Gathered neckline top - is an attire ideal for summer.
Draw a line from shoulder tip and blend along armhole curve. Cut from the line as shown below in image, and your block (2) is ready for tracing on the material.
Take any dress of yours (close neck)for a basic block. Spread the folded garment neatly on a table and trace the outline of the dress with a chalk. Trace only front upto your desired length. Use this block for cutting Back too.
This paper block looks the same what you have outlined from your dress. You have to make one little change, is that keep a mid point in neck. Draw a line from mid point of the neck to the bust point. (Pay attention to the neck on my block). While tracing your dress on the paper, take 9.5 cm from armhole depth - for 36" bust size. Cut from mid point of neck to bust point. It is your dart. Place the block paper on another paper and spread or open the dart upto 5 to 8 cm and trace along your original bodice block (1), your neck, shoulder, armhole, waist and centre front (means all sides).
Cut front and back with same block. Cut 4 cm breadth strips on bias to finish neck and shoulder.
On back, cut 5 cm length in centre back for back opening. To finish a placket, attach 3 cm breadth with 7 cm length strip and fold inside. Finish other side too.
Attach shoulders, (may be an inch left as shoulder for joining). After attaching shoulder, finish neck with bias 4 cm strips. Keep the ends open in back (placket ) so as to insert a rope for gathering.
4cm bias (wrong side bias on right side of cloth) attached to neck with pins, draw a 1 cm breadth along the neck for hassle free stitching. Trim 0.3 cm will help in better folding when finishing neck lines. Fold inside the neck line and finish with a stitch.
Preparing rope: Take 4 cm breadth of desired length. You can attach many lengthy pieces together for desired length. Make a rope by folding both raw sides inside. After finishing this rope, insert one open end at the back side. Pull from another side.
Final construction: Attach sides leaving 1.5 inch from raw edges. Seal the edges with overlock stitches.
The final dress of yours would look like this. Keep trying.
