Depending on the choice of fabric, you can wear the Lena dress as an everyday dress or on special occasions. The front pleats at the neckline run down the entire length and give the dress its airy width. The cut is slightly tapered at the back and therefore looks very feminine.
Length at center back = 98 - 103 cm
Lena was sewn from a Tencel in these instructions.
Required material:
We recommend viscose , thin wool or tencel , the fabric should be opaque as the dress is unlined.
| Sizes 34-42 | outer fabric | 1.90 m | 140cm wide |
| Sizes 44-50 | outer fabric | 2.60 m | 140cm wide |
| Sizes 34-50 | inlay | 0.20 m | 90 cm wide |
| Sizes 34-50 | rubber band | 0.50 m | 1 cm wide |
| Sizes 34-50 | ripper | 1 piece | 35cm long |
| Sizes 34-50 | fixation tape | 0.70 m | 12mm wide |
cutting:
Cut out the pattern pieces from your outer fabric and interlining. Lay the fabric right side up. Lay the selvedges parallel to the center so that you can lay the front piece and front panel in the fold. The pattern pieces should all be face up. Always align the grain arrow on all pieces in the same direction and parallel to the selvage of the fabric. Transfer all the notches from the pattern through a 3mm long incision with scissors or chalk and mark the ends of the darts. Pinch the seam allowance in the fold of the fabric because this is always a center. Markings define positions of dart ends, pocket positions, and much more. Transfer these either with chalk or pins. It is best to first roughly cut all outer fabric parts that are completely covered with an interlining. After you have fixed the insert, cut it out exactly. There is also a video about gluing and fixing pattern pieces here.
You need from fabric:
- 1x front part in break
- 2x back piece in opposite directions
- 2x sleeves in opposite directions
- 1x eyelet
also with insert:
- 2x front panel in break
- 4x aperture rear, each 2 x opposite
Sewing instructions:
To sew this dress you will need a sewing machine and an overlock sewing machine, alternatively you can use the zigzag stitch on your sewing machine to finish the raw edges. If you are using a seam zipper you will also need the right presser foot for your sewing machine. In addition to the description, the colorful lines in the pictures show you where a seam needs to be sewn or something to be glued.
When sewing, pay attention to the seam allowance included in the pattern. Seam allowances that are not specially marked are 1 cm wide!
Happy sewing! 
A simple, straight dart is closed and sewn on the wrong side of the fabric, snap by snap, tapering from the widest point to the tip
If you are processing fabrics where the ironing pushes through and can then be seen on the right side, take a tool and push it under the dart content. We use a fleece-like rectangle (see photo). 
The slit in the back is prepared by double ironing. Pay attention to the markings in the cut. 
Neat the shoulder seams, side seams and the hem of the front and both back parts all around. Then the hems of the front and both back parts are ironed and thus prepared. 
Sew the center back up to the beginning of the slit. The seam allowances are ironed apart. 
Now you can topstitch the ironed slit and thus secure it. 
Now let's turn our attention to the pleats in the front part. Lay them out as described in the pattern and secure them with an auxiliary seam. 
Here you can see a detailed photo of the direction in which the folds are placed. 
The front and back are closed, right sides together, through the shoulder seam. Iron the seam allowances apart. 
Now you can put your prepared material aside and focus on the sleeves. Here, too, the cut edges marked in yellow are trimmed all around and the hems are ironed. 
The upper sleeve head from the front to the first back knick is gathered. The ruffles on the sleeve can be created with a large stitch and brought to a length of 12 cm. Pay attention to the info in the cut. 
Here you can see a detail photo with the creases inside the arm cap. 
Now you can sew the sleeves together, right sides together, and iron open the seam allowances. Pay attention to the specified seam allowances on the pattern. 
To finish the hem on the sleeves, this is folded over and stitched all the way around. Make sure to leave a small hole for the safety pin and elastic. 
Cut the elastic to the right length and insert a safety pin through it. Then both are pulled through the tunnel through the hole left open. 
Finally, the elastic is sewn together and the width is evenly distributed in the sleeve. Don't forget to reseal your rubber hole. 
The eyelet in the center back is used to close the slit. Sew them together, right sides together. There is also a video here for a better understanding.
With a needle and a thick thread, the eyelet is pulled through, turned over and cut. 
The seam allowance then fills the contents of the tube. Your eyelet is ready. 
Now look at the panel parts. The shoulder seams of the front and back panels are sewn together, right sides together. Then iron the seam allowances apart. 
Your prepared eyelet is sewn to the panel on the left side of the body with 0.5 cm. 
Here you can see a detailed photo of how we sewed on the eyelet. 
The inner panel is additionally provided with a molded band. Iron this on after processing the bezel. Info: We cover the inner panel because with our fabric there is a risk that the forming tape will also push through here and it would be visible on the outer panel. 
Iron the cut edge of the inner panel 1cm all the way around. But you can also clean up the lower cut edge of the inner panel, which is easier for later processing. Then the inner panel is placed, right sides together, on the outer panel and turned over all around (see yellow lines). The seam allowances are snapped in so that the curve later lies beautifully supple. 
Here you can see a detailed photo of the flat-stitched seam allowance. 
You can now sew the outer panel to your neckline on the front and back pieces. Note the snaps in the cut and the clashing shoulder seams. In the middle at the back, 1 cm will protrude from the panel, you need these centimeters to fall the short distances. 
The open ends of the band in the center back are placed right sides together and turned over. The ironed centimeter remains turned up. Then very carefully iron the seam allowances of the facing and the neckline up into the facing. 
Here you can see a detail photo with the half-sewn panel in the neckline. 
Now all you have to do is sew the panel in place. We recommend pinning it in place and then stitching it through in the shadow of the seam. The 1cm ironed cut edge of the inner panel is then sewn on just under the edge. 
The Lena dress has a seam-concealed zipper on the left side of the body. So that it doesn't tear out with softer fabrics, we have provided the corresponding zip length with molded tape on both sides. 
The left side seam is first only partially closed, right sides together (bottom seam is approx. 3cm long), so that the dress remains as open as possible and makes it easier to work on the zipper. Pay attention to the snaps in the cut. 
Here we show you which feet are suitable for the seam zipper. 
Sew the seam ripper into the side seam on the front and back. 
Here you can see a detailed photo of the sewn-in seam tear. 
Then you can close the remaining stretch of the left side seam. The seam allowances are ironed apart. 
The side seam of the right side of the body can now be placed and sewn together, right sides together. The seam allowances are ironed apart. 
The finished sleeve is pinned into the armhole and sewn together right sides together. Pay attention to the snaps in the cut. Here you can adjust the ruffles again and get them on the right track. The seam allowances are neatened together. 
Now we come to the penultimate step of your new dress: the ironed hem is stitched through. 
Finally, you sew your button to the panel on the right side of the body.
Your LENA is ready !
If you don't know what to do, or if you have any questions, please send us an email to info@schnittmuster-berlin.de. We will answer you as soon as possible. Have a lot of fun with your new designer piece!
Sincerely, your Dagmar and Ellen. 
