Sewing Instructions – Model 5 Dress with Drawstring (Supplement 338)
Supplement No. 338 – Model 5. A dress with princess seams, a drawstring waist, a facing at the neckline and cuffs with elastic. Draft the pattern with the Lutterloh System from your bust and hip measurements, then add seam allowances before cutting.
Back to Supplement No. 338 · Download the sewing instructions as PDF
What you need
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fabric for the dress (VV) | 170 x 150 cm – 1⅞ yd of 58/60″ wide fabric |
| Lightweight cord or drawstring | 1 |
| Eyelets | 2 (or 2 buttonholes) |
| Invisible zipper tapes | 1 zipper, about 25 cm |
| Cuff elastic | length as measured on the wrist |
| Interfacing | strips for neckline, front shoulder seam, armholes and facings |
| Thread | 1 spool, matching |
Fabric recommendation: lightweight or medium-weight fabrics such as viscose/rayon (twill, satin, poplin, crepe). Seam allowances: 1.5 cm on all seams and sleeve hems, 3 cm at the hem, and 1.0 cm at the neckline and waistband.
Sewing steps
Sew right sides together with 1.5 cm seams unless noted. Finish each seam allowance right after sewing, and press every seam before crossing it with another.
- Invisible zipper. Insert the invisible zipper into the center back as described for Model 4: pin it 0.5 cm from the raw edge with the top slider aligned to the waistband seam line, stitch both tapes with the invisible zipper foot, then sew the center back seam from the hem up and press it open.
- Princess seams. Stitch the front side panels (AC) to the front panel (A) and the back side panels (BC) to the back panel (B). Finish the seam allowances together and press them toward the center front or center back.
- Shoulder seams. Stitch the shoulder seams, finish the seam allowances and press them open.
- Facing. Stitch the shoulder seams of the interfaced facing. Press open and finish the bottom edge. Pin the facing around the neckline, matching the shoulder seams. At the slit, flip the zipper tape out so it sits between the dress and the facing. Sew the vertical seams from the bottom of the slit up to the neckline, ending exactly 1 cm below the top edge, then stitch the rest of the neckline. Trim the corners, clip the curves every 1–2 cm, press the facing up, understitch it onto the seam allowances, turn it to the inside and tack it to the shoulder seams.
- Sleeves. Lay the front and back flat, place the sleeves into the armholes matching the sleeve notches, stitch, finish together and press into the sleeve.
- Cuffs. Interface half of the cuff pieces. Sew the short ends right sides together to form a ring. Fold the cuff wrong sides together and press in half. Press the lower edge 1.5 cm to the inside. Pin the unpressed edge to the sleeve matching the seams, stitch, and press the seam allowances into the cuff. Fold the cuff to the inside and hand-stitch it just above the seam, leaving an opening for the elastic. Thread the elastic, sew its ends together, then close the opening.
- Side and sleeve seams. Place the front and back right sides together, fold the sleeves right sides together and pin the underarms precisely. Sew the sleeve and side seams in one continuous stitch. Finish together and press toward the back.
- Waist casing. Install two eyelets 1.5 cm to the right and left of the center front, or sew two buttonholes. Press the long edges of the casing to the inside and close it into a ring. Place the ring so its bottom edge sits at the waistline, then stitch it all the way around close to the top and bottom edges.
- Drawstring. Thread the cord or tie through the buttonholes or eyelets.
- Hem. Fold the hem twice and stitch it in place.
Tips
- Alternative method: sew buttonholes instead of eyelets, and make a narrow tie from the same fabric instead of a cord. A narrow elastic can also be threaded through the buttonholes to shape the waist.
- Pro tip: mark the waistline on all pieces with loose thread so it is visible from the outside. Measure the waistline and the casing strip precisely before stitching the casing down. Remove the markings afterward.