Drawstring Dolman Shirtdress
A women's button-through shirtdress with cut-on short sleeves, front and back yokes, a gathered neckline on a drawstring and an elasticated waist. Pockets set into the front yoke seams and two patch pockets on the skirt.
When To Wear
- In summer, on its own with sandals or flat shoes.
- On cooler days with a denim jacket or cardigan over it.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Loose bodice gathered into an elasticated waist, with a slightly flared skirt.
Length: Knee length, with a hem curving up towards the side seams.
Neckline: Wide round neckline with a casing formed by the facing; a decorative cord comes out through two buttonholes at the front and ties in a bow.
Sleeves: Short cut-on sleeves finished with a folded cuff turned up to the right side.
Front: Separate button plackets on both fronts, interfaced, with nine buttons from neckline to hem.
Pockets: Upper pockets with the opening in the front yoke seam and the pocket bags topstitched to the front; lower patch pockets with a rounded side edge and a turned and topstitched opening.
Back: Back yoke and a back cut on the fold, with no centre back seam.
Waist: A separate casing stitched to the inside along marked lines, with elastic held at each end by vertical stitching.
Finishing: Seams overlocked; hem turned up and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Pockets set into a yoke seam, button plackets, a drawstring neckline casing and an applied elastic casing.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (plackets, cuffs)
- 9 buttons
- Elastic for the waist
- Decorative cord for the neckline
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 bottom edge of the garment – 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 (don't forget to account for paired and symmetrical pieces). When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- From main fabric:
- Back Yoke – 1 piece
- Back – 1 piece on fold
- Front Yoke – 2 pieces
- Front – 2 pieces
- Placket – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Upper Pocket – 4 pieces
- Smaller Pocket Bag (lower patch pocket) – 2 pieces
- Casing – 1 piece
- Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing:
- Placket – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Placket and Cuff pieces.
- Stitch the Back Yoke to the Back, press the seam allowances towards the yoke and overlock.
- Overlock the side and bottom edges of the Upper Pocket pieces. Stitch one Upper Pocket piece to the Front Yoke, right sides together, and press the seam allowances towards the yoke. Stitch the second Upper Pocket piece to the Front, right sides together. Clip the seam allowances at the pocket marks. Stitch the Front Yoke to the Front from the centre front edge to the first pocket mark and from the second mark to the armhole, press the seam allowances towards the yoke and overlock. Topstitch the pocket bags to the Front from the wrong side.
- Overlock the opening edge of the Smaller Pocket Bag (lower pocket), press it to the wrong side and topstitch. Press the remaining pocket seam allowances to the wrong side. Place the lower pocket on the Front at the markings and topstitch.
- Stitch the side and shoulder seams, press the seam allowances towards the Back and overlock.
- Make the buttonholes for the decorative cord near the top edge of the Front. Place the Neckline Facing and the dress right sides together and stitch along the neckline edge. Clip the seam allowances and turn the facing to the wrong side. Press under the lower edge of the facing and topstitch, forming the neckline casing.
- Press the inner edge of the Placket to the wrong side. Place the Placket and the Front right sides together and stitch along the front edge and the top corner. Turn the Placket to the wrong side and topstitch it to the Front along the inner edge.
- Press the seam allowances of the Casing to the wrong side all round. Place the Casing on the wrong side of the dress and stitch along the marked lines. Thread the elastic through the Casing and secure it with vertical stitching at each end of the Casing.
- Stitch each Cuff into a ring, press the seam allowances open. Fold the Cuff in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Stitch the Cuff to the sleeve edge from the wrong side and overlock the seam allowances. Turn the Cuff up to the right side.
- Overlock the hem of the dress, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Make buttonholes on the right Placket and sew buttons on the left. Thread the decorative cord through the neckline casing.
