Ruffled V-Neck Puff Sleeve Contrast Dress
A women's dress combining two fabrics: a gathered upper part in dress fabric with a V-neck, a stand collar, spiral-cut ruffles along the neckline and short puff sleeves with cuffs, joined under the bust to a fitted lower part in suiting with darts and a back vent. Zip in the left side seam.
When To Wear
- At the office in spring and summer, with court shoes.
- For lunches, receptions and daytime events, with a narrow belt at the bust seam.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Raised seam under the bust; the upper front and upper back are gathered into it, and the lower part is fitted with darts.
Length: Around the knee.
Collar: Interfaced two-layer stand collar set into the neckline, its inner layer topstitched into the seam.
Neckline: V-neck finished with interfaced facings and topstitched along the edge. A coquille (ruffle cut as a spiral, with a narrow rolled hem on the outer edge) is stitched along each side of the V. Rouleau loops are set into the right neckline edge, and four decorative buttons are sewn on the left.
Sleeves: Short set-in sleeves, gathered at the cap around the shoulder seam, finished with cuffs folded in half.
Front: Upper front in two halves joined by a centre seam below the V; lower front in one piece with darts.
Back: One-piece upper back gathered into the lower back; the lower back has darts and a centre back seam ending in an interfaced vent.
Closure: Zip in the left side seam.
Finishing: 3 cm hem allowance, turned under 1 cm and 2 cm and topstitched. A purchased decorative belt is worn over the seam under the bust.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Spiral ruffles with a rolled hem, rouleau loops, a stand collar, a back vent, gathered seams and a side zip.
Fabric Recommendations
Upper part, sleeves, collar and ruffles: thin dress fabrics of natural or mixed fibres. Lower part: lightweight suiting fabrics of natural or mixed fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (stand collar, front facings, vent)
- 4 buttons
- Zip for the left side seam
- Decorative belt
Cutter's Must
- From dress fabric:
- Upper Back – 1 piece
- Upper Front – 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Stand Collar – 2 pieces
- Coquille (spiral ruffle) – 2 pieces
- Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Also cut a bias strip 2.5 cm wide and 20 cm long for the rouleau loops.
- From suiting fabric:
- Lower Back – 2 pieces
- Lower Front – 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing: Stand Collar, Center Front Facing.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Stand Collar and Center Front Facing pieces.
- Stitch the darts on the Lower Back and Lower Front, press the dart depths towards the center of each piece.
- On the left Lower Back, trim 5 cm off the vertical vent edge. Fuse the vent area on the wrong side of both Lower Back pieces. On the right side, mark the center seam line (vent fold line). Press the left piece along the vent fold line; on the right piece, press only the vent allowance (6 cm) to the wrong side. Match the pieces along the center seam and secure them at the upper edge of the vent. Overlock the center back edges of each piece separately, including the vent edges. Stitch the center back seam from the top down to the vent. Clip the vent seam allowance at the corner on the right piece. Press the center seam allowances open, press the vent allowances and secure them with machine stitching.
- Run a line of loose gathering stitches along the lower edge of the Upper Back. Gather it to the length of the upper edge of the Lower Back. Stitch the Upper Back to the Lower Back, press seam allowances downwards, overlock.
- The Coquille is cut as a spiral. Finish its outer edge with a narrow rolled hem. Measure the required length along its open (inner) edge: it equals the distance on the Upper Front from the neckline edge to the mark on the center front edge.
- Fold the bias strip in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch 0.3 cm from the fold. Trim the seam allowances close to the stitching and turn the tube right side out (rouleau). Cut it into loops 4 cm long.
- Place the Coquille wrong side down on the right side of the Upper Front and stitch. Overlock the center front seam allowances together with the flounce. Place the Center Front Facing and the Upper Front right sides together and stitch the neckline edge to the mark, inserting the rouleau loops on the right front. Stitch the center front seam of the Upper Front and the center edge of the facing in one seam. Overlock the outer edge of the facing. Turn the facing to the wrong side and topstitch it to the front along the neckline, folding the ruffle out of the way. Secure the facing to the front at the neckline edge and shoulder edge.
- Run a line of loose gathering stitches along the lower edge of the Upper Front. Gather it to the length of the upper edge of the Lower Front. Stitch the Upper Front to the Lower Front, press seam allowances downwards, overlock.
- Stitch the shoulder seams, press seam allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Place the Stand Collar pieces right sides together and stitch the outer edge, starting and ending the stitching strictly at the collar stand attachment line. Clip seam allowances, turn the collar stand right side out, press.
- Stitch the outer Stand Collar to the neckline, turn under the raw long edge of the inner Stand Collar and topstitch it into the seam.
- Stitch the side seams, leaving an opening for the zipper in the left side seam. Press the left seam allowances open, press the right seam allowances towards the back and overlock. Insert the zipper into the left side seam.
- Stitch, press and overlock the sleeve seams. Stitch the cuff into a ring, press in half lengthwise, right side out. Unfold the cuff and attach the outer side to the bottom of the sleeve. Fold the seam allowance of the inner cuff and topstitch into the attachment seam. Stitch along the sleeve cap with loosely tensioned stitches and gather. Set the sleeves into the armholes, placing the gathers around the shoulder seam. Overlock the seam allowances.
- Press the hem seam allowance of the dress to the wrong side by 1 cm, fold inwards another 2 cm and topstitch.
- Sew decorative buttons onto the left front.
