Knee-Length Princess Seams Coat
A women's single-breasted lined coat shaped by princess seams from the shoulder on the front and back, with a notched collar, two-piece set-in sleeves, vertical welt pockets set into the front princess seams and a centre back vent.
When To Wear
- In autumn and spring over dresses and skirts.
- Over trousers and a jacket or fine knit for the office.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted through the body by princess seams, widening gradually towards the hem.
Collar: Notched collar with lapels; the under collar is sewn into the coat neckline and the upper collar to the facings and back neckline facing.
Sleeves: Two-piece set-in sleeves (upper and lower sleeve), eased into the armhole at the cap.
Front: Single-breasted, five buttons, buttonholes on the right front. The facings are cut on to the centre fronts; the princess seams are topstitched on the centre fronts 1 cm from the seam.
Pockets: Vertical welt pockets in the front princess seams. Each welt is made of two pieces, topstitched 1 cm from the edge and stitched down at its short ends over the topstitching line; pocket bags are cut from lining.
Back: Centre back seam and princess seams; the vent at the centre back hem is topstitched along the marking at its top.
Finishing: Interfaced hem allowances; shoulder pads.
Lining: Full lining, sewn to the sleeve hems, facings and back neckline facing, cut and turned under along the vent.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Welt pockets set into a princess seam, a notched collar with cut-on facings, two-piece sleeves, a back vent and a full lining finished around the vent.
Fabric Recommendations
Coating fabric: lightweight wool coating (drap) or velour.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric (lining and pocket bags)
- Fusible interfacing (facings, back neckline facing, under layers of the welts, hem allowances)
- 5 buttons
- Shoulder pads
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Collar - 2 pieces
- Center Front (with cut-on facing) - 2 pieces
- Flap (pocket welt) - 4 pieces
- Center Back - 2 pieces
- Side Back - 2 pieces
- Side Front - 2 pieces
- Back Neckline Facing - 1 piece on fold
- Upper Sleeve - 2 pieces
- Lower Sleeve - 2 pieces
- From lining fabric:
- Pocket Bag - 4 pieces
- Center Front - 2 pieces, minus the width of the facing
- Center Back - 2 pieces
- Side Back - 2 pieces
- Side Front - 2 pieces
- Upper Sleeve - 2 pieces
- Lower Sleeve - 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing: reinforce the cut-on front facings, the back neckline facing and the under layers of the flaps. Additionally, press interfacing to the hem allowances.
Sewing Instructions
- Pockets: stitch the flap (welt) pieces together and turn out; topstitch the edges 1 cm from the edge. Place a flap on the center front right sides together at the markings, place one pocket bag on top and stitch along the pocket opening. Place the second pocket bag on the side front and stitch it the same way. Turn the pocket bags to the wrong side and sew the front princess seams above and below the pocket openings. From the inside, sew the pocket bag edges together, starting from the pocket opening markings. Press the princess seam allowances towards the center fronts. Topstitch the center fronts along the princess seams 1 cm from the seam. Stitch the short ends of the flaps to the front exactly over the topstitching line.
- Sew the center back seam down to the vent marking and press open; below the marking, press the allowances towards the left back.
- Sew the back princess seams, the side seams and shoulder seams, and the shoulder seams of the cut-on facings and the back neckline facing.
- Front edges and collar: fold the cut-on facings to the right side and stitch them to the neckline at the top, up to the marking. Clip the neckline allowance at the marking and trim the allowances diagonally at the front corners. Turn the facings to the wrong side. Stitch the two collar pieces together along the outer edge and turn out. Sew one collar piece into the coat neckline, right sides together. Sew the other collar piece to the back neckline facing and the facings. Press the seam allowances open. On the inside, stitch together the pressed-open seam allowances of the under collar seam and the back neckline facing seam.
- Hem: fold the facings to the right side. Turn the hem allowance to the wrong side and sew it in place. Turn the facings to the wrong side.
- Back vent: press the left vent edge to the wrong side and sew it to the hem allowance. On the right vent allowance, press the cut-on facing to the wrong side and sew it to the hem allowance. Pin the vent along the matching lines. Topstitch the left back at the top of the vent along the marking, catching the vent edges.
- Sleeves: sew the sleeve seams. Set the sleeves into the armholes, easing the sleeve cap.
- Attach shoulder pads.
- Sew the lining pieces together. Sew the lining to the lower edges of the sleeves, the inner edges of the facings and the back neckline facing. Carefully pin the lining around the back vent. Cut the lining along the vent accordingly, remembering the seam allowances. Turn under the lining edge and sew it to the vent edges. Hem the lining.
- Make buttonholes on the right front; sew buttons on the left front.
