Extended Shoulder Notched Neckline Gathered Waist Dress
This women's made-to-measure sewing pattern features an elegant dress with a relaxed extended shoulder silhouette, a distinctive notched neckline, a gathered bodice and a smooth waist band.
When To Wear
This dress offers a sophisticated yet comfortable style suitable for various occasions, making it perfect for:
- Work & Professional Settings: Its refined design is ideal for office wear and business casual environments.
- Day-to-Evening Transitions: Easily styled for daytime engagements and elevated for evening events.
- Smart Casual Gatherings: a polished choice for lunches, dinners, or social events.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: a relaxed bodice gathered into a smooth waist band, over a straight, darted skirt that gently skims the body.
Neckline: a rounded neckline with a narrow center front slit (notch), finished with a facing topstitched along its outer edge.
Sleeves: Integrated extended shoulder lines form subtle cap sleeves with a turned-up, topstitched hem.
Waist: a separate waist band at front and back, with soft gathering of the bodice above it, adding shape and drape.
Closure: An invisible zipper is inserted along the center back seam for a seamless finish.
Back: The center back seam includes a vent in the skirt for ease of movement.
Hem: The dress finishes at a sophisticated knee-length, with a straight hemline.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. This pattern requires skills such as invisible zipper insertion, constructing facings, creating gathers, and neatly finishing a back vent.
Fabric Recommendations
Opt for fluid, thin dress fabrics that drape well and hold gathers softly:
- Thin dress fabrics made from natural fibers (e.g., linen blends, lightweight wool crepe)
- Thin dress fabrics made from artificial fibers (e.g., rayon challis, Tencel twill, polyester crepe)
Additional Supplies
- Invisible zipper
- Fusible interfacing
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.
