Boat Neck Asymmetrical Waist Pleated Dress
A women's knee-length dress with a darted bodice, a wide waistband laid diagonally over the waist seam front and back, pleats in the front skirt, long set-in sleeves and in-seam side pockets.
When To Wear
- Office and daytime wear in autumn, winter and spring.
- Dinners and family occasions, with heeled shoes.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted bodice with a flared skirt.
Length: About knee length.
Neckline: Wide boat neckline, finished with an interfaced facing.
Sleeves: Long, straight, set-in.
Front: Upper front cut on the fold, with waist darts and bust darts; lower front with pleats turned away from the centre.
Waist: A separate band, faced with lining fabric, is laid over the waist seam and held in the side and centre back seams; it runs at an angle, lower on one side than the other, on both front and back.
Pockets: In-seam pockets in the side seams, with pocket bags in lining fabric.
Closure: Concealed zipper in the centre back seam.
Back: Upper back with darts, lower back with a centre back seam.
Finishing: Hems of the dress and sleeves turned up 2 cm and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Darts, pleats, a faced waistband matched across the side and centre back seams, in-seam pockets, a concealed zipper and a neckline facing.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric (waistband facings, pocket bags)
- Fusible interfacing (neckline facings)
- Concealed zipper
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Upper back – 2 pieces
- Lower back - 2 pieces
- Upper front – 1 piece on fold
- Lower front - 1 piece
- Left back waistband - 1 piece
- Right back waistband - 1 piece
- Front waistband - 1 piece
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing - 2 pieces
- Front neckline facing - 1 piece
- From lining fabric:
- Left back waistband - 1 piece
- Right back waistband - 1 piece
- Front waistband - 1 piece
- Pocket bag – 4 pieces
- 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! Attention! Markings on patterns are made on the right side!
- Interface the pieces with fusible interfacing.
- Fold the waistband piece with the lining fabric, right sides together, and stitch along the upper and lower edges. Clip the seam allowances, turn the waistband right side out, straighten, and press.
- Stitch the darts on the upper back pieces, press the dart allowances towards the center. Stitch the upper and lower back pieces, press the seam allowances upwards and serge. Place the back waistband on the back and secure along the side and center edges.
- Stitch the darts on the upper front pieces, press the waist dart allowances towards the center, and bust darts upwards.
- On the lower front piece, create and secure the pleats (depths directed away from the center). Stitch the upper and lower front pieces, press the seam allowances upwards and serge. Place the front waistband on the front and secure along the side seams.
- Serge the center back edges separately. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper mark to the bottom, press the seam allowances open. Insert the zipper.
- Attach the pocket bag pieces to the lower back and front pieces, serge the seam allowances and press towards the pocket bag. Stitch the side seams, simultaneously stitching the pocket bags. Serge the seam allowances and press towards the front piece.
- Stitch the shoulder seams, press the seam allowances towards the back and serge.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the neckline facings, press the seam 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, and press. Secure the facing to the main garment at the shoulder seams and the center back seam.
- Stitch the sleeve seam, press and serge the seam allowances. Set the sleeves into the armholes, matching notches, press and serge the seam allowances.
- Serge the bottom edge of the garment and the sleeve, press to the wrong side and topstitch.
