Paneled Strap Maxi Dress with Flared Hem
A women's long slip dress on narrow straps, with a panelled bodice, a shaped band under the bust and a straight skirt with long waist darts. A flared hem panel is joined to the skirt by a curved seam, and the dress is lined.
When To Wear
- Summer parties, evening events and holidays in warm weather.
- With sandals or heeled shoes; with a light jacket or knit cardigan on cooler evenings.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Close-fitting column from the bust to below the knee, opening into a flared hem panel.
Length: Long; hem overlocked, turned up and topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge.
Neckline: Low rounded neckline at the front and back, faced with the lining and understitched 0.2 cm from the seam.
Straps: Narrow self-fabric straps, folded and stitched 0.5 cm from the fold, sewn to the front neckline; their length is set at a fitting before the back ends are sewn on.
Front: Bodice cut in a centre front pair with a centre seam and two side panels. Below it, a shaped band curves down towards the sides and joins the bodice to the skirt.
Back: Centre back seam through the bodice, band and skirt; side back panels on the bodice and a straight band under the shoulder blades.
Closure: Concealed zip in the upper part of the centre back seam.
Skirt: Front and back skirts each cut in two halves with long waist darts; the flared hem panels (front and back gores) are attached with a seam that arches upwards at the centre.
Lining: Bodice and skirt lining with its own waist darts; lining sewn to the dress around the neckline and armholes, lower edge turned up and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A panelled bodice joined to a shaped band, curved hem panel seams, a concealed zip, a lining that finishes the neckline and armholes around the straps, and strap length set at a fitting.
Fabric Recommendations
Fabrics made of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Concealed zip, 25 cm
- Lining fabric
- Bias binding
Cutting Plan
- From main fabric:
- Center Upper Front – 2 pieces
- Upper Side Back – 2 pieces
- Side Upper Front – 2 pieces
- Center Upper Back – 2 pieces
- Front Skirt – 2 pieces
- Back Skirt – 2 pieces
- Front Skirt Gore – 1 piece
- Back Skirt Gore – 1 piece
- Shaped Front Waistband – 1 piece
- Shaped Back Waistband – 2 pieces
- Straps – 2 pieces (cut to the required length; no pattern piece)
- From lining fabric:
- Center Upper Front – 1 piece
- Side Upper Front – 2 pieces
- Upper Side Back – 2 pieces
- Center Upper Back – 2 pieces
- Back Skirt – 2 pieces
- Front Skirt – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
- Mark and stitch the waist darts on the Front Skirt and Back Skirt. Press the darts on the front skirt towards the centre front and on the back skirt towards the centre back.
- Overlock the centre edge of the Center Upper Front. Stitch the centre front seam and press it open. Stitch the Side Upper Front to the Center Upper Front. Overlock the seam and press it towards the centre piece.
- Overlock the centre edges of the Front Skirt, stitch the centre front seam and press it open. Stitch the Shaped Front Waistband to the Front Skirt. Overlock the seam and press it downwards. Stitch the front bodice to the upper edge of the waistband. Overlock the seam and press it towards the waistband. Stitch the Front Skirt Gore to the Front Skirt. Overlock the seam and press it towards the gore.
- Stitch the Upper Side Back to the Center Upper Back. Overlock the seam and press it towards the Center Upper Back. Stitch the Shaped Back Waistband to the Back Skirt. Overlock the seam and press it towards the back skirt. Stitch the back bodice to the upper edge of the waistband. Overlock the seam and press it towards the waistband.
- Overlock the centre back edges and stitch the centre back seam up to the zipper notch. Press the seam open, pressing back the zipper opening allowances. Insert the invisible zipper. Stitch the Back Skirt Gore to the Back Skirt. Overlock the seam and press it towards the gore.
- Cut out the straps. Fold each strap lengthwise and stitch 0.5 cm from the fold. Turn the straps right side out and press. Sew the straps to the front neckline edge.
- Overlock the side edges. Stitch the side seams of the dress and press them open.
- Mark and stitch the waist darts on the front and back skirt lining. Press the front lining darts towards the centre front and the back lining darts towards the centre back. Stitch the lining pieces together. Overlock the seams and press them towards the back. Overlock the lower edge of the lining, press it to the wrong side and topstitch.
- Place the lining and the dress right sides together and stitch around the armholes and the neckline of the front and back, keeping the straps in place. Understitch the neckline and armhole seam allowances onto the lining 0.2 cm from the seam. Turn under the centre back edges of the lining and stitch them to the dress seam allowances along the zipper.
- Try on the dress, adjust the strap length and sew the back ends to the back.
- Overlock the hem of the dress, turn it up and topstitch 0.5 cm from the lower edge.
