Round Neck Jacket with Princess Seams
A women's hip-length collarless jacket with a round neckline, princess seams from the armhole on front and back, slanted single-welt pockets and a four-button front. Fully lined, with two-piece sleeves and shoulder pads.
When To Wear
- For the office, over blouses and fine knits, with trousers or a straight skirt.
- In spring and autumn as a light top layer.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Semi-fitted, shaped by princess seams on the front and back and by darts on the back.
Length: Hip length, straight hem.
Neckline: Round, collarless, finished with the front facings and a back neck facing; the seam is understitched 0.2 cm from the seam.
Sleeves: Two-piece set-in sleeves with elbow and front seams; shoulder pads.
Closure: Single-breasted, four buttons, buttonholes on the right front.
Pockets: Slanted single-welt pockets in the lower fronts, beside the princess seams.
Back: Centre back panel and two side back panels joined by princess seams.
Finishing: Interfaced fronts, facings, armhole areas and hems of the body and sleeves.
Lining: Full lining cut from the same panels, sewn to the jacket hem and sleeve hems; held at the hem with seven tacks over the seams.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Princess seams, welt pockets, two-piece sleeves with shoulder pads, and a full bagged lining turned through the sleeve.
Fabric Recommendations
Wool or wool-blend fabrics with added synthetic fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric
- Fusible interfacing (front facings, back neck facing, fronts, upper back and armholes, hems of body and sleeves)
- 4 buttons
- Shoulder pads
Cutting Plan
From Main Fabric:
- 1. Center Back – 1 piece on fold
- 2. Side Back – 2 pieces
- 3. Side Front – 2 pieces
- 4. Center Front – 2 pieces
- 5. Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- 6. Upper Sleeve – 2 pieces
- 7. Lower Sleeve – 2 pieces
- 8. Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece on fold
- 9. Off-Set Welt – 2 pieces
From Lining Fabric:
- 1. Center Back – 1 piece on fold
- 2. Side Back – 2 pieces
- 3. Side Front – 2 pieces
- 4. Center Front – 2 pieces
- 5. Smaller Pocket Bag – 2 pieces
- 6. Big Pocket Bag – 2 pieces
- 7. Upper Sleeve – 2 pieces
- 8. Lower Sleeve – 2 pieces
- From Fusible Interfacing: Center Front Facing, Back Neckline Facing, Side Front, Center Front, the upper part of the Center Back with the armhole area, the hem of the Center Back, the armhole and hem of the Side Back, the hems of the Upper Sleeve and Lower Sleeve.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Center Front Facing, Back Neckline Facing, Side Front, Center Front, the upper part of the Center Back with the armhole area, the hem of the Center Back, the armhole and hem of the Side Back, and the hems of the Lower Sleeve and Upper Sleeve.
- Mark and stitch the darts on the back. Press the darts towards the Center Back. Stitch the princess seams on the front (Side Front to Center Front) and press them open. Stitch the princess seams on the back (Side Back to Center Back) and press them open.
- Mark the welt pocket position. Fold the Off-Set Welt in half lengthwise, right sides together, and press. Stitch across the ends, trim the excess fabric at the corners and turn the welt right side out. Press the finished welt.
- Mark the stitching line on the welt, measuring its width. Place the welt on the right side of one pocket bag piece, welt right side up and folded edge down, with the raw edges even and the pocket bag extending equally beyond both ends of the welt. Place the welt on the front, matching the marked lines. Stitch the welt to the front; the welt lies between the front and the pocket bag. Press the seam allowances of the welt and pocket bag towards the welt. Place the second pocket bag piece on the front, right sides together, butting it against the welt seam. Baste and stitch 0.8–1 cm from the welt seam. Check from the wrong side that the stitching lines are parallel. Remove the basting. Cut the pocket opening, making diagonal cuts into the corners 1–1.5 cm from each end. Turn the welt allowances and the pocket bag through the opening to the wrong side and straighten the edges. Secure the pocket ends on the wrong side with a double row of backstitching across the base of the corner triangles. Stitch the pocket bag pieces together and overlock the edges. Baste the welt in place on the front and press. Topstitch the ends of the welt. Remove the basting.
- Place the Center Front Facing on the front, right sides together, pin and stitch along the front edge, with the front uppermost, working upwards and stopping 5 cm from the shoulder edges. Stitch the lower edges of the facings to the Center Front exactly along the marked hemline. Trim the seam allowances at the upper and lower corners of the front edge.
- Stitch the shoulder and side seams of the jacket. Press the shoulder and side seams open.
- Stitch the Back Neckline Facing to the Center Front Facings at the shoulders and press the shoulder seams of the facings open.
- Stitch the facings to the jacket neckline. Understitch the seam allowance to the facings 0.2 cm from the seam. Turn the front edges and the back neckline facing to the inside. Press the neckline and front edges.
- Stitch the Upper Sleeve to the Lower Sleeve along the elbow seam and press it open.
- Stitch the front sleeve seam and press it open.
- Set the sleeves into the armholes, matching the notches. Attach the shoulder pads.
- Stitch the lining pieces together, leaving an opening in the right sleeve. Press the lining.
- Stitch the lining to the Center Front Facings and the Back Neckline Facing, to the jacket hem, matching the lining seams to the jacket seams, and to the sleeve hems. Make 7 tacks along the jacket hem over the seams.
- Turn the jacket right side out through the opening in the sleeve lining. Stitch the opening closed.
- Work the buttonholes on the right front and sew the buttons on the left front.
