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THE ORLA DRESS
Please see instruction
G
2
www.frenchnavy.co.za
ns for additional information
GATHER BETWEEN CIRLCES
XS S
M L XL
3
4
Orla dress
Front
eam Straight grain
5 Orl
6
la dress
Back
Skirt
cutx2
7
Bodice
8 Centre Front on Fold
cutx1
on fold
1cm Seam Allowance Included
Centre Back
9
10
betwe en ci
se rc
ea le
s
Orla dress
11
Sleeve
cutx2
1cm Seam Allowance
included
2CM HEM INCLUDED
12
13
3CM HEM INCLUDED
14
TESTER
SQUARE
SIDES
SHOULD
MEASURE
10cm
3CM HEM INCLUDED
15
16
17 Orla
B
c
1cm Se
i
XL
XS
L
M
S
18
a dress
Back
Bodice
cutx2
eam Allowance
included
Centre Back Seam
Centre Front on Fold s
cutx1
n fold
19
20
21
straight grain
22
GATHER BETWEEN CIRLCES
a dress
Front
Skirt
23
XL L M S XS
Or
24
THE ORLA DRESS
Orla is a versatile, everyday dress with a semi-fitted bodice and a flattering,
slightly raised waist. The skirt is gently gathered for comfort & ease of movement
and falls just above the knee if you are 170cm tall. Please adjust length according
to your height and preferences.
Recommended Fabrics: Softly draping dress fabrics like Viscose and Rayon.
Meterage/ Yardage: 1.45m/ 1.59 Yards of fabric 150cm/ 29.5 inches wide.
More fabric will be required if fabric is narrower.
Cutting Instructions: Cut all pieces as indicated on the pattern pieces. Also cut a
4cm wide bias strip for neck binding, roughly the same length as the neck (about
75cm).
Other Requirements: A 40cm concealed zip.
XS S M L XL
UK SIZE 8 10 12 14 16
US SIZE 2/4 4/6 8 10 12
BUST 81 85 89 93 97
WAIST 63 67 71 75 79
HIPS 87 91 95 99 103
A4 Tiling Layout
Cutting Layout for fabric 150cm wide.
75cm/ 29.5 inches
(150cm/ 59 inches folded in half)
Centre Back Seam
Orla dress
XS
XL
S
M
L
Front
Bodice
included
1cm Seam Allowance
Centre Front on Fold
cutx2 cutx1
Bodice on fold
Back 1cm Seam Allowance Included
Orla dress
145cm Length of Fabric/ 1.59 Yards of Fabric
Folded Fabric Edge
betwe en cir
se cl
ea es
Orla dress
Sleeve
cutx2
1cm Seam Allowance
included
2CM HEM INCLUDED
XS S M L XL
XL L M S XS
Centre Front on Fold straight grain
Centre Back Seam Straight grain
Orla dress
Back Front
Skirt Skirt
cutx2 cutx1
on fold
PLEASE NOTE: A seam allowance of 1cm is included in the pattern, if you usually sew
with a 1.5cm allowance and would prefer to sew with an allowance of that amount, then
please remember to add on an extra 5mm before cutting.
Sewing Instructions
1. Sew darts on front bodice and press toward the centre front.
2.Sew darts on back bodice and press toward the centre back.
3. Join side seams and shoulder seams and press towards the back.
4. Fold binding strip in half lengthways and press.
5. Sew folded binding strip to neck edge (matching raw edges) with a narrow seam
allowance of around 7mm, gently pulling the binding as you sew so that it stretches
slightly as the two are joined. Cut away any excess binding length.
6. Press seam towards binding strip and understitch on the binding very close to the
seam edge. Trim seam close to stitch line.
7. Binding will be completed after insertion of zip.
8. Stitch two lines of easing stitches between the circles of sleeve head. Use a long stitch
length (about 3.5 or 4). The first line of stitches should be about 5mm from the edge
of the sleeve head, and the second should be about a 10mm from the first line.
9. Gently pull on both bobbin threads from the one side to form gathers in the sleeve
head (there are loads of online tutorials on this if it seems unclear).
10. Pin sleeve to bodice, matching notches at front underarm and at shoulder seam.
11. Distribute gathers evenly and neatly so that sleeve head fits and that there are no
visible tucks.
12. Sew sleeve to bodice.
13. Follow the same steps as in step 8 stitching between the circles on skirt front and
skirt back
14. Join skirt side seams.
15. Pin side seams of skirt to side seams of bodice.
Sewing Instructions Continued
16. Gently pull both bobbin threads from both sides on the front skirt until the fullness
is gathered to fit the bodice. Evenly distribute these gathers and pin to bodice.
17. Do the same at the back, gathering the fullness to fit the back bodice.
18. Once you are happy that your gathers are neat and evenly distributed then sew
skirt to bodice.
19. Remove gathering stitches and press seam up toward bodice, flattening and setting
gathers at the same time.
20. Insert Zip.
21. Fold Binding to inside of dress and pin or baste down, tucking in raw edges of
binding at centre back. Press flat and topstitch at around 8mm from neck edge.
22. Sew hems on sleeve and skirt.
I hope that you enjoyed this pattern and get much wear out of
your dress, Please let me know any thoughts or questions!
