Empire Waist Coat with Wide Notched Lapels
Introducing a sophisticated women's coat pattern, featuring wide notched lapels, a flattering empire waistline, and elegantly shaped panels for a refined silhouette.
When To Wear
This coat is a stylish and versatile outerwear piece, making it an ideal choice for:
- Professional Settings: Its tailored silhouette and classic design are perfect for work or business engagements.
- Elegant Daywear: Elevates everyday outfits, providing a polished and sophisticated look for various occasions.
- Transitional Seasons: Offers both warmth and style, ideal for cooler spring or autumn days.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted through the bodice, gently flaring from the empire waistline to a knee-length hem.
Neckline & Collar: Features a classic notched lapel collar with wide lapels for a sophisticated look.
Closure: Single-breasted front with a prominent single-button closure positioned just above the empire seam.
Sleeves: Full-length, one-piece set-in sleeves with shoulder pads and sleeve heads for a clean, tailored finish.
Pockets: Two flap pockets with a single welt, set at the front panel seams of the lower front, with lining pocket bags.
Back: Designed with curved panel seams extending from the armhole to the hem, crossed by a horizontal seam at the empire level; no center back seam.
Waist: a distinctive empire waistline is created by a horizontal seam and carefully shaped panels, enhancing the figure just below the bust.
Length: Finishes at approximately knee length, offering classic coat coverage.
Finish: Fully lined, with all seams and edges topstitched 0.5 cm.
Level Of Difficulty
Advanced. Requires confident tailoring skills including collar and lapel construction, lining insertion, setting in sleeves, and creating flap pockets.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose medium-weight coating fabrics with good body and structure for best results:
- Pure wool coating fabrics
- Wool blend coating fabrics
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric
- Fusible interfacing
- 1 button
- Shoulder pads and sleeve heads
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Upper Center Back – 1 piece
- Lower Center Back – 1 piece
- Upper Side Back – 2 pieces
- Lower Side Back – 2 pieces
- Lower Collar – 1 piece
- Upper Collar – 1 piece
- Upper Side Front – 2 pieces
- Lower Side Front – 2 pieces
- Upper Center Front – 2 pieces
- Lower Center Front – 2 pieces
- Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Flap – 4 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- From lining fabric:
- Center Back – 1 piece
- Side Back – 2 pieces
- Side Front – 2 pieces
- Center Front – 2 pieces
- Pocket Bag – 4 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing: Center Front Facing, Lower Collar, Upper Center Front, armhole area of the Upper Side Front, Upper Center Back, armhole area of the Upper Side Back, straight-grain stay tape for the pockets; hem allowances of the Lower Center Front, Sleeve, Lower Side Back and Lower Center Back.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Center Front Facing, Lower Collar, Upper Center Front, Lower Center Front, the armhole area of the Upper Side Front, the Upper Center Back and the armhole area of the Upper Side Back; and to the hem allowances of the Lower Center Front, Sleeve, Lower Side Back and Lower Center Back.
- Place the Upper Collar and Lower Collar right sides together and stitch along the outer edges. Trim the corners and turn the collar right side out.
- Place two Flap pieces (flap and under flap) right sides together, align the edges and stitch. Trim the seam allowances at the corners and turn right side out. Baste and press from the under-flap side so that the flap rolls 0.1–0.2 cm to the underside.
- Stitch the Upper Center Front to the Lower Center Front and the Upper Side Front to the Lower Side Front. Press the seams downwards and topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Stitch the panel seams of the front and press them towards the center of the front. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Reinforce the pocket opening with straight-grain stay tape or baste it. Fold the pocket welt in half wrong sides together and press. Mark a guideline on the welt parallel to its fold for attachment. Mark a guideline on the flap for attachment parallel to the upper edge of the flap, measuring the flap width along its entire length. Mark guidelines parallel to the pocket opening for attaching the flap and the welt. Stitch a Pocket Bag to the flap. Stitch the flap with the pocket bag to the Lower Side Front. Stitch the welt to the Lower Center Front. The ends of the stitches should finish at the parallel pocket marking lines. Check the welt and flap stitching from the wrong side (stitches should be parallel). Cut open the pocket opening. Make diagonal cuts 1-1.5 cm from the end of the pocket. Through the resulting opening, turn the welt and the flap seam allowance to the wrong side, straighten the edges, and adjust the welt so that its pressed fold meets the flap seam. Secure the pocket ends from the wrong side with a double backstitch at the base of the corners. Stitch the pocket bags together.
- Place the Center Front Facing on the front, right sides together, pin and stitch along the front edge, stitching from the front side up to the notch that marks the end of the collar seam. Stitch the lower edges of the facing to the front exactly along the marked hemline. Trim the seam allowances at the upper and lower corners, turn right side out and topstitch 0.5 cm from the front edge.
- Stitch the Upper Side Back to the Lower Side Back and the Upper Center Back to the Lower Center Back. Press the seams downwards and topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Stitch the panel seams of the back, press towards the center of the back and topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Stitch the shoulder and side seams of the coat. Press open the shoulder and side seams of the coat.
- Stitch the Lower Collar to the neckline of the coat and the Upper Collar to the neckline of the facings.
- Set the sleeves into the armholes, matching the notches. Attach the shoulder pads and sleeve heads.
- On the lining pieces, stitch the seams and set in the sleeves, leaving an opening in the right sleeve seam. Stitch the lining to the inner edges of the facings and the Upper Collar. Press open the collar insertion seam allowances and secure close to the seams. Stitch the lining to the bottom of the coat. Turn the coat right side out through the opening in the sleeve and stitch the opening in the sleeve.
- Make a buttonhole on the right front and sew the button on the left front.
