Jacket with Gathered Sleeve-Cap Overlays
A fitted hip-length women's jacket with a small notched collar, an edge-to-edge front closed with hooks and eyes, princess seams front and back, and a separate gathered section at the top of each sleeve. Fully lined.
When To Wear
- Over a dress or with a matching skirt for daytime events and the office.
- In spring and autumn over a fine blouse or top.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted, shaped by princess seams and darts on the front and back.
Length: To the upper hip, straight hem.
Collar: Small notched collar with short lapels, upper and under collar.
Closure: Edges meet at the centre front without overlap, fastened with 11 hooks and eyes sewn to the fronts before the facings are attached.
Sleeves: Two-piece set-in sleeves. The sleeve cap is a separate piece, gathered along both its upper and lower edges and joined to the upper sleeve, so the gathers sit at the shoulder.
Back: Centre back seam, princess seams and back shoulder darts.
Finishing: Front edge seam understitched 0.2 cm from the seam; armhole edges of the front and back interfaced; shoulder pads and sleeve heads.
Lining: Full lining.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Gathering and inserting the sleeve caps, setting gathered sleeves into the armhole, a notched collar set between the jacket and the facings, and a bagged lining.
Fabric Recommendations
Fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric
- Fusible interfacing (facings, centre front, back neck facing, upper collar, armhole edges)
- 11 hooks and eyes
- Shoulder pads
- Sleeve heads
Cutter's Must
From main fabric:
- 1. Side Back – 2 pieces
- 2. Side Front – 2 pieces
- 3. Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
- 4. Lower Collar – 1 piece
- 5. Upper Collar – 1 piece
- 6. Upper Sleeve – 2 pieces
- 7. Lower Sleeve – 2 pieces
- 8. Sleeve Cap – 2 pieces
- 9. Center Back – 2 pieces
- 10. Center Front – 2 pieces
- 11. Back Neckline Facing – 1 piece
From lining fabric:
- 1. Side Back – 2 pieces
- 2. Side Front – 2 pieces
- 3. Upper Sleeve – 2 pieces
- 4. Lower Sleeve – 2 pieces
- 5. Center Back – 2 pieces
- 6. Center Front – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing: Center Front Facing, Back Neckline Facing, Upper Collar, Center Front, armhole edges of the front and back.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Center Front Facings, Back Neckline Facing, Upper Collar and Center Fronts, and to the armhole edges of the front and back.
- Mark the darts on the front and back. Stitch the back darts and press them towards the centre. Stitch the front darts, trim away the excess fabric inside the darts and press them open.
- Place the Upper Collar and Lower Collar right sides together and stitch around the outer edges. Turn right side out, ease out the seams and press the collar.
- Mark the positions of the 11 hooks and eyes. Sew the eyes to the right front and the hooks to the left front. Place the Center Front Facing on the front, right sides together, pin and stitch along the front edge. Stitch with the front on top, from the bottom up to the notch that marks the end of the collar seam. Stitch the lower ends of the facings to the front exactly along the marked hemline. Trim the seam allowances at the upper and lower corners. Understitch the front edge seam allowances 0.2 cm from the seam: below the lapels, to the facing; along the lapels, to the front. Turn the front edges right side out and press, easing out the seams.
- Stitch the princess seams of the front (Center Front to Side Front) and back (Center Back to Side Back) and press them open. Stitch the centre back seam and press it open. Stitch the shoulder and side seams of the jacket and press them open.
- Join the Back Neckline Facing to the Center Front Facings at the shoulders and press the seams open. Stitch the Lower Collar to the jacket neckline and the Upper Collar to the neckline edge of the Back Neckline Facing and Center Front Facings.
- Along the upper and lower edges of each Sleeve Cap, sew a row of long, loose stitches 0.5 cm from the edge and pull up the gathers.
- Stitch the Sleeve Cap to the Upper Sleeve. Stitch the elbow seam (Upper Sleeve to Lower Sleeve) and press it open. 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.
- Assemble the lining: stitch the seams and set in the 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 the collar seam allowances open and tack them together close to the seams.
- Stitch the lining to the jacket hem and sleeve hems. Turn the jacket right side out through the opening in the sleeve lining. Stitch the opening closed.
