Gathered Front Raglan Dress
Introducing a charming women's dress pattern featuring a scoop neckline, elegantly gathered front bodice, and comfortable 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: Fitted through the bodice and waist, with a subtly flaring a-line skirt that finishes at the knee.
Neckline: Classic scoop neckline, cleanly finished with bias tape.
Closure: Front bodice features a placket with loop & button closure; an invisible zipper is set into the center back seam.
Sleeves: Short raglan sleeves, shaped for a comfortable and refined arm line.
Waist: a defined horizontal seam connects the gathered bodice to the skirt, accentuating the waist.
Back: a clean back design with a central seam that incorporates an invisible zipper closure.
Hem: Simple turned and stitched hems on both the sleeve openings and the skirt.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Skills required include dart construction, gathering, precise bias tape finishing, invisible zipper insertion, and accurate button loop placement.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose medium-weight woven fabrics with good drape and body for the best results:
- Crepe
- Gabardine
- Linen blends
- Viscose blends
- Cotton sateen
Additional Supplies
- Invisible zipper
- 4 small buttons
- Bias tape (for neckline & front placket finishing)
- Narrow cord or fabric strip for button loops
Cutter's Must
- Back – 2 qty
- Lower front – 1 qty
- Upper front – 2 qty
- Back of sleeve – 2 qty
- Front of sleeve – 2 qty
Sewing Instructions
- Mark and stitch darts on the back. Press darts towards the center of the back. Mark and stitch darts on the lower front. Press darts towards the center of the lower front.
- Along the lower edge of the upper front, between the notches, 0.5 cm from the edge, stitch with loosely tensioned stitches. Gather the lower edge of the upper front, distributing the created gathers evenly along the entire length. Stitch the upper front to the lower front. Overlock the seam allowances and press towards the lower front.
- Mark the slit for the fastener on the lower front. Cut the lower front. Cut loop trim strips from tape, fold, and stitch to the slit. Fold the bias binding in half lengthwise and press. Finish the slit on the front with bias binding.
- Overlock the center edge of the back. Stitch and press open the center seam of the back up to the notch for the zipper. Press open the center edge of the back, press the slits for the zipper. Insert the zipper.
- Stitch the upper edge of the sleeve. Overlock the upper sleeve seam and press towards the back.
- Stitch the lower edge of the sleeve. Overlock the lower sleeve seam and press towards the back.
- Stitch the side edges of the dress. Overlock the side seams of the dress and press towards the back.
- Set the sleeves into the armholes. Overlock the setting seam.
- Fold the bias binding in half lengthwise and press. Stitch the corners of the bias binding, trim the seam allowances, and turn right side out. Finish the neckline edge of the back and front with bias binding.
- Overlock the hem seam allowances of the garment and sleeves, turn to the wrong side, and topstitch along the edge.
- Sew buttons onto the left front.
