Sheath Dress with Draped Front

Name: Sheath Dress with Draped Front
Brand: Minerva Patterns
SKU: 5844
Price: 5.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Pattern #5844

A women's sheath dress ending above the knee, with an asymmetric front made of three panels: a diagonal pleated drape across the bodice and a pleated, interfaced bow caught into a vertical panel seam. Cut-on cap shoulders, back darts and an invisible zip at the centre back. Drafted to your own measurements. Recommended fabric: dress fabrics made from natural or blended fibres.

Tech. Description

Sheath Dress with Draped Front

When To Wear

Office wear and business meetings, with a jacket over it.
Daytime and evening events in spring, summer and early autumn.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Fitted sheath, shaped by panel seams at the front and darts at the back.

Length: Above the knee; 3 cm hem allowance, turned under and topstitched.

Neckline: Round neckline; the front neckline edges are turned under and topstitched, the back is finished with an interfaced facing.

Front: Three pieces. The left front crosses the bodice diagonally from the shoulder; its upper edge is turned under and topstitched, and pleats folded to markings and stitched on the wrong side create the drape. A narrow right front panel runs from shoulder to hem, and a pleated bow is caught into the seam between it and the centre front.

Sleeves: Sleeveless with cut-on cap shoulders; armholes finished with a 4 cm bias strip folded in half and topstitched to the inside.

Back: Two pieces with darts and a centre back seam.

Closure: Invisible zip in the centre back seam, from the neckline down to a notch.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. Pleats folded to markings, an asymmetric panel front with a bow inserted into the seam, an invisible zip with a facing attached to the zip tape, and bias-bound armholes.

Fabric Recommendations

Dress fabrics made from natural or blended fibres.

Additional Supplies

Invisible zip
Bias binding 4 cm wide (for the armholes)
Fusible interfacing (back neck facings, bow)

Cutter's Must

From main fabric:

Back – 2 pieces
Left Front – 1 piece
Center Front – 1 piece
Right Front – 1 piece
Bow – 1 piece
Back Facing – 2 pieces

From fusible interfacing: Back Facing – 2 pieces, Bow – 1 piece.

Sewing Instructions

Fuse fusible interfacing to the corresponding pieces.
Stitch the darts on the Back pieces. Press the darts towards the center of the piece.
Serge the upper edge of the Left Front. Press the edge to the wrong side and topstitch. Fold and stitch the pleats from the wrong side according to the markings. Fold the finished upper edge to the inside once more at the panel seam.
On the Center Front, serge the neckline section of the panel seam edge (from the shoulder to the first notch). Stitch the Center Front and Left Front together. Press the seam towards the Center Front and serge. Fold the neckline section to the inside and topstitch.
Fold the Bow right sides together and stitch the short edges. Turn the piece right side out, shape, and press. Fold and secure the pleats according to the markings, with the inner folds of the pleats pointing downwards.
Stitch the Center Front and Right Front together, inserting the Bow between the pieces at the notches. Press the seam allowances towards the Center Front and serge.
Serge the center back edges. Insert the invisible zipper from the upper edge to the notch. Fold the lower end of the zipper aside and stitch the center back seam from the notch downwards. Press the seam allowances open.
Fuse fusible interfacing to the Back Facings. Serge the outer edge of the facings. Stitch the facings to the back neckline. Clip the seam allowances at the curves, turn the facing to the inside, and press. Stitch the center edge of the facing to the zipper tape.
Stitch the shoulder seams of the back and front, catching the Back Facing at the same time. Serge the seam and press towards the back.
Cut a bias strip 4 cm wide and equal in length to the armhole. Fold the bias strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press. Place the binding on the right side along the armhole edge and stitch. Turn the binding to the wrong side and topstitch along the fold onto the dress. Press the seam.
Stitch the side seams. Press the seams towards the back and serge.
Press the hem allowance of the dress to the wrong side, fold under another 1 cm, and topstitch.