Fitted Utility Shirt with Flap Pockets
This women's sewing pattern features a chic fitted utility shirt, distinguished by its asymmetrical diagonal front closure, practical flap pockets and buckled strap details.
When To Wear
This utility shirt offers a blend of style and practicality, making it an ideal choice for:
- Casual Chic Outings: Perfect for adding a stylish yet functional touch to everyday wear.
- Smart Casual Office Wear: An excellent choice for a polished, contemporary look in a professional setting.
- Travel & Exploration: Offers comfort and utility with a fashionable edge, ideal for adventures.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: a flattering, close-fitting silhouette shaped with darts on the front and back to accentuate the waist.
Neckline / Collar: Classic pointed collar on a stand, leading into the distinctive asymmetrical front.
Closure: Asymmetrical front closure running diagonally from the neckline to the hem, faced with plackets and fastened with nine snaps.
Sleeves: Short set-in sleeves with a simple stitched hem.
Pockets: Two chest patch pockets with an inverted pleat, each topped with a rectangular flap.
Details: Above each pocket, a short strap from the armhole fastens with a decorative buckle to a long strap with eyelets coming from the front placket.
Back: a fitted back with a center back seam and darts for a tailored aesthetic.
Length: Hip-length, suitable for wearing tucked or untucked.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Requires confident skills for constructing the asymmetrical placket front, collar on a stand, straps, and flap pockets.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose shirting fabrics with a crisp hand and good drape:
- Shirting fabrics made from natural or blended fibers
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing
- 9 snaps
- 2 decorative buckles
- Eyelets for the long straps
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Back – 2 pieces
- Right Front – 1 piece
- Left Front – 1 piece
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Stand Collar – 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Right Placket – 1 piece
- Left Upper Placket – 1 piece
- Left Lower Placket – 1 piece
- Flap – 4 pieces
- Pocket – 2 pieces
- Longer Strap – 2 pieces
- Shorter Strap – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing: Left Lower Placket, Left Upper Placket, Right Placket, upper Collar, upper Stand Collar, upper Flap (2 pieces)
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Left Upper Placket, Left Lower Placket, Right Placket, upper Collar, upper Stand Collar, and 2 of the Flap pieces.
- Stitch the darts on the back and front. Press the darts towards the center of each piece.
- Fold the strap pieces in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch along the long side and one short end. Trim the allowances, turn right side out, and press. Topstitch along the edges of the straps. Place each Shorter Strap on the armhole at the marks and baste.
- Place the Flap pieces right sides together in pairs and stitch. Trim the corner allowances and turn right side out. Roll the seams to the edge and press. Overlock the raw edge of the flap. Mark the position of the chest pocket. Stitch the flap to the front, turn it down, and topstitch.
- Fold the inverted pleat on each pocket. Press the upper allowance of the pocket to the wrong side, turn under, and topstitch. Press the side and lower allowances to the wrong side. Place the pockets on the fronts at the markings and topstitch them in place.
- Place the Collar pieces right sides together and stitch along the ends and outer edge. Trim and turn out the collar corners. Stitch the Stand Collar pieces together, sandwiching the collar between them. Turn right side out and press the finished collar.
- Press the outer edges of the right and left plackets to the wrong side. Stitch the Left Lower Placket to the Left Upper Placket. Place the plackets on the right side of the fronts, face down, and stitch along the front edge. Stitch the lower edges of the plackets to the fronts exactly at the marked hemline. Turn the front edges right side out, roll the seams to the edge and press. Topstitch the inner edge of the plackets to the fronts. Baste the neckline edge of the fronts and plackets together.
- Turn under the raw end of each Longer Strap and topstitch it above the flap into the placket topstitching.
- Stitch the shoulder and side seams. Press the seams towards the back and overlock.
- Stitch the lower stand with the collar to the neckline, turn under the raw edge of the upper stand, and topstitch it over the attachment seam. Topstitch around the collar.
- Stitch and overlock the sleeve seams. Set in the sleeves, easing the sleeve cap.
- Overlock the hems of the shirt and sleeves, press them to the wrong side, and topstitch.
- Set the top parts of the snaps on the right front and the bottom parts on the left front. Attach the buckles to the Shorter Straps and set eyelets in the Longer Straps.
