Gathered Tie Neck Maxi Dress with Side Slits
Introducing a women's sewing pattern for a relaxed-fit maxi dress featuring a distinctive gathered tie neckline, long sleeves, and practical side slits.
When To Wear
This versatile maxi dress pattern offers comfort and style, making it suitable for a variety of occasions:
- Casual & Everyday Wear: Perfect for comfortable yet chic daily outings.
- Vacation & Resort Style: Ideal for relaxed holidays, offering breathable and flowing comfort.
- Transitional Layering: Easily adaptable for different seasons by layering with outerwear or scarves.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: a relaxed, flowing maxi silhouette with a gentle a-line shape, extending to ankle length.
Neckline: a round neckline featuring delicate gathering at the front and back, creating subtle fullness.
Closure: a functional tie closure at the center front neckline, allowing for adjustable styling.
Sleeves: Long, set-in sleeves with a comfortable, straight cut, finishing at the wrist.
Back: a clean back panel with a central seam and matching gentle gathering at the neckline.
Hem: Maxi length hemline finished with elegant side slits for ease of movement and modern flair.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. This pattern requires skills in gathering, precise bias binding application for the neckline and ties, and neat finishing of side slits.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose light dress fabrics that have some structure and hold their shape well, ensuring a beautiful drape for the gathered details:
- Cotton lawn
- Linen blends
- Chambray
- Poplin
- Light sateen
Additional Supplies
No additional notions are required.
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Front - 2 qty
- Back - 2 qty
- Sleeve - 2 qty
- Additionally: bias binding for finishing the neckline edges and ties, 3 cm wide each, including seam allowances.
Sewing Instructions
- Stitch the center seam of the front below the slit mark and the center seam of the back. Press seam allowances open.
- Stitch the side seams and sleeve seams, leaving the slits open at the bottom.
- Stitch the shoulder seams.
- Finish the edges of the front slit with a dense narrow zigzag stitch: press the seam allowance along the edge to the wrong side, from the right side stitch a dense narrow zigzag stitch along the fold, slightly stretching the fold, then carefully trim the excess seam allowance close to the stitch from the wrong side of the slit.
- Bind the neckline edge - trim the seam allowance along the neckline edge.
- Gather the front and back halves between the notches. To gather, stitch 2 rows of machine basting stitches with a long stitch length along the neckline edge at 0.5 and 1 cm from the edge.
- Fold the seam allowances along the longitudinal edges of the bias binding to the wrong side by 7 mm each and press. Fold the bias binding in half lengthwise and press.
- Insert the neckline edge between the halves of the bias binding, aligning the edge with the fold of the bias binding, leaving the ends of the bias binding extending beyond the edges of the front slit by an equal length for the ties, pin and baste with diagonal stitches. Topstitch the bias binding close to the edge, catching the inner half of the bias binding. Remove any visible gathering threads.
- Stitch the longitudinal edges of the tie halves. Tie a knot at the ends of the ties.
- Set in the sleeves.
- Press the hem seam allowances of the dress and sleeves and the seam allowances along the edges of the dress and sleeve slits to the wrong side and topstitch at 1 cm.
