Short Sleeve Fitted Split V-Neck Yoke Dress
A fitted women's dress with short set-in sleeves, front yokes cut on a diagonal from the armholes towards a faced slit at the centre front, and princess seams below. The back has a yoke with darts, princess seams, a concealed zip and a vent in the centre back seam.
When To Wear
- Office wear in spring and summer, on its own or under a jacket.
- Daytime events and meetings, with court shoes or sandals.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted, straight, shaped by princess seams front and back.
Length: About knee length.
Neckline: Wide, shallow neckline with a narrow V-shaped slit at the centre front, finished with a slit facing and topstitched 0.1 cm from the edge. The back neckline and the yokes are finished with interfaced facings and topstitched 0.1 cm.
Front: Two front yokes with angled lower edges meeting near the slit; the lower front is set between each yoke and its facing, and the topstitching runs round the neckline, the corner and along the yoke seam. Princess seams from the yoke seam to the hem, pressed to the centre and topstitched 0.1 cm.
Sleeves: Short, one-piece, set-in, hems turned and topstitched.
Back: Yoke in two halves with darts topstitched 0.1 cm from the seam; princess seams below the yoke; centre back seam with a concealed zip and a vent at the hem.
Closure: Concealed zip in the centre back seam.
Finishing: Princess and yoke seams topstitched 0.1 cm; dress hem turned 1 cm, then 2 cm, and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. A faced slit cut open between stitching lines, yokes enclosed between the dress and facings with sharp corners, a centre back vent combined with a concealed zip, and edge topstitching throughout.
Fabric Recommendations
Dress fabrics made of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (neckline facings, vent)
- Concealed zip
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Back Yoke – 2 pieces
- Side Back – 2 pieces
- Center Back – 2 pieces
- Front Yoke – 2 pieces
- Side Front – 2 pieces
- Center Front – 1 piece
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Slit Facing – 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing:
- Back Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Neckline Facing – 2 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Back Neckline Facing and Front Neckline Facing pieces.
- Stitch the darts on the Back Yoke pieces. Press dart allowances towards the center. Topstitch the dart 0.1 cm from the seam.
- On both Center Back pieces, fuse the vent on the wrong side. On the right side, mark the center seam line (vent fold line). Overlock the center edge of the back separately on each piece, simultaneously overlocking the vent. Stitch the center edge of the back from the zipper mark to the edge of the vent. Clip the corner of the vent seam allowance on the right-hand piece. Press the center seam allowances open. Press the edge of the right-hand vent under 1 cm and topstitch. Press the vent allowances towards the center and topstitch along the top with a machine stitch.
- Stitch the Side Back pieces to the Center Back (princess seams), press allowances towards the center, overlock and topstitch 0.1 cm. Stitch the Back Yoke to the back, press allowances upwards, overlock and topstitch 0.1 cm. Insert the zipper.
- Stitch the Side Front pieces to the Center Front (princess seams), press allowances towards the center, overlock and topstitch 0.1 cm.
- Overlock the outer edges of the Front Slit Facing. Place the Front Slit Facing on the front, right sides together, and stitch the slit and the upper edge from mark to mark. Clip the allowances at the marks, carefully cut the fabric between the sides of the slit, and trim the corners. Turn the facing to the wrong side, straighten, and press. Topstitch along the upper edge and the slit 0.1 cm from the edge.
- Stitch the shoulder seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the Back Neckline Facing and Front Neckline Facing, press allowances open, overlock the outer edges. Place the facing on the garment, wrong sides together, and stitch the back neckline edge and the front yoke neckline edge exactly to the marked lower seam line.
- Insert the lower front between the Front Yoke and the facing and stitch from the neckline to the side seam. Trim allowances at the corners, press towards the yoke and overlock. Turn the facing to the wrong side, straighten the corner. Topstitch 0.1 cm along the back neckline, front yoke, and corner, transitioning to the seam joining the yoke and front.
- Stitch the side seams, press allowances towards the back and overlock.
- Stitch the sleeve seam. Press and overlock the seam. Set the sleeves into the armholes, aligning the notches. Press and overlock the seam.
- Overlock the sleeve hem allowance, press to the wrong side and topstitch. Press the dress hem allowance to the wrong side 1 cm, then 2 cm and topstitch.
