Fitted Knit Faux-Wrap Dress with Front Pleats

Name: Fitted Knit Faux-Wrap Dress with Front Pleats
Brand: Minerva Patterns
SKU: 5854
Price: 5.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Pattern #5854

A women's fitted knit dress to about knee length with a faux-wrap front, a stand collar cut in one with the upper fronts, cut-on cap sleeves and a wide gathered inset that runs at an angle round the waist, front and back. Pleats stitched down for 3–4 cm shape the crossed upper fronts and the overlapping lower right front. Drafted to your own measurements. Recommended fabric: knit fabric with low or medium stretch, in natural or blended fibres.

Tech. Description

Fitted Knit Faux-Wrap Dress with Front Pleats

When To Wear

Office days and meetings, with court shoes or ankle boots.
Spring and autumn daytime events; with tights and a cardigan in colder weather.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Fitted bodice and straight, close-fitting skirt, joined by a wide waist inset.

Length: About knee length.

Collar: Stand collar cut in one with each upper front and joined by a seam at the centre back; folded in half, wrong sides together, and sewn to the back neckline.

Front: Faux wrap: the right upper front laps over the left and the two are held together at the lower edge, forming a V. Both upper fronts have cut-on facings and pleats stitched from the markings for 3–4 cm. Below the inset, a lower right front with its own pleats and cut-on facing laps over the lower front, ending at the hem in an overlap.

Sleeves: Cap sleeves cut in one with the bodice; the edge is turned in and gathered between marks with a row of elastic thread on the fold.

Waist: Front and back insets, gathered along their side edges to the length marked on the pattern, sit between the upper and lower parts at an angle.

Back: Upper back, back inset and lower back, each in one piece; no centre back seam.

Finishing: Seams sewn with an elastic stitch or on a 3- or 4-thread overlocker; hems topstitched with a twin needle or on a coverstitch machine. No fastening: pulls on over the head.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. Stitched pleats placed from markings, cut-on facings, lapping and joining the wrap layers into a gathered inset, and elastic-thread gathering at the sleeve edges.

Fabric Recommendations

Knit fabric with low or medium stretch, in natural or blended fibres.

Additional Supplies

Elastic thread

Cutter's Must

From main fabric:
Upper Back – 1 piece
Lower Back – 1 piece
Back Inset – 1 piece
Upper Front – 2 pieces
Lower Front – 1 piece
Front Inset – 1 piece
Lower Right Front – 1 piece

Tip: Cut pieces from knit fabrics are sewn with a special elastic stitch or directly on a 3- or 4-thread overlock. The hem allowance is topstitched with a twin needle or on a coverstitch machine to maintain elasticity.

Sewing Instructions

Along the side edges of the Back Inset and Front Inset, sew a line of long, loose stitches and gather to the length indicated on the inset pattern piece.
Stitch the Back Inset to the Upper Back, press the seam allowances towards the inset. Stitch the Lower Back to the Back Inset, press the seam allowances towards the inset.
Fold and stitch the pleats for 3 – 4 cm according to the markings on the Upper Front pieces and on the Lower Right Front.
On the cut-on facing of each Upper Front, clip the seam allowance at the shoulder seam and overlock the shoulder seam allowance and the inner edge of the facing. Press the facing to the wrong side along the marking. Overlock the edge of the cut-on facing on the Lower Right Front. Press the facing to the wrong side according to the markings.
Lap the right Upper Front over the left and baste them together along the lower edge. Stitch the Front Inset to the upper front, press the seam allowances towards the inset.
Lap the Lower Right Front over the Lower Front and baste them together along the upper edge. Stitch the Lower Front to the Front Inset, press the seam allowances towards the inset.
Clip the seam allowance at the shoulder seam on the front. Stitch the shoulder edges of the back and front. Press seams towards the back.
Stitch the center back seam of the collar (the collar is cut in one with the Upper Front pieces). Fold the collar in half, wrong sides together, align the edges and stitch it to the back neckline.
Overlock the sleeve edge allowance and press it to the wrong side. Unfold the allowance and, along the fold line between the marks, stitch with elastic thread, keeping the elastic on the wrong side. Fold the allowance back to the wrong side and topstitch. Overlock the hem allowance of the Lower Right Front, press to the wrong side and topstitch. Stitch the side edges, press seam allowances towards the back.
Overlock the lower edge of the garment. Fold to the wrong side, press and topstitch.