Diagonal Overlay Shift Dress

Name: Diagonal Overlay Shift Dress
Brand: Minerva Patterns
SKU: 5498
Price: 5.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Pattern #5498

A women's two-layer shift dress: a straight inner dress below the knee and an outer layer with a hem cut diagonally across the front and back. The layers are joined at the neckline, armholes and centre back, with short set-in sleeves and a concealed zip at the back. Drafted to your own measurements. Recommended fabric: dress fabrics made of natural and blended fibres.

Tech. Description

Diagonal Overlay Shift Dress

When To Wear

Office and daytime wear in spring and summer.
With court shoes or sandals; with a cropped jacket or cardigan in cooler weather.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Straight shift shape in both layers, shaped with darts.

Length: Inner dress below the knee. The outer layer ends higher, its hem slanting from hip level on one side down to above the inner hem on the other, in opposite directions at the front and back.

Neckline: Round neckline. The outer layer is stitched right side to the wrong side of the inner dress around the neckline and understitched 0.2 cm onto the inner dress, so the two layers finish each other without a facing.

Sleeves: Short set-in sleeves, sewn into the armholes of both layers together; 3 cm hem allowance, topstitched.

Front: Bust darts in both layers, pressed downwards.

Back: Outer back cut as separate left and right pieces for the diagonal hem; inner back in two halves. Waist darts in both layers and shoulder darts on the outer back.

Closure: Concealed zip in the upper part of the centre back seam, sewn through both layers.

Finishing: Both hems overlocked, turned up and topstitched (3 cm allowance). The inner dress has a slit in the left side seam, topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. Two complete layers joined at the neckline, sleeves set into both layers at once, a concealed zip through both layers and darts throughout.

Fabric Recommendations

Dress fabrics made of natural and blended fibres.

Additional Supplies

Concealed zip

Cutter's Must

From main fabric:
Upper Front (outer layer) – 1 piece
Lower Front (inner dress) – 1 piece
Lower Back (inner dress) – 2 pieces
Left Upper Back (outer layer) – 1 piece
Right Upper Back (outer layer) – 1 piece
Sleeve – 2 pieces

Sewing Instructions

Mark and stitch the bust darts on the Upper Front and Lower Front. Press the bust darts downwards. Mark and stitch the waist darts on the upper back pieces (Left Upper Back, Right Upper Back) and the Lower Back. Press the waist darts towards the center back. Mark and stitch the shoulder darts on the upper back pieces. Press the darts towards the center back.
Overlock the side and shoulder edges of the outer and inner dress layers. Stitch the shoulder seams of the outer and inner dress layers. Stitch the side seams of the outer and inner dress layers, leaving a slit open in the left side seam of the inner dress. Press the side and shoulder seams open, pressing the slit allowances to the wrong side. Topstitch around the slit 0.5 cm from the edge.
Overlock the lower edge of the outer layer (Upper Front and upper backs). Turn up, press and topstitch the hem of the outer layer.
Place the right side of the outer layer against the wrong side of the inner dress and stitch around the neckline of the front and back. Understitch the seam allowances to the inner dress 0.2 cm from the seam.
Overlock the center back edge of the outer and inner dress layers (two dress layers together). Stitch the center back seam of the dress up to the zipper notch. Press the seam open, including the zipper opening allowances. Insert the invisible zipper into the center back seam.
Overlock the lower edge of the sleeve and press up the hem allowance. Stitch and overlock the sleeve seam with the hem allowance unfolded. Topstitch the sleeve hem.
Set the sleeve into the armhole (both dress layers together). Overlock the seam and press it towards the bodice.
Overlock, fold, and topstitch the hem of the inner dress layer.