Gathered Front Raglan Dress
Introducing a charming women's dress pattern featuring a scoop neckline, an upper front gathered into an empire seam, a button-and-loop front opening, and short raglan sleeves.
When To Wear
This dress is versatile and chic, making it a perfect choice for:
- Everyday Elegance: a sophisticated option for daily wear, blending comfort with style.
- Daytime Events: Ideal for brunches, garden parties, or smart casual gatherings.
- Travel & Leisure: Its comfortable fit and graceful drape make it suitable for stylish touring or vacation wear.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: a straight, gently fitted dress shaped with darts below the empire seam, finishing around the knee.
Neckline: Classic scoop neckline, finished with bias binding.
Closure: a short center front opening, bound with bias binding and fastened with buttons and tape loops; an invisible zipper is set into the center back seam.
Sleeves: Short two-piece raglan sleeves (front and back sleeve), shaped for a comfortable arm line.
Bodice: a horizontal empire seam under the bust joins the gathered upper front to the darted lower front.
Back: a center back seam with an invisible zipper and waist darts.
Hem: Simple turned and topstitched hems on both the sleeves and the dress.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Skills required include dart construction, gathering, precise bias binding finishing, invisible zipper insertion, and accurate button loop placement.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose woven fabrics with good drape for the best results:
- Crepe
- Gabardine
- Linen blends
- Viscose blends
- Cotton sateen
Additional Supplies
- Invisible zipper
- Small buttons (number as marked on the pattern)
- Bias binding (for the neckline & front opening)
- Narrow tape for button loops
Cutter's Must
- Back – 2 pieces
- Lower Front – 1 piece
- Upper Front – 2 pieces
- Back Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Front Sleeve – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Mark and stitch the darts on the Back and press them towards the center back. Mark and stitch the darts on the Lower Front and press them towards the center front.
- Along the lower edge of the Upper Front, between the notches, sew a line of long, loose stitches 0.5 cm from the edge. Pull up the gathers and distribute them evenly. Stitch the Upper Front to the Lower Front. Overlock the seam allowances and press them towards the Lower Front.
- Mark the opening for the fastening on the Lower Front and cut it. Cut the button loops from the tape, fold them and stitch them to the edge of the opening. Fold the bias binding in half lengthwise and press. Bind the front opening with the bias binding.
- Overlock the center back edges. Stitch the center back seam up to the zipper notch and press it open, pressing the zipper opening allowances as well. Insert the invisible zipper.
- Stitch the upper (shoulder) seam of the Front Sleeve and Back Sleeve. Overlock it and press towards the back.
- Stitch the underarm seam of the sleeve. Overlock it and press towards the back.
- Stitch the side seams of the dress. Overlock them and press towards the back.
- Set the sleeves into the armholes. Overlock the seam.
- Fold the bias binding in half lengthwise and press. Stitch across its ends, trim the allowances and turn right side out. Bind the back and front neckline with the bias binding.
- Overlock the hem allowances of the dress and sleeves, turn them to the wrong side and topstitch close to the edge.
- Sew the buttons onto the left front.
