Eisenhower Jacket with Zip Front, Pleated Flap Pockets & Elasticated Waistband
Introducing a digital pattern for the men's waist-length Eisenhower (Ike) jacket with a zip front, shirt collar on a stand and pleated chest pockets – Military Heritage with Modern Ease.
When To Wear
This classic short jacket bridges workwear and smart casual dressing, making it suitable for:
- Everyday City Wear: an easy layer over a T-shirt, knit or shirt.
- Transitional Seasons: lined body for spring and autumn without the bulk of a coat.
- Smart Casual Outfits: works with jeans, chinos or tailored trousers.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Relaxed, slightly bloused body finished at the waist with a waistband.
Closure: Full-length separating zipper at the centre front.
Collar: Shirt collar on a separate stand.
Yokes: Front yokes and a double back yoke, topstitched.
Pockets: Two patch pockets with pleats on the chest, closed with buttoned flaps set into the yoke seam; two angled welt pockets at the front.
Sleeves: One-piece long sleeves with a slit, pleats at the hem and buttoned cuffs.
Waistband: Elastic in casings at the sides for a snug fit, with belt loops.
Lining: Body lined; sleeves unlined.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Involves welt pockets, a separating zipper with facings and lining, a collar on a stand and an elasticated waistband.
Fabric Recommendations
- Cotton gabardine or twill
- Denim or other dense cotton fabrics
- Lightweight wool or wool blends for a smarter version
Recommended lining fabric: cotton lining, viscose or cupro in matching tone.
Additional Supplies
- Main fabric
- Lining fabric
- Fusible interfacing
- Elastic tape for the waistband
- 4 buttons, 10 mm diameter (2 for the pocket flaps, 2 for the cuffs)
- One separating zipper (length depends on size)
Cutter’s Must
From Main Fabric:
- Back – 1 piece on fold
- Front – 2 pieces
- Back Yoke – 2 pieces
- Front Yoke – 2 pieces
- Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Upper Collar – 1 piece
- Upper Collar Stand – 1 piece
- Under Collar – 1 piece
- Under Collar Stand – 1 piece
- Patch Pocket – 2 pieces
- Patch Pocket Facing – 2 pieces
- Patch Pocket Flap – 4 pieces
- Welt Pocket Facing 1 – 2 pieces
- Welt Pocket Facing 2 – 2 pieces
- Welt Pocket Underlay – 2 pieces
- Front Facing – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
- Waistband – 1 piece
- Belt Loop – 1 piece (cut into 4 loops after sewing)
From Lining Fabric:
- Back – 1 piece on fold
- Front – 2 pieces
- Welt Pocket Bag – 4 pieces
From Fusible Interfacing:
- Upper Collar – 1 piece
- Upper Collar Stand – 1 piece
- Front Yoke – 2 pieces
- Patch Pocket Flap – 2 pieces
- Welt Pocket Facing 1 – 2 pieces
- Welt Pocket Facing 2 – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 2 pieces
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.
Topstitching is 5 mm from the edge or seam unless stated otherwise.
Assembly Instructions
1. Preparation – Fuse Interfacing
From the wrong side, apply fusible interfacing to:
- Upper Collar and Upper Collar Stand
- Front Yokes
- Two of the Patch Pocket Flaps (outer flaps)
- Welt Pocket Facings 1 and 2
- Cuffs
Press with a hot iron and press cloth until fully bonded.
2. Angled Welt Pockets
- Place the Welt Pocket Underlay wrong side down on the right side of a Welt Pocket Bag; turn under its inner edge and edgestitch. Baste the open edges together.
- Fold the Welt Pocket Facing in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.
- Pin the facing to the right side of the Front along the pocket marking, folded edge towards the centre front. Place the second Welt Pocket Bag (without underlay) wrong side up on top.
- Stitch the facing and pocket bag 1 cm on each side of the marking.
- Cut along the marking through the Front and the bag, clipping diagonally into the corners right up to the ends of the stitching.
- Turn the bag to the wrong side, straighten the welt and stitch the triangular ends and the welt ends to the bag from the wrong side.
- Place the bag with the underlay on top, right sides together; stitch the bag edges and overlock.
- From the right side, stitch across the top and ends of the pocket opening to secure the bag.
3. Pleated Patch Pockets
- Form the pleats on each Patch Pocket following the markings; press and topstitch 3 mm from the folds.
- Place the Patch Pocket and Patch Pocket Facing right sides together; stitch around the outer edges, turn right side out, press and topstitch.
- Press the open edges under, position the pocket on the Front by the markings and edgestitch in place.
4. Pocket Flaps and Front Yokes
- Place an interfaced and a plain Flap right sides together; stitch around the outer edges, trim, turn, press and topstitch.
- Place each flap on the right side of the Front by the markings, pointing down, and baste along the upper edge of the Front.
- Stitch the Front Yoke to the Front, catching the flap in the seam. Overlock, press the allowances towards the yoke and topstitch.
5. Back Yoke, Shoulder and Side Seams
- Place the two Back Yokes right sides together with the Back between them, matching the edges, and stitch. Turn, press and topstitch.
- Join the shoulder seams in the same way, sandwiching the Front Yokes between the two Back Yokes.
- Stitch the side seams and overlock.
6. Lining, Facings and Zipper
- Join the lining Back and Fronts at the shoulder and side seams. Stitch the Front Facings to the lining fronts.
- Press the centre front allowances of the jacket to the wrong side and baste the separating zipper so that the teeth show.
- Place the lining with facings on the jacket, right sides together, and stitch along the front edges, catching the zipper tape.
- Turn right side out, press and topstitch along the fronts.
- Baste the jacket and lining together along the neckline, armholes and lower edge.
7. Collar on a Stand
- Place the Upper Collar and Under Collar right sides together; stitch the outer edges, trim, turn, press and topstitch.
- Place the two stands right sides together with the collar between them along the upper edges (interfaced stand against interfaced collar) and stitch, continuing the seam along the front extensions of the stand.
- Turn the stand, press its open edges under, insert the neckline between them and edgestitch, continuing the topstitching along the upper stand seam.
8. Sleeves and Cuffs
- Stitch the sleeve seam up to the slit marking; overlock and press the allowances towards the upper sleeve. Below the marking press the allowances open and topstitch them to the sleeve along the edge.
- Set the sleeves into the armholes matching the notches; overlock, press the allowances towards the body and topstitch.
- Form the pleats at the sleeve hem by the markings, press and baste.
- Fold each Cuff right sides together, stitch the short ends and turn.
- Stitch the interfaced half of the cuff to the sleeve hem, right sides together. Press the open edge under and topstitch along the seam, continuing the topstitching around the whole cuff.
9. Waistband and Belt Loops
- Stitch the Waistband to the lower edge of the jacket, right sides together.
- Fold the waistband to the inside, press the open edge under and stitch the horizontal casing lines by the markings.
- Insert elastic into the side casings and secure with vertical stitching at the markings.
- Topstitch the open edge of the waistband to the jacket, continuing the topstitching around the whole waistband.
- Fold the Belt Loop strip in half lengthwise right sides together, stitch the long edge, turn, press and topstitch both edges. Cut into 4 loops, turn the ends under and stitch to the waistband by the markings.
10. Finishing
- Make buttonholes on the pocket flaps and cuffs by the markings.
- Sew on the buttons.
- Give the jacket a final press.
