Short Coat with Shaped Princess Seams
A women's single-breasted lined coat with a notched collar, two-piece set-in sleeves and stepped front princess seams: the step forms the pocket opening, topstitched 1.8 cm from the edge. The back has princess seams and a centre back vent.
When To Wear
- In autumn and spring over dresses, skirts or trousers.
- Over office wear; the set-in sleeves leave room for a blouse or a fine knit underneath.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Shaped through the body by princess seams on the front and back, widening slightly 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, four buttons, buttonholes on the right front. The facings are cut on to the centre fronts.
Pockets: Pocket openings in the front princess seams, at the step where the centre front widens towards the side. The opening edges and the princess seams above them are topstitched on the centre fronts 1.8 cm from the edge; 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. Pockets set into a stepped 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 fabrics: lightweight wool coating (drap) or velour.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric (lining and pocket bags)
- Fusible interfacing (facings, back neckline facing, hem allowances)
- 4 buttons
- Shoulder pads
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Collar - 2 pieces
- Center Front (with cut-on facing) - 2 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 - 2 pieces
- Center Front - 2 pieces, minus the width of the facing
- Center Back - 2 pieces, minus the width of the back neckline facing
- 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 and the back neckline facing. Additionally, press interfacing to the hem allowances.
Sewing Instructions
- Pockets: stitch the pocket bags right sides together to the pocket openings of the center fronts. Clip the center front allowances diagonally into the corners. Turn the pocket bags to the wrong side. Topstitch the opening edges 1.8 cm from the edge, up to the corners. Sew the front princess seams above the pocket openings, clipping the center front allowances into the upper corners. Press the princess seam allowances towards the center fronts. Pin the pocket openings to the side fronts along the matching lines, over the pocket bags. From the inside, sew the front and lower edges of the pocket bags, starting from the pocket opening markings. Baste the side edges of the pocket bags under the center fronts. Topstitch the center fronts along the princess seams 1.8 cm from the seam, down to the stitching at the pocket openings.
- 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 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 edges and sew them to the vent edges. Hem the lining.
- Make buttonholes on the right front; sew buttons on the left front.
