Carrie’s experimentation with V Neckline Variations for the Carpe Diem Dress & Tunic continues with a Shirt Dress that buttons from neckline to hem. In the Spring Carrie made a Carpe Diem corduroy jumper that buttoned to the waist with a skirt below. By the time she had finished making that jumper, she was wondering why she hadn’t just continued the buttons all the way to the hem. So this week we take a peek at Carrie’s trial with the shirt dress style. For the fabric, she chose a brightly colored plaid double gauze purchased in France last summer.
Prep the Patterns
Two pattern modifications are needed to create a front pattern for this V Neckline shirt dress. First, the V Neckline template from V Neckline Variations was layered over her personalized scoop neck Carpe Diem Dress & Tunic Front pattern. Next, a 1 3/8″ extension (3/4 ” for overlap plus 5/8″ for seam allowance) beyond center front was added from the neckline to hem to create an overlap for a button placket.
Carrie created a front facing pattern for the dress by tracing off the newly modified V Neck front from the shoulder seam to the hem. She referred to the V Neckline Front Facing pattern to shape the upper part of the facing, then extended it to the hem with a 3″ wide strip.
No changes were needed to the basic Carpe Diem back, back facing, and side patterns.
Carrie decided that the dress style and summer weight fabric called for short sleeves. The basic Carpe Diem sleeve pattern was shortened and the sides were widened to drop straight down for 3 inches to accommodate a rolled up cuff. The pattern modifications and construction of this sleeve style is covered in TR Camp Shirts.
Cut out the Dress
When laying out your new pattern, don’t forget that there are two fronts, so the Carpe Diem front should not be cut on the fold. A careful layout was needed to match the horizontal lines of the plaid on the 2 fronts. Carrie tried her best to match the horizontal lines of the plaid at the front side seams, but it wasn’t possible to also match at the back side seams. The Carpe Diem back pattern was cut on the fold to eliminate the need to also match the plaid at a center back seam.
The double gauze turned out to be a very unstructured fabric, so she chose a leftover piece of light blue Tencel for the facings. The front and back facings are supported by Soft Stretch fusible interfacing, which gives them stability and a little heft without stiffness.
Construction Notes
The construction of this dress is a blend of the V Neckline Carpe Diem directions and the steps for adding a facing to a Tabula Rasa Jacket Shirt or Rain & Shine Variation (without inserting a collar). Here’s a quick review of the order of construction for this hybrid pattern:
- 1. Follow Carpe Diem Steps 1 – 5 to sew darts, prepare the new front and basic back facings, and sew shoulder seams.
- 2. Insert the facings as follows:
- Pin the prepared facing to dress from center back to each hem, matching at shoulder seams. Stitch at 5/8”.
- Trim and grade seam allowances and corners, pressing them toward the facings. Under stitch seam allowances to the facings around neckline.
- Turn facing to the inside pressing well.
- 3. Return to Carpe Diem Steps 6 – 10 to assemble and insert sleeve/side panels, making fit adjustments as needed.
- 4. Try on to mark and pin up hem for sleeves and dress. Press the sleeve hem, turning up cuff if desired, and stitch by machine or hand.
- 5. Finish the front facings at the hem as follows:
- Turn facings out at hem, right sides together and mark the hemline on the facing.
- Stitch the facing to the dress along the hem line, pivoting at the front to stitch 1” along the facing seam line to secure the corner.
- Clip excess fabric from the point and turn facing to inside.
- 6. Finish hemming the dress as directed in the Carpe Diem instructions by hand or machine stitching.
Fine Tune the Fit
One advantage of this button front style is that the dress can be fitted more snugly than a Carpe Diem Dress that is to be pulled on over the head. Take the time to baste the side seams and try on the dress before finishing the seams. Consider giving the dress more shape through the waist area, if desired, by taking it in at the side seams or by adding fisheye darts to the fronts or back.
Carrie discovered that her choice of double gauze was not ideal for this Shirt Dress style as it was almost impossible to get a snug fit. The fabric just seemed to stretch and grow at every turn! Before it was done, she had taken in the side seams and added fisheye darts both front and back. And still it doesn’t feel snug or constraining … which she’ll take as a win for a warm weather dress!
Now Carrie is envisioning a cooler weather version of the V Neckline Shirt Dress with longer sleeves and the Curved Collar and Cuffs included in V Neckline Variations. What are you planning to sew for Fall?
