Cropped Gathered Collar Front Bow Closure Jacket
A short, open-front women's jacket in light sheer fabric, with a wide gathered collar, short puff sleeves and a band at the lower edge that extends into ties for a bow at the front.
When To Wear
- In summer over sleeveless dresses and tops.
- For daytime events and evenings out, worn over a fitted dress.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Cropped above the waist; the fronts are gathered into the band in the bust area.
Collar: One-piece collar folded lengthwise and gathered at the short ends; the neckline seam is covered with bias binding.
Front: Open, edge-to-edge fronts with the centre edges finished in bias binding.
Closure: The lower band continues past the front edges as ties.
Sleeves: Short puff sleeves gathered at the cap and the hem, with a double sleeve-top piece at the cap. A folded cuff holds elastic for a closer fit.
Back: Centre back seam and darts pressed towards the centre.
Finishing: Seams overlocked; the band is cut as an outer and inner layer.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Gathering on light sheer fabric, bias-bound edges and seams, a two-layer tie band and puff sleeves with a sleeve top and elastic cuffs.
Fabric Recommendations
Light sheer fabrics of natural or blended fibres.
Additional Supplies
- Elastic for the cuffs
- Bias binding, 3 cm wide
Cutter's Must
From main fabric:
- Back – 2 pieces
- Front – 2 pieces
- Collar – 1 piece
- Back Placket – 2 pieces
- Front Placket – 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Upper Sleeve – 4 pieces
Sewing Instructions
- Sew a line of long, loose stitches 0.5 cm from the edge along the lower edge of the front. Gather the bust area between the notches.
- Press the bias binding in half lengthwise and bind the center edge of the front with it.
- Mark and stitch the darts on the back. Press the darts towards the center.
- Stitch the center back seam, overlock and press it.
- Stitch the side and shoulder seams. Overlock the seams and press them towards the back.
- Fold the collar in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and sew a line of long, loose stitches along the short edges. Gather. Clip the corners of the front at the collar seam. Stitch the collar to the neckline. Trim the seam allowance to 0.5 cm and overlock. Cover the seam with bias binding: fold the bias binding in half and stitch it to the seam on the wrong side, placing the binding on the collar side. Fold the binding over and topstitch it to the front, covering the collar seam.
- Join the back placket and front plackets at the side edges. Stitch the outer placket to the lower edge of the jacket, matching the notch on the front placket with the center edge of the front. Clip the seam allowance at the ends of the stitching and overlock. Place the outer and inner plackets right sides together and stitch the open edges of the placket, starting and ending the stitching at the seam joining the placket to the jacket. Turn the placket right side out and press. Press under the open edge of the inner placket and stitch it down along the attachment seam.
- Gather the lower edge and the cap of the sleeve. Stitch an upper sleeve piece to the cap. On the remaining 2 upper sleeve pieces, press under the edge that joins the cap and stitch them on the wrong side over the attachment seam. Press the seams. Press the cuff in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Unfold the cuff, stitch its short edges together and press the seam open. Fold the cuff in half lengthwise again and press. Stitch the sleeve seam, overlock and press it open. Stitch the outer side of the cuff to the lower edge of the sleeve. Press the seam towards the cuff. Press under the open edge of the cuff. For a closer fit, stitch elastic to the cuff at the marks. Stitch the inner edge of the cuff down along the seam joining it to the sleeve.
- Set the sleeves into the armholes, matching the notches. Overlock the armhole seam and press it.
