Princess-Seam Fit-and-Flare Mini Dress with Short Sleeves

Princess-Seam Fit-and-Flare Mini Dress with Short Sleeves

A mini dress for knit fabric with a fitted bodice, a separate waistband and a half-circle skirt. Princess seams run from the armholes to the waist on the front and the back. The deep scoop neckline is turned in and stitched, without a facing, and the short sleeves are set in. The waistband is interfaced and faced. An invisible zipper in the centre-back seam runs from the neckline to about 5 cm (2″) above the hem. It comes with an illustrated sewing booklet: step-by-step pictures for every stage of sewing.

Key Design Features

• Mini dress for knit fabric: 85 cm (33.5″) long from the shoulder at the neck in size US 8.
• Close-fitting bodice with princess seams from the armholes, front and back.
• Deep scoop neckline, turned in and stitched (two rows or zigzag); no facing.
• Short set-in sleeves with a 1.5 cm (5/8″) double-turned hem.
• Separate waistband 5 cm (2″) wide, interfaced and faced.
• Half-circle skirt: one front and two backs.
• Centre-back seam with an invisible zipper from the neckline to about 5 cm (2″) above the hem.
• Seam allowance 1.6 cm (5/8″) included; hem allowance 3 cm (1 3/16″) on the skirt and the sleeves.
• Sizes US 2–18, drafted for a height of 170 cm (5′7″).

Fabric

• Knit fabric with some stretch across the width and good recovery, for example ponte or double knit.
• The bodice has only 0.2–1.1 cm (up to 1/2″) of ease at the bust, so a woven fabric would be too tight.
• The cutting layouts in the booklet are for fabric without nap or a one-way print; such fabric needs all pieces facing the same way, which takes more fabric.

Supplies

• Invisible zipper, 75 cm (30″) or longer; it runs from the neckline to about 5 cm (2″) above the hem, and a longer zipper can be shortened
• Fusible interfacing, 90 cm (35″) wide
• Matching thread; contrast thread for the topstitching, if you want the look of the photo
• Invisible zipper foot; an overlocker (serger) and a twin needle are useful but not required

What You Get

• All sizes US 2–18 in one ZIP file, instant download.
• The pattern of every size in three formats: A4, US Letter and A0.
• A sewing booklet: size chart, finished garment measurements, fabric requirements, cutting layouts and illustrated step-by-step instructions.

Embroidery not shown in pattern.