning with the notches. Stitch the pocket bag to the pocket opening allowance. Fold back the seam of the side front and topstitch it to the pocket lining.
- Stitch the princess seams of the lower front simultaneously with the pocket bag. Press allowances towards the center and overlock. Topstitch the short sides of the welt pocket flap to the side.
- Overlock the outer edge of the back neckline facing. Place the back neckline facing on the main piece, right sides together, and stitch the neckline edge exactly up to the marked shoulder seam line. Clip allowances at the curve.
- Stitch the shoulder seams, placing the front shoulder seam between the back shoulder seam and the facing. Press allowances towards the back, overlock. Turn pieces to the right side, press. Topstitch 0.5 cm along the edge of the back neckline.
- Stitch the side seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Cut (if not ready-made) a bias binding 4 cm wide and a length equal to the armhole length + 5 cm. Fold the bias binding in half lengthwise, right side out, and press. Place the binding on the armhole edge, right side out, and stitch. Clip allowances. Fold the binding to the wrong side and topstitch along the fold to the main piece. Press the seam.
- Overlock the hem allowance of the garment, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
