Empire-Waist Gathered Blazer
A women's hip-length lined jacket with a notched collar and a three-button front. The upper front is gathered into a horizontal seam under the bust, and the upper sleeve is gathered into a crosswise seam above the elbow.
When To Wear
- For the office and daytime events, over blouses and tops, with trousers or a pencil skirt.
- In spring and autumn as a light lined top layer.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted, with a seam under the bust and vertical seams below it on the front.
Length: Hip length.
Collar: Notched collar with lapels; undercollar set into the neckline, upper collar sewn to the facings.
Front: Upper front gathered at its lower edge into the under-bust seam; lower front made of a centre front and a side front panel.
Closure: Single-breasted, three buttons with buttonholes.
Sleeves: Set-in sleeves with elbow and front seams. The upper sleeve is cut in two parts: the top part is gathered into the lower part above the elbow. Without gathers, the upper sleeve can be cut from the lining upper sleeve piece.
Back: Centre back seam, side back panels and shoulder darts.
Finishing: Front edge seam understitched 0.2 cm from the seam: to the facing along the buttoned part, to the front along the lapels.
Lining: Full lining cut from the body and sleeve panels, joined to the main jacket with 1 cm tacks at the waist along the panel seams.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Gathers matched into seams on the front and sleeves, a notched collar with lapels, and a full bagged lining turned through the sleeve.
Fabric Recommendations
Suiting fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric
- Fusible interfacing (front facings, undercollar, back neck facing)
- 3 buttons
- Shoulder pads
Cutting Plan
From main fabric:
- 1. Upper front – 2 pieces
- 2. Undercollar – 1 piece
- 3. Upper collar – 1 piece
- 4. Center front – 2 pieces
- 5. Side front – 2 pieces
- 6. Back neck facing – 1 piece
- 7. Side back – 2 pieces
- 8. Center back – 2 pieces
- 9. Front facing – 2 pieces
- 10. Upper sleeve 1 – 2 pieces
- 11. Upper sleeve 2 – 2 pieces
- 12. Lower sleeve – 2 pieces
From lining fabric:
- 1. Upper front – 2 pieces
- 2. Center front – 2 pieces
- 3. Side front – 2 pieces
- 4. Center back – 2 pieces
- 5. Side back – 2 pieces
- 6. Upper sleeve – 2 pieces
- 7. Lower sleeve – 2 pieces
From fusible interfacing: front facing, undercollar, back neck facing.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the front facing, undercollar, and back neck facing.
- Place collar pieces right sides together and stitch along the contour. Trim seam allowances, turn out collar corners. Press the collar.
- Gather the lower edge of the upper front at the dart intake level.
- Stitch the side front to the center front. Press seam open. Stitch the lower front to the upper front. Press seam open.
- Mark and stitch the shoulder dart on the back. Press dart towards the center back. Stitch and press open the center back seam. Stitch the side back to the center back. Press seam open.
- Stitch and press open the shoulder and side seams of the jacket.
- Gather the lower edge of upper sleeve 1 to match the length of the upper edge of upper sleeve 2. Stitch upper sleeve parts 1 and 2 together. Stitch and press open the elbow seam of the sleeve. Stitch and press open the front seam of the sleeve. Press the sleeve hem.
- Place the front facing onto the right side of the front, right side down, pin and stitch along the front edge. Stitch from the front side upwards to the notch marking the end of collar insertion. Stitch the lower edges of the front facings to the center front strictly along the marked hemline. Trim seam allowances at the upper and lower corners of the front edge. Understitch the front edge seam allowance: in the fastening area – to the front facing, in the lapel area – to the front piece. The stitching should be 0.2 cm from the seam. Turn the front edges to the right side, straighten the seams and press. Stitch and press open the shoulder seams of the back neck facing and front facing.
- Set the undercollar into the jacket neckline, and stitch the upper collar to the back neck facing and front facing.
- Set sleeves into armholes according to notches.
- On lining pieces, stitch seams, leaving an opening in the right front sleeve seam, then set in sleeves. Press lining seams. Stitch lining to the inner edges of the front facings and back neck facing. Press open the collar insertion seam allowances and secure close to the seams.
- Stitch lining sleeves to the sleeve hem allowance and jacket hem allowance. Secure pocket lining to the jacket at waist level along the princess seams with a 1 cm bar tack. Turn the jacket right side out through the opening in the sleeve. Stitch the opening in the sleeve.
- Mark and make buttonholes. Mark and sew on buttons.
Tip: If desired, you can omit the gathers on the sleeve. In that case, when cutting, use the pattern piece for the upper sleeve of the lining.
