Shawl Collar Jacket
A women's sewing pattern for a chic, double-breasted jacket, distinguished by its elegant shawl collar and a fitted, cropped silhouette.
When To Wear
This jacket is perfect for adding a touch of sophisticated style to a variety of occasions, making it an ideal choice for:
- Business Casual & Professional Settings: Offers a polished and confident look for office wear or meetings.
- Evening & Smart Casual Events: Elevates an outfit for dinners, gatherings, or artistic events.
- Fashion-Forward Layering: Perfect for adding a structured, statement piece over dresses or tailored separates.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: a tailored, cropped silhouette shaped with front and back darts to fit closely to the body, accentuating the waist.
Neckline & Collar: Features a gracefully curved shawl collar that extends into the double-breasted front closure.
Closure: a sophisticated double-breasted front secured with four prominent buttons.
Sleeves: Long, two-piece set-in sleeves, detailed with buttoned vents for a refined finish.
Back: Fitted back with a centre back seam and darts for shaping, ensuring a sleek and structured profile.
Hem: Straight, cropped hemline sitting just below the waist.
Level Of Difficulty
Advanced. Requires precise tailoring skills, including collar & lapel construction, lining insertion, careful interfacing application, and setting two-piece sleeves.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose fabrics with good drape and body that will hold their shape, such as:
- Natural or blended fiber fabrics (e.g., wool blends, velvet, suiting fabrics, brocade)
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing
- Lining fabric
- Shoulder pads
- Sleeve heads
- 4 buttons
- 6 smaller diameter buttons for sleeve vents
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Back – 2 pieces
- Front – 2 pieces
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Lapel – 2 pieces
- Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece
- Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Upper Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Lower Sleeve – 2 pieces
- From lining fabric:
- Back – 2 pieces
- Front – 2 pieces
- Upper Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Lower Sleeve – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing: Center Front Facing, Front, Back Neckline Facing, Collar, Lapel.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Center Front Facing, Back Neckline Facing, Front, Collar and Lapel.
- Mark the darts on the Back. Stitch and press them towards the center. Mark the darts on the Front. Stitch and press them towards the center.
- Stitch the Lapel to the Collar and press the seam open.
- Stitch and press open the center back seam.
- Stitch the side and shoulder seams of the jacket. Press open the side and shoulder seams.
- Set the under collar (with its Lapel) into the neckline of the Front and Back. Press the seam open.
- Stitch the shoulder seams of the Back Neckline Facing and Center Front Facing and press them open. Set the upper collar (with its Lapel) into the neckline of the Center Front Facing and Back Neckline Facing. Press the seam open.
- Place the Center Front Facing on the Front, right sides together, pin and stitch along the front edge, lapel and outer collar edge. Stitch the lower edges of the facings to the Front exactly along the marked hemline. Trim the seam allowances at the lower front corners. Understitch the front edge seam allowance: along the button closure – to the facing; along the lapel – to the Front, 0.2 cm from the seam. Turn the front edges right side out and press the seams into shape.
- Stitch the elbow seam of the sleeve and the vent corners on the Lower Sleeve and Upper Sleeve. Press the elbow seam open, clip the allowance and press the vent. Press up the sleeve hem. Stitch the front sleeve seam and press it open.
- Set the sleeves into the armholes, matching the notches. Sew in the shoulder pads and sleeve heads.
- Sew the lining pieces together and set in the lining sleeves, leaving an opening in the front seam of the right sleeve.
- Stitch the lining to the inner edges of the Center Front Facings and Back Neckline Facing. Press open the collar attachment seam allowances and secure close to the seams.
- Stitch the lining to the hems of the jacket and sleeves. Turn the jacket right side out through the opening in the sleeve. Stitch the opening in the sleeve.
- On the right front, make buttonholes; on the left front, sew on buttons. Mark and sew on buttons on the sleeve.
