Tailored Tie-Waist Dress
A women's knee-length dress with a mock-wrap front (the right front overlaps the left and is fixed at the lower edge), a shawl-type collar, pleats on the upper fronts, a hip-length fitted section and a flared eight-gore skirt. A tie band sewn on at the back wraps the waist and ties at the front; long sleeves have pleats held with elastic thread above the cuff.
When To Wear
- At the office and for business meetings in autumn and spring.
- For daytime events and family celebrations.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted bodice and hip section with a waist seam, flaring out in the skirt below the hip.
Length: Knee length.
Collar: Interfaced shawl-type collar of outer and inner layers, cut in halves with a centre back seam; it stands at the back neck and lies flat along the crossover front edges. Topstitched 0.5 cm from the attachment seam.
Front: Two upper fronts with pleats, crossed right over left and joined to a one-piece lower front at the waist; the centre front edge is turned under and topstitched 1 cm from the fold.
Sleeves: Set-in, long, with pleats near the hem topstitched with elastic thread along the sleeve seam and the sleeve centre; finished with an interfaced facing.
Back: Upper and lower back in two halves, joined at the waist, with a centre back seam.
Closure: Concealed zip in the centre back seam, from the top of the collar down to the notch.
Waist: Two tie pieces with slanted ends, topstitched to the back along the zip so that they cover the waist seam, then wrapped to the front and tied.
Skirt: Eight gores, joined to the lower edge of the hip section with interfaced facings and topstitched in place.
Finishing: Skirt hem turned up 1.5 cm and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Advanced. A two-layer collar running from the zip to the crossover front, a faced join between the hip section and the gored skirt, pleated sleeves shirred with elastic thread and a concealed zip through the collar.
Fabric Recommendations
Lightweight suiting fabrics made from natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Concealed zip
- Fusible interfacing (collar, sleeve facings, lower back and front facings)
- Elastic thread
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Upper Back – 2 pieces
- Lower Back – 2 pieces
- Upper Front – 2 pieces
- Lower Front – 1 piece
- Collar – 4 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Sleeve Facing – 2 pieces
- Skirt Gore – 8 pieces
- Lower Back Facing – 1 piece
- Lower Front Facing – 1 piece
- Waistband – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing:
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Sleeve Facing – 2 pieces
- Lower Back Facing – 1 piece
- Lower Front Facing – 1 piece
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse the corresponding pieces with fusible interfacing.
- Stitch the shoulder seams, press seam allowances towards the back and serge.
- Place the outer and inner Collar pieces right sides together and stitch along the ends and outer edge, starting and ending the seam exactly at the collar attachment line to the front neckline. Clip seam allowances at curves, trim corners, turn collar right side out, and press.
- Stitch the outer collar to the neckline, clip seam allowances at the shoulder seam and at the center front seam notch, press seam allowances towards the collar on the back, and towards the front on the front.
- Stitch the Lower Back to the Upper Back. Press seam allowances downwards and serge.
- Serge the raw edges of the center back seam. Stitch the center back seam from the zipper notch downwards. Press seam allowances open, pressing the zipper opening. Insert the zipper from the upper collar edge to the notch.
- Clip the lower edge seam allowance of the inner collar at the shoulder seam. On the back section, turn it inwards; on the front, direct it towards the front and topstitch into the seam attaching the outer collar. Serge together the neckline seam allowances of the front and the inner collar. Hand-stitch the center back seam allowance of the inner collar to the zipper tape.
- Fold and secure the pleats on the Upper Front pieces. Serge the center front edge allowance and press it to the wrong side. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the collar attachment seam along the front neckline; 0.7 cm before the end of the collar, pivot and topstitch the center front allowance 1 cm from the fold. Overlap the right front over the left and baste together at the lower edge.
- Stitch the Lower Front to the Upper Fronts. Press seam allowances downwards and serge.
- Stitch the side seams, press seam allowances towards the back and serge. Stitch the side seams of the Lower Back Facing and Lower Front Facing, press seam allowances open. Place the facing and the garment right sides together and stitch along the lower edge of the Lower Back and Lower Front, clip seam allowances, turn the facing to the wrong side.
- Stitch the Skirt Gores together. Press seam allowances open and serge.
- Fold the skirt with the facing right sides together and stitch along the upper edge, serge seam allowances. Topstitch the Lower Back and Lower Front onto the facing and skirt, joining them together.
- Fold and secure the pleats on the Sleeves. Stitch the sleeve seam, press and serge. Stitch the Sleeve Facing into a ring, press seam allowances open, serge the upper edge. Stitch the Sleeve Facing to the lower edge of the sleeve, turn it to the wrong side and topstitch the sleeve to the facing along the upper pleat. Topstitch pleats with elastic thread along the sleeve seam and along the center of the sleeve.
- Set the sleeves into the armholes, press seam allowances and serge.
- Fold the Waistband pieces lengthwise in half right sides together and stitch the long and slanted sides. Trim seam allowances at corners, turn the Waistband right side out, press, serge the raw edge.
- Turn under the serged Waistband allowance, place it on the back and topstitch along the zipper, positioning the seam joining the Upper Back and Lower Back in the middle of the Waistband.
- Serge the lower edge seam allowance of the skirt, press to the wrong side, and topstitch.
