Dress with a Bottom Band

Name: Dress with a Bottom Band
Brand: Minerva Patterns
SKU: 5819
Price: 5.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Pattern #5819

A sleeveless, above-the-knee women's dress with a halter neckline: the front is gathered into a faced neckband with a keyhole slit, and the band fastens at the back with two buttons and rouleau loops. The lower edge is gathered into a doubled band, which gives the skirt a blouson shape. Drafted to your own measurements. Recommended fabric: light dress fabrics from natural or blended fibres.

Tech. Description

Dress with a Bottom Band

When To Wear

Hot summer days, holidays and city walks, with sandals or flat shoes.
Belted at the waist for a summer party.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Loose through the body, drawn in at the hem by the gathered band.

Length: Above the knee.

Neckline: Halter neckline with cut-away shoulders. The front is gathered into a two-layer neckband; the outer layer is interfaced and edgestitched to the inner one.

Front: One piece cut on the fold, with a keyhole slit at the centre front bound with folded bias binding.

Back: One piece cut on the fold, with a bound slit at the centre back below the neckband.

Closure: Two buttons on the neckband and two 4 cm rouleau loops cut from a bias strip, caught into the band ends.

Sleeves: Sleeveless; armholes finished with a 4 cm folded bias binding turned to the inside and topstitched along the fold.

Skirt: The lower edge is gathered into a band sewn into a ring, folded in half and stitched in the ditch on the inside.

Level Of Difficulty

Beginner. Only two main pieces and side seams; the work is in bound slits, rouleau loops, gathering and armholes finished with bias binding.

Fabric Recommendations

Light dress fabrics from natural or blended fibres.

Additional Supplies

Fusible interfacing (upper neckband facing, hem band)
2 buttons

Cutter's Must

From main fabric:

Back – 1 piece on fold
Front – 1 piece on fold
Placket (bottom band) – 1 piece
Facing – 2 pieces

From fusible interfacing:

Placket – 1 piece
Facing – 1 piece

Sewing Instructions

Fuse the upper Facing and the Placket with fusible interfacing.
Cut bias binding for finishing the slits on the Front and Back. The length of the binding should be twice the length of the slit + 2 cm, width 5 cm. Press the binding lengthwise in half, right side out. Mark the slit line on the piece and cut it. Spread the piece so that the slit forms a straight line, place the binding on the right side, aligning the raw edges, and stitch. The seam allowance along the slit is 0.5–0.7 cm, decreasing to 0.2 cm at the bottom of the slit. Fold the binding to the wrong side, enclosing the seam allowances, and stitch in the ditch of the attaching seam.
Along the upper edge of the Front, sew a line of long stitches with loose tension and gather.
Stitch the side seams. Press seam allowances towards the Back and overlock.
Cut bias binding from the main fabric, 4 cm wide and equal to the armhole length. Press the binding lengthwise in half, right side out, align it with the armhole edge and stitch. Fold the binding to the wrong side and topstitch along the fold.
Cut a bias strip 2.5 cm wide and 10 cm long. Fold the strip lengthwise in half, right sides together, and stitch 0.3 cm from the fold. Trim seam allowances close to the stitching, turn the strip right side out and straighten the rouleau. Cut it into loops, each 4 cm long.
Place the Facing pieces right sides together and stitch along the neckline edge, stitching the short side edges at the same time and inserting the loops. Trim seam allowances. Turn right side out and press. Press the lower edges inwards. Stitch the upper edges of the Back and Front to the lower Facing according to the markings. Edgestitch the upper Facing to the lower Facing. Press.
Press the Placket lengthwise in half, right side out. Unfold the Placket and stitch it into a ring. Press seam allowances open. Along the lower edge of the dress, sew a line of long stitches with loose tension and gather. Stitch the outer half of the Placket to the lower edge of the dress. Press seam allowances towards the Placket. Press the raw edge of the inner half of the Placket to the wrong side and stitch in the ditch of the attaching seam.
Sew the buttons onto the Facing.