Structured Belted Coat
A women's above-the-knee coat with a double-breasted front, a wide collar with separate lapels, and sleeves made of a fitted upper part and a pleated, gathered lower part on a buttoned cuff. Fully lined, with a tie belt.
When To Wear
- In autumn and spring over dresses or trousers and knitwear.
- Belted at the waist, or worn open with the belt removed.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted through princess seams on the front and back, slightly widening to the hem.
Length: Above the knee.
Collar: Wide collar with soft pleats on the upper collar, set into the neckline together with separate two-layer lapels.
Front: Double-breasted, six buttons in three pairs, buttonholes on the right front; front facings joined to a back neckline facing.
Sleeves: Two-tier: a fitted upper sleeve and a full lower sleeve with soft pleats at the top, a lined slit and a cuff closed with one button.
Pockets: In the horizontal seam between the upper and lower side fronts, with a lined flap.
Back: Centre back seam and two princess seams.
Waist: Tie belt held by two belt loops at the side seams.
Finishing: Seams and flaps topstitched 0.8 cm from the edge; shoulder pads and sleeve head rolls.
Lining: Full lining including the sleeves, with a hem turned twice by 1.5 cm; lining back cut minus the neckline facing.
Level Of Difficulty
Advanced. Lapels and collar set into one neckline, in-seam flap pockets, a lined two-tier sleeve joined through the lining, a cuff with a slit, and a fully lined coat.
Fabric Recommendations
Coating fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric
- Fusible interfacing (front facings, back neckline facing, centre fronts, flaps, lapels, upper collar) and fusible stay tape for the front neckline
- 8 buttons
- Shoulder pads
- Sleeve head rolls
Cutter's Must
If the patterns have a double contour, seam allowances are included. If the contour is single, seam allowances are not included. Seam allowances: all seams 1 cm. Hem allowance 4.5 cm. Attention! First, print out the paper patterns and lay them out on the fabric width (fabric width can be from 90 cm to 150 cm) to determine how much material you will need (do not forget to account for paired and symmetrical pieces).
- From main fabric:
- Center back – 2 pieces
- Side back – 2 pieces
- Side upper front – 2 pieces
- Side lower front – 2 pieces
- Center front – 2 pieces
- Lapel – 4 pieces
- Upper collar – 1 piece
- Under collar – 1 piece
- Front facing – 2 pieces
- Back neckline facing – 1 piece
- Upper sleeve – 2 pieces
- Lower sleeve – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Flap – 2 pieces
- Belt – 1 piece
- Belt loop – 1 piece
- From lining fabric:
- Center back – 2 pieces
- Side back – 2 pieces
- Side front – 2 pieces
- Upper sleeve – 2 pieces
- Lower sleeve – 2 pieces
- Flap – 2 pieces
- Pocket bag – 4 pieces
- From fusible interlining:
- Front facing
- Back neckline facing
- Center front
- Flap
- Lapel
- Upper collar
Attention: back pieces from lining fabric are cut with the width of the back neckline facing deducted.
Sewing Instructions
Attention: Topstitch along seams and around the perimeter of flaps 0.8 cm from the edge. Side and princess seams are overlocked from waist to hem. When stitching pieces, pay attention to the notches - they must match!
- Fuse interlining to the designated pieces.
- Turn the flap with lining. Clip seams at curves, turn pieces right side out and press. Topstitch.
- Turn the upper edge of the lower side front with the pocket bag strictly between the marks, aligning the marks on the pocket bag with the round marks on the front. Turn the pocket bag to the wrong side and press. Place the flap on the side upper front right sides together, then place the pocket bag on top. Stitch pieces strictly between the marks. Turn the flap down, press the seam upwards. Position the upper and lower front parts butt-to-butt and secure with a temporary stitch. Stitch and overlock the pocket bag edges.
- Stitch the princess seam on the front, folding back the pocket bag. Press the seam towards the center and topstitch.
- Stitch and press the back princess seams towards the center back seam. Topstitch. Stitch and press open the center back seam. Stitch and press open the shoulder seams. Stitch and press the side seams towards the back.
- Stitch and press open the shoulder edges of the back neckline facing and front facing.
- Fold lapels in pairs right sides together and stitch along the outer edge. Clip allowances, turn pieces right side out and press. Topstitch.
- On the upper collar, create and secure soft pleats. Fold collars right sides together and stitch the ends and the outer edge of the collar. Turn pieces right side out, press and topstitch.
- Along the front neckline edge, apply an additional fusible stay tape. Stitch lapels to the neckline. Insert the collar into the neckline. Place the front facing with the neckline facing on the right side of the front, right side down, pin and stitch the front edge, front neckline, and back neckline. Stitching is done from the front side. Topstitch the seam allowance of the front edge on the placket section to the front facing. The stitching is placed 0.2 cm from the seam. Stitch the lower edge of the front facing to the front strictly along the marked hemline, stopping 1.5 cm before the inner edge of the front facing. Turn the front edges right side out, straighten the seams.
- On the lower sleeve, create and secure soft pleats. Stitch the sleeve seam up to the notch. Near the mark, slash the seam and press open. Similarly, finish the lining of the lower sleeve. Turn the sleeve slit with lining. Even out and secure the lower edges of the sleeve and lining.
- Fold the cuff in half lengthwise and stitch the side edges and the section up to the notch. Near the notch, slash the allowance, turn pieces right side out and press. Stitch the outer edge of the cuff to the sleeve, fold the inner edge of the cuff inwards and topstitch into the seam. Topstitch around the perimeter of the cuff.
- Stitch and press open the seam of the upper sleeve. Set sleeves into armholes, matching notches. Attach shoulder pads and sleeve head rolls.
- On the lining fabric pieces, stitch seams and set sleeves. Turn the lower edge allowance of the lining twice by 1.5 cm and topstitch.
- Overlock and press the hem allowance of the garment. Stitch the lining to the inner edges of the front facings and the back neckline facing. Start and end the stitching halfway across the hem allowance of the main garment. Slash the allowance on the inner edge of the front facing at the beginning of the lining attachment. Fold the front facing allowance from the hemline to the slash inwards and hand-stitch with blind stitches. Overlock the lining attachment seam and press towards the lining.
- Stitch the lower sleeve to the upper, inserting the lower with the lining between the upper and the lining of the upper sleeve. Turn pieces right side out. Press the seam upwards and topstitch.
- Topstitch along the front edge.
- On the right front, make buttonholes; on the left front, sew on buttons.
- Fold the belt piece lengthwise in half right sides together and stitch along 3 sides, leaving an opening for turning on the long edge. Turn the belt right side out, turn the allowances of the unstitched section inwards and topstitch around the perimeter of the belt.
- On the belt loop piece, overlock one longitudinal edge. Press the unoverlocked edge inwards, covering it with the overlocked edge. Stitch a double seam, securing the longitudinal allowances. Cut the belt loop into 2 pieces. Stitch the belt loops at the level of the side seam. Thread the belt.
