The Villanelle Dress Sewing Pattern Guide

Hello and welcome to The Villanelle Dress Sewing Guide!

This dress was inspired by elements of many eras from the past. I took some inspiration from the Gilded Age, Wednesday Adams, Edwardian Charm, and Iwanted to combine it all in a wearable, and chic dress/Gown. This gown features 2 styles. One with a higher neck, and ruffle, and one that is more open in the chest/neck area. There is also an option for a short and longer option.

Before You Get Started

Please take note that the seam allowances on this pattern are 1/2” unless otherwise stated.

The Pattern will have all the notions and cutting layout you will need in the provided PDF files.

*Both bodice styles are included in the video tutorial.

Difficulty: Intermediate.

Fabric Suggestions: Lace, Tulle Nettings, Organza, Brocades. For linings, bridal satins, mid-weight satins, crepe, and georgette fabrics.

Sharing: If you created something with a Gunnar Deatherage pattern, PLEASE give us a review, and post a photo! Gunnar loves to see your creations, and your reviews really help our little shop grow!

Glossary

RSF = Right Side Facing

RSO = Right Side Out

WSO = Wrong Side Out

Finishing a Seam = overlock, trim away, zigzag, pinking shear, or whatever your preferred method of finishing out a seam.

Gathering = process of bunching fabric into a pre-measured length creating fullness. Here’s a tutorial if you need help. https://www.patreon.com/posts/50168324

Rolled Hem Tutorial = https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-tutorial-hem-78784340

This pattern tutorial already assumes you’ve cut out all the pattern pieces.

Gunnar Tip: Make sure to press your seams flat and beautiful. Find the correct setting on your iron and use a little steam if you need to.


Creating the Villanelle Dress

Materials Needed:

  • Villanelle Dress pattern

  • Fabrics for the Dress

  • Matching thread

  • Notions ( zipper, hook and eye)

  • Fusible interfacing (optional)

  • Sewing machine

  • Pins

  • Tailor's chalk

  • Scissors

  • Iron and ironing board

Introduction to the Project

Welcome to the Villanelle Dress Tutorial! In this section, we'll guide you through the steps of creating our Gorgeous Dress. Gather your materials, set up your workspace, and let's get started on this exciting project.

** PLEASE NOTE THAT IN THE VIDEO TUTORIAL; THE TAN VERSION IS THE SHORTER OPTION WITH NO NECK RUFFLE, AND THE BLACK DRESS IS THE HIGHER NECK GOWN VERSION.

Assembling the Bodice: THE NEXT FEW STEPS ARE FOR BOTH BODICE STYLES.

  • Begin by stitching your darts on the Front Bust. With RSF pin your Front Bust darts together and stitch. Now repeat this to the Bodice lining. Afterward, press the darts nice and flat.

  • Pin your Front Bodice to the Side front Bodice with RSF. Afterward, Stitch and then finish out your seams. Now repeat this to the Front Bodice Lining and Side Front Bodice Lining.

  • Now it is time to attach the Front Bust pieces to the Front Bodice pieces. With tailors chalk, mark the circle notches on the center bust, and front bust pieces. These will be used as a guide for assembling.

  • With RSF, begin pinning the Front Bust/Side Front Bust and Front Bodice/Side Bodice pieces together. Begin by pinning one of the sides, and making your way toward the dots we marked. stop pinning when you align the dots.

  • Now let’s stitch from the outer edge, working our way towards the center where our dots align.

  • Once your needle is directly on the dots, leave the needle inserted, lift your presser foot, and pivot your fabric so you can begin stitching towards the other side of the bodice. This will give us the “V” Shape in the center of the bodice. Once finished stitching, clip the seam allowance at that center point where we created a pivot, to relieve some tension, and then give this a good press. Now Repeat this step to the same lining pieces.

  • Pin the Back Bodice to the side back Bodice with RSF. Now stitch, and finish your seam out, and press flat.

  • Repeat this step to the other side.

  • Repeat this step to the Lining Back Bodice, and Lining Side Back Bodice.


**THE NEXT FEW STEPS ARE FOR THE VERSION OF THE BODICE WITHOUT CHEST YOKES AND HIGH NECK RUFFLES.

Assembling the Bodice WITHOUT THE CHEST YOKES AND NECK RUFFLES.

  • Begin with your Front Bodice Ruffle.

  • Hem the top edge, and two of the sides with a small rolled hem unless your fabric is a netting/ organza and does not need hemming.

  • Gather the Front Bodice Ruffle to the length of the top of the bodice

  • Pin the ruffle in between the Front Bust and Front Bust Lining at the top edge. Make sure your ruffle is right side facing with your Outer Fabric, and that the seam allowances are matching

  • Now sit this aside, and we can talk about our strap.

Assembling the Strap

  • You should have cut 4 strap pieces.

  • Using 2 of your strap pieces, pin them together on one side with right sides facing. Now stitch. Afterward, turn the right side out and press flat. Now Repeat this to the other 2 pieces of the straps.

Attaching the Straps and Front Ruffle to the Bodice.

  • Place the Strap in between the Front Bust and Front Bust lining at the top edge, ( our sewn side facing inward, and the strap sandwiched between the lining and outer edges) then Lay the rest of the ruffle over the strap, and pin closed. This will sandwich the ruffle and the strap in between the Front Bust and Front Bust lining at the top edge.

  • Once both straps are pinned in, we can sew across the top edge, securing the seam allowance of the straps, front ruffle, and the Bust as one. Trim away seam allowance, turn Right sides out, and press.

Creating the Back Bodice Gather

  • Create a gathering stitch on the Back Bodice Ruffle, and Gather it to the length of the Back Bodice Top edge.

  • Pin your Back Bodice Ruffle to the Back Bodice piece with RSF.

  • Now Lay the unsewn end of one of the corresponding strap onto the back bodice, where the notches are marked and pin. Now sandwich the Strap and Back Bodice Ruffle with the Back Bodice lining. ** Please note that the Strap on the Front Bodice Left side will need to line up with the back bodice left side, and the same for the right side. It may help to lay the pieces out on a table to make sure they align.

  • After pinning, stitch the top of the Back Bodice and Back Bodice lining. Trim the seam allowances, and turn it right side out and press. Now repeat this to the opposite side.

**The Next Few Steps are for assembling the Other Bodice Option. BOTH styles will meet up in the sections labeled BOTH BODICE STYLE INSTRUCTIONS

Creating the Bodice Version WITH Chest Yokes, and High Neck Ruffles

  • With RSF pin the Front and Back Yokes together at the shoulder seams. After pinning, stitch closed and then finish out the seam, and press flat.

Attaching the Straps to the Yoke

  • Pin 2 of the straps to the shoulder area of the yokes, matching notches. Sandwich the Yoke between 2 of the strap pieces, with the right sides facing. Now stitch the straps together. Now finish out the edges, and then open and press. Repeat this to the other side.

  • Attaching the Neck Band to the Yokes at the Neck Area
    Create a gather stitch along the neck edge of the front yoke. Use notches as a guide to where to gather. Do this at 1/4”

  • Use the notches on the neckband as a guide on the length to gather to.

The Keyhole

  • Finish out the center back of the yokes. You will need to create a small rolled hem on each side of the center back of the yokes. This will create our keyhole.

Attaching the Neck Band

  • Pin one of the Neckbands to the Yokes at the Neck area with RSF. Now pin the other neckband to the yokes at the neck area, sandwiching the yokes between the neckbands with RSF.

  • We will be stitching 3 sides of the neckband. the outer edges(which attach the neckbands to one another( at the center back), and the bottom edge which attaches the neckbands to the yokes.

  • After stitching, trim away the seam allowance, and turn the right side out to press.

Creating the Neck Ruffles

  • Gather the Lower and upper Neck Ruffles to the length of the Neck Band.

  • after gathering, pin the ruffles to ONE SIDE of the neck band. ( the side that will face outward.) After pinning, stitch the ruffles to ONLY that one side of the neckband.

  • Now press all seam allowances inside of the neckband to create a clean finish, pinning along the way.

  • Hand sew your seam allowances closed for a clean look

Attaching the Front Yokes to the Front Bodice.

  • Pin the Front Bodice Ruffle to the yoke at the bottom edge, the Wrong side of the ruffle to the Right side of the Yoke.

  • Pin the Right side of the Front Bodice to the Right side of the Front yoke.

  • Pin the Bodice Lining Right side facing to the Wrong side of the yok SANDWICHING THE YOKE AND RUFFLE IN BETWEEN THE TWO BODICE LAYERS.

  • Now stitch them together. After, trim the seam allowance, and finish out. pressing flat and beautiful.

Attaching the Back Yokes to the Back Bodice.

  • Pin the Back Bodice Ruffle to the Back Yoke at the bottom edge, and the Wrong side of the ruffle to the Right side of the Yoke.

  • Pin the Right side of the Back Bodice to the Right side of the Back yoke.

  • Pin the Back Bodice Lining Right side facing to the Wrong side of the yoke SANDWICHING THE YOKE AND RUFFLE IN BETWEEN THE TWO BODICE LAYERS.

  • Now stitch them together. After, trim the seam allowance, and finish out. pressing flat and beautiful.

***Both Style Bodices will re-join here for Constructing the rest of the Villanelle Dress.***

Assembling the Gussets

  • Pin one of the Front Gussets to one of the Lining Front Gussets with RSF at the top edge only.

  • After pinning, stitch across the top, and then turn right side out and press. You may need to clip the curves of this seam to get a good press.

  • Repeat this to the other side Front Gusset/Front Gusset Lining.

  • Repeat these same steps to the BACK Gussets.

Gathering the Shoulder Ruffles.

***For Bigger Drama, Gather The Ruffles independently, rather than gathering both as one layer.****

  • Before you gather, It’s important to hem the edge of the shoulder ruffles that will not be sewn into the garment. This is important if you are using a fabric that frays.

  • Gather the Wide, and Narrow Shoulder ruffles. Use the Bodice as your guide. RUFFLES WILL BEGIN WHERE THE FRONT GUSSET WILL BE INSERTED, RUN ALONG THE STRAP, AND END WHERE THE BACK GUSSET WILL BE INSERTED.

  • Pin Both layers of the ruffle to the bodice with the right sides facing, aligning the bottom edges. Make sure your narrow shoulder ruffle is the closest to the bodice so it’s seen once sewn in.

Attaching the Gussets to the Bodice

  • Now pin the Front gusset into the bodice with the right sides facing. You’ll be treating both layers of this gusset as one now.

  • Now pin the Back Gusset into place with the right sides facing.

  • You’ll be sandwiching the ruffles in between the gusset and the bodice, EXCEPT where the straps are.

  • Now Sew the Gussets to the bodice, and the Ruffles to the strap. This will be one long stitch from the front gusset, along the strap, and ending at the end of the back gusset.

  • Now repeat this step to the other side.

  • Finish out your seam with an overlock or a zigzag.

Attaching the side seams

  • With RSF, pin the sides of the bodice together, and stitch all layers. Afterward, finish out the seam with a zigzag, or overlock stitch.

Assembling the Skirt

  • Start with Your Center Skirt piece. Attach one of the Side front pieces to each side of the Center Front. With the Right sides facing, pin the Side Front skirts to the Center front.

  • After Pinning, stitch, and finish out your seams.

  • Repeat these steps with the lining.

  • Now let’s attach our side back Skirts to the Side Front Skirts.

  • With the Right sides Facing, Pin the Side Back Skirt Pieces to the Side front Skirt pieces. After pinning, Stitch, and Then finish out the seam.

  • Repeat this with the lining pieces as well.

  • Now Attach the Back Pieces to the Side Back Pieces with the Right Sides facing. After Pinning, Stitch and finish out the seam.

  • Repeat this with the lining pieces.

Attaching the Skirt and Skirt Lining to the Bodice.

  • With the right sides facing, pin the outer skirt to the bodice at the waist edge.

  • Now pin the Skirt Lining to the Bodice lining with the right sides facing.

  • This will sandwich the bodice between the two skirt pieces with the bodice facing inward.

  • stitch along the waist edge. After stitching, finish out the seam.

  • Before Stitching your zipper in, decide if you’d like to utilize a waistband. I used a 1/2” velvet ribbon in my shorter dress.

  • If you do decide to utilize one, pin the waistband to the waist seam at the center backs before attaching a zipper.

  • Now it’s time to attach the zipper and close up the dress

  • You will need hooks and eyes for the neck area of this dress!

  • The Last step is to hem the skirt of your dress.

You have now finished the Villanelle Dress!