Extended Shoulder Notched Neckline Gathered Waist Dress
A knee-length women's dress with cut-on extended shoulders, a round neckline with a slit at the centre front, and a bodice gathered into a separate band below the bust. The skirt is straight and darted, with an invisible zip and a vent in the centre back seam.
When To Wear
- Office days in spring and summer, on its own or under a jacket.
- Daytime events and dinners, with heeled sandals or court shoes.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Soft gathered bodice over a narrow band; straight, fitted skirt below.
Length: Knee length, hem overlocked, turned up and topstitched.
Neckline: Round neckline with a narrow slit at the centre front. One interfaced facing finishes the neckline and slit; it is topstitched to the dress along its outer edge, so the stitching line shows on the right side.
Sleeves: Extended shoulders cut in one with the bodice, forming short cap sleeves; the hem is turned under and topstitched.
Front: Bodice in two halves with a centre front seam below the slit, gathered at the lower edge into the band.
Waist: Separate bands at front and back between the gathered bodice and the skirt, set below the bust.
Skirt: Front and back skirt panels shaped with waist darts.
Back: Gathered back bodice and centre back seam with an invisible zip from the neckline; a vent at the lower end, pressed to the left back and topstitched along its upper edge.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A faced neckline slit, gathering into a band, an invisible zip and a back vent.
Fabric Recommendations
Thin dress fabrics from natural or man-made fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Invisible zip
- Fusible interfacing (front and back facings)
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Center Back – 2 pieces
- Middle Back – 2 pieces
- Center Front – 2 pieces
- Middle Front – 1 piece
- Back Skirt – 2 pieces
- Front Skirt – 1 piece
- Back Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Facing – 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing: Back Facing, Front Facing.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Back Facing and Front Facing pieces.
- Stitch the waist darts on the Back Skirt and Front Skirt. Press the dart folds towards the center of the piece.
- Place the Front Facing on the Center Front pieces right sides together and stitch the center front edge from the mark upwards and the front neckline, stopping 3-4 cm short of the shoulder edges. Stitch the center front seam of the Center Front pieces below the slit and the center seam of the Front Facing. Press the seam allowances open. Clip the seam allowances on the curves, trim the corners, turn the facing to the wrong side, baste, and press.
- Along the lower edges of the Center Back and Center Front pieces, sew a line of loose-tension stitches and draw up the gathers.
- Attach the Center Front to the Middle Front without catching the lower edge of the facing; press the seam allowances downwards and overlock. Attach the Front Skirt to the Middle Front; press the seam allowances upwards and overlock.
- Attach the Center Back pieces to the Middle Back pieces; press the seam allowances downwards and overlock. Attach the Back Skirt pieces to the Middle Back; press the seam allowances upwards and overlock.
- Overlock the center back edges and the vent edges. Insert the invisible zipper. Fold the lower end of the zipper aside and stitch the center back seam and the upper edge of the vent, from the zipper notch downwards. Clip the seam allowance at the top of the vent. Press the center back seam open and press the vent towards the left back. Topstitch along the upper edge of the vent.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the dress; press the seam allowances towards the back and overlock. Stitch the shoulder seams of the facings; press the seam allowances open. Overlock the outer edge of the facing.
- Place the facing on the dress right sides together and stitch the remaining unfinished part of the front neckline and the back neckline. Clip the seam allowances on the curves, turn the facing to the wrong side and press. Turn the short edges of the Back Facing inwards and attach them to the zipper tape. Topstitch the facing to the back and front along its outer edge.
- Press the sleeve hem allowance to the wrong side, turn the raw edge under, and topstitch.
- Stitch the side seams. Press the seam allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Overlock the hem of the dress, press it to the wrong side, and topstitch.
