Casual Jacket with Front Zip

Casual Jacket with Front Zip and Slanted Welt Pockets

A men's hip-length zip jacket with a turn-down collar, slanted single-welt pockets and one-piece set-in sleeves. Fully lined.

When To Wear

• In autumn and on mild winter days, over a jumper or a shirt.
• With jeans, chinos or wool trousers for everyday wear.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Straight, relaxed fit with no darts or panel seams.

Length: Hip length, straight hem.

Collar: Turn-down collar with an upper and an under collar, topstitched 7 mm from the edge.

Sleeves: One-piece set-in sleeves with an eased cap; the hem is stitched down by machine.

Closure: Separating zip at the centre front, stitched between the fronts and the front facings.

Pockets: Slanted single-welt pockets on the fronts, with a 2 cm welt and cotton pocket bags; the inner bag carries a self-fabric underlay.

Back: One piece cut on the fold, with no centre back seam.

Finishing: Fusible interfacing on the upper collar, welts and front facings. If the jacket is cut from a check, the checks are matched at the seams.

Lining: Full lining cut from the main pieces: the back with a 2 cm centre back ease pleat, the fronts without the facing area, the sleeves 2 cm shorter. The lining is stitched to the front facings and the neckline and slip-stitched to the sleeve and jacket hem allowances.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. Single-welt pockets, a separating zip set between the fronts and the facings, and a lining attached by hand at the hems.

Fabric Recommendations

Best suited for medium-weight outerwear fabrics:

• Wool or wool-blend coating
• Lightweight Melton or brushed cotton
• Coated twill or cotton canvas

Avoid overly stretchy or drapey materials to maintain structural clarity.

For a warmer jacket, the back and front lining can be cut from thin faux fur and the sleeve lining from quilted lining fabric, using the same lining pieces.

Additional Supplies

• Lining fabric for the jacket
• Cotton lining fabric for the pocket bags
• Fusible interfacing
• Separating zip in a matching colour

Cutter’s Must

From Main Fabric:

1. Back – 1 piece on fold
2. Front – 2 pieces
3. Sleeve – 2 pieces
4. Upper Collar – 1 piece on fold
5. Lower Collar – 1 piece on fold
6. Center Front Facing – 2 pieces
7. Pocket Underlay – 2 pieces
8. Pocket Welt (rectangle 17 x 4 cm) – 2 pieces

From Cotton Fabric:

Pocket Bag – 4 pieces

From Lining:

For drafting lining patterns, use main pattern pieces with the following modifications:

1. Back Lining – use Back pattern, add a 2 cm center-back ease pleat, cut 2 (not on fold).
2. Front Lining – use Front excluding center front facing area; cut 2.
3. Sleeve – shorten by 2 cm at hem, cut 2.

Fusible Interfacing:

For drafting fusible interfacing patterns, use main pattern pieces:

1. Upper Collar – cut 1 on fold.
2. Center Front Facing – cut 2.
3. Pocket Welts – rectangle 17 x 4 cm, cut 2.

Important Information

Before cutting your fabric:

• Print and lay out pattern pieces to determine yardage.
• Check mirrored pieces, notches, and grainlines.
• For patterned fabrics, align carefully for symmetry.

Assembly Instructions

Preparation – Fuse Interfacing

From the wrong side, apply fusible interfacing to the Upper Collar, Pocket Welts and Center Front Facings (press firmly with a hot iron).

Pocket Preparation

• Place the Pocket Underlay wrong side to the right side of the Inner Pocket Bag along the marking.
• Turn under the lower edge and stitch close to the fold.
• Baste the underlay and pocket bag together along the remaining open edges.

Single-Welt Pocket

• Pin the Welt and Pocket Bag, both facing downward, to the marked pocket line on the right side of the Front.
• Pin the Pocket Bag with Underlay, facing upward, above the line.
• Stitch 5 mm from each side of the pocket marking through all layers.
• Slash the fabric between the stitching lines, clipping diagonally into corners.
• Turn the pocket bags to the wrong side and fold the Welt to form a 2 cm lip; press.
• Secure the free welt edge to the corresponding pocket bag with a zigzag stitch.
• Align both pocket bags, stitch around the contour, and press.
• From the wrong side, tack the ends of the welt to the small triangular seam allowances of the main fabric.

Jacket Body

Join side seams and shoulder seams, press allowances open.

Sleeves

• Sew sleeve seams.
• Set sleeves into armholes, matching notches and easing the sleeve cap as marked. Press seam allowances toward sleeve.

Collar

• Place Upper Collar and Lower Collar right sides together. Stitch along outer edges, turn right side out, press, and topstitch 7 mm from edges. Baste open edges together.
• Position collar, turned downward, right side to jacket, aligning notches with shoulder seams, and baste to neckline.

Front Facings & Zipper Installation

Open the zipper completely.

Place the jacket Front right side up.

Position one zipper tape right side down along the front edge, with the zipper teeth exactly on the center-front seam line.

Stitch the zipper tape to the Front from neckline to hem.

Place the corresponding Center Front Facing right sides together with the Front, aligning front edges and neckline. The zipper tape now lies between the Front and the Facing.

Stitch along the front edge again, sewing exactly on (or just inside) the previous seam line to sandwich the zipper between Front and Facing.

Turn the Facing to the inside, roll the edge slightly to the wrong side, and press for a sharp front edge.

Repeat these steps for the other side of the zipper with the second Front and Facing.

Lining Assembly

1. Attach Lining Fronts to Facings

• Place lining front edges against the inside edge of the Front Facings (right sides together).
• Stitch lining to facings along the facing’s inner edge.
• Press seam allowance toward the lining.

1. Join Lining Body

• Sew lining fronts to lining back at shoulder seams; press toward the back.
• Sew lining side seams; press.
• Form a 2 cm center-back pleat and secure with two short horizontal stitches (one below neckline, one above hem).

1. Assemble Lining Sleeves

• Sew sleeve seams; press open.
• Set lining sleeves into lining armholes; press allowances toward sleeves.

1. Attach Lining to Jacket (Neckline Only)

• Place jacket wrong side out.
• Slip lining inside (wrong sides together).
• Align shoulder seams and center backs.
• With right sides together only at the neckline, stitch lining to the jacket neckline, catching the collar.
• Press seam allowance toward lining.

Sleeve and Hem Finishing (Hand-Finished Method)

• Turn jacket sleeve hems to the inside and stitch.
• Turn lining sleeve hems under and slip-stitch to sleeve hem allowances.
• Turn jacket hem allowance to the inside and stitch.
• Slip-stitch lining hem to jacket hem allowance, keeping a little ease so the lining doesn’t pull.