Wrap V-Neck Dress
A sleeveless women's midi dress with a crossover V-neck bodice, a separate waistband and a flared skirt with princess seams. Vertical welt pockets sit in the front skirt seams; a concealed zipper closes the centre back.
When To Wear
- At the office in spring and summer, alone or under a cardigan or jacket.
- For daytime events and dinners where a knee-covering dress is expected.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted bodice and waist, skirt flaring from the waistband.
Length: Midi, below the knee.
Neckline: Deep V formed by the right and left upper fronts crossing over each other; each front neckline is finished with its own facing. Round neckline at the back.
Sleeves: Sleeveless, with the shoulder line extended over the top of the arm; armholes bound with a 4 cm bias strip folded in half.
Front: Upper fronts with darts and princess seams, a front waistband and a lower front made of a centre panel cut on the fold and two side panels.
Pockets: Vertical welt pockets in the lower front princess seams, the short ends of the welts stitched down to the side panel.
Back: Upper back with darts, back waistband, lower back with a pleat turned towards the centre, and a centre back seam.
Closure: Concealed zipper in the centre back seam.
Finishing: Back neckline facing; hem turned up 2 cm and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Crossover bodice fronts set between the facings, welt pockets inserted in a princess seam, a concealed zipper and bias-bound armholes.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (welts, neckline facings)
- Concealed zipper
- Bias binding for the armholes, 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: all seams 1 cm; hem allowance for the dress bottom — 2 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 parts). When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match! Attention! Markings on the patterns are made on the right side.
- 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 center 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
- Front waistband – 1 piece
- Back waistband – 2 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
- Interface the pieces with fusible interfacing.
- Stitch darts on the upper back, press seam allowances towards the center. Attach the back waistband. Overlock the seam allowance and press it downwards. On the lower back, create and secure a pleat. Direct the depth towards the center. Stitch the upper and lower back parts, press seam allowances towards the waistband and overlock.
- Overlock the center back seam separately on each piece. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark to the bottom, press seam allowances open. Insert the concealed zipper.
- Stitch darts on the upper front parts, press seam allowances upwards. Stitch the princess seams of the front, press seam 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 seam allowances, turn the facing to the wrong side, press.
- Overlock the outer edge of the right front neckline facing. Place the right upper front with the left upper front, 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 seam allowances, turn the facing to the wrong side, press. Attach the front waistband to the upper. Overlock the seam allowance and press it towards the waistband.
- Fold the welt pocket flap piece in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch the short sides. Trim seam allowances at the corners, turn the flap to the right side, shape, press. Attach the pocket bag to the flap.
- On the right side of the lower side front, place one pocket bag. On the lower center front, place the pocket bag with the attached flap, right side down, aligning with the notches. Stitch the pocket bag to the seam allowance of the pocket opening. 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 seam allowances towards the center and overlock. Topstitch the short sides of the welt pocket flap to the side. Attach the lower front to the front waistband. Overlock the seam allowance and press it towards the waistband.
- 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 seam allowances at the curve.
- Stitch the shoulder seams, placing the front shoulder seam between the back shoulder seam and the facing. Press seam allowances towards the back, overlock. Turn the pieces to the right side, press.
- Stitch the side seams, press seam 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 sides together, and stitch. Clip seam 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.
