Balloon Dress with Polo Collar and Gathered Hem

CUTTER'S MUST

• From main fabric:
1. FRONT PANEL – 1 piece on fold
2. BACK PANEL – 2 pieces
3. SLEEVE – 2 pieces
4. TRIM STRIP – 4 pieces
5. Lower TRIM STRIP – 1 piece
6. COLLAR – 2 pieces
7. Stand – 2 pieces
8. CUFF – 2 pieces
• FROM FUSIBLE INTERFACING:
1. TRIM STRIP – 2 pieces
2. Stand – 1 piece
3. COLLAR – 1 piece

Sewing Instructions

1. Fuse the FUSIBLE INTERFACING to the corresponding pieces.
2. On the FRONT PANEL pieces, mark and stitch the darts. Press bust darts downwards. Press the darts. Mark and create a box pleat. Stitch the pleats, ending the seam at the marked line. Topstitch the pleat SEAM ALLOWANCES from the right side 0.5 cm from the seam.
3. Stitch the center back seam of the BACK PANEL. Overlock the seam and press it to the left side.
4. Fold the TRIM STRIPS right sides together and stitch: the left TRIM STRIP along the inner edge, the right TRIM STRIP – along the inner edge, simultaneously stitching the corner. On the right TRIM STRIP, clip the SEAM ALLOWANCE at the edge of the corner stitching. Turn the pieces right side out and press. On the FRONT PANEL, precisely clip the SEAM ALLOWANCE for the TRIM STRIP at the corners, stopping 1 mm before the seam line. Place the outer side of the TRIM STRIP with the right side of the FRONT PANEL. Stitch the TRIM STRIP to the FRONT PANEL. Press the seam towards the TRIM STRIP. Turn the TRIM STRIPS to the right side. Fold the raw edge of the TRIM STRIP inwards and baste. Turn the end of the left TRIM STRIP to the wrong side along with the triangle, leave the end of the right TRIM STRIP on the right side. Topstitch along the long edges of the TRIM STRIP, simultaneously stitching the inner edge from the inside. From the wrong side, secure the triangle with the end of the left TRIM STRIP. Topstitch the end of the right TRIM STRIP to the FRONT PANEL.
5. Stitch the shoulder and side seams. Press the seams towards the BACK PANEL and overlock.
6. Fold the COLLAR pieces right sides together and stitch along the ends and outer edge. Trim, turn out the COLLAR corners. Stitch the stand pieces together, inserting the COLLAR between them and starting and ending the stitching precisely at the stand attachment line. Turn to the right side, press the finished COLLAR. Stitch the lower stand with the COLLAR into the neckline, fold the raw edge of the upper stand and topstitch into the seam of the lower stand attachment.
7. Along the SLEEVE cap, stitch with loosely tensioned stitches and gather. Stitch the SLEEVE seams. Overlock the seam and press. Set the SLEEVES into the armholes, aligning the NOTCHES. Overlock the seam and press away from the SLEEVE. Stitch the CUFF into a loop, leaving a small opening. Stitch the outer CUFF to the SLEEVE, fold the raw edge of the inner CUFF and topstitch into the seam of the outer CUFF attachment. Insert elastic tape through the opening.
8. Stitch the lower TRIM STRIP into a loop, leaving an opening. Stitch the outer TRIM STRIP to the dress, fold the raw edge of the inner TRIM STRIP and topstitch into the seam of the outer TRIM STRIP attachment. Insert elastic tape through the opening.
9. On the TRIM STRIP, make buttonholes and sew on buttons.