Button-Front Eisenhower Jacket with Pleated Flap Pockets & Elasticated Waistband
Introducing a digital pattern for the men's waist-length button-front Eisenhower (Ike) jacket with a shirt collar on a stand, pleated chest pockets and buttoned cuffs – Workwear Heritage with Clean Lines.
When To Wear
This unlined shirt-style jacket is an easy, versatile layer, suitable for:
- Everyday Casual: over a T-shirt, knit or lightweight shirt.
- Transitional Seasons: spring and autumn, when a coat is too much.
- Workwear Styling: sturdy fabrics and utility pockets suit a contemporary workwear look.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Relaxed, boxy body finished at the waist with a waistband.
Closure: Button-front with a topstitched front edge.
Collar: Shirt collar on a separate stand.
Yoke: Double yoke across the shoulders, front and back, topstitched.
Pockets: Two patch pockets with pleats on the chest, closed with buttoned flaps.
Sleeves: Two-piece long sleeves with a faced slit, pleats at the hem and buttoned cuffs.
Seams: Side and sleeve seams sewn in one go with a flat-felled seam and double topstitching.
Waistband: Front and back sections, elastic in casings for a snug fit, with belt loops.
Lining: Unlined.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Involves a collar on a stand, faced sleeve slits, cuffs, flat-felled seams and an elasticated waistband.
Fabric Recommendations
- Cotton gabardine or twill
- Denim or other dense cotton fabrics
- Medium-weight wool or wool blends for a smarter version
Additional Supplies
- Main fabric
- Fusible interfacing
- Elastic tape for the waistband
- 12 buttons, 10 mm diameter (front, collar stand, pocket flaps and cuffs)
Cutter’s Must
From Main Fabric:
- Back – 1 piece on fold
- Left Front – 1 piece
- Right Front – 1 piece
- Yoke – 2 pieces
- Upper Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Under Sleeve – 2 pieces
- Collar – 2 pieces
- Collar Stand – 2 pieces
- Patch Pocket – 2 pieces
- Patch Pocket Flap – 4 pieces
- Sleeve Slit Facing – 2 pieces
- Cuff – 4 pieces
- Back Waistband – 1 piece
- Front Waistband – 1 piece
- Belt Loop – 1 piece (cut into 4 loops after sewing)
From Fusible Interfacing:
- Collar – 1 piece
- Collar Stand – 1 piece
- 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 the outer Collar, the outer Collar Stand and the two outer Cuffs. Press with a hot iron and press cloth until fully bonded.
2. Front Edges
- Press the front closure allowance of each Front to the wrong side along the fold line and baste along the fold.
- Stitch along the front edge line.
3. Pleated Patch Pockets and Flaps
- Form the pleats on each Patch Pocket following the markings; press and topstitch 3 mm from the folds.
- Press the top hem of the pocket to the inside, turn the raw edge under and stitch along the edge.
- Press the remaining edges under, position the pocket on the Front by the markings and edgestitch in place.
- 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 Front above the pocket, right side down and pointing upwards, with its raw edge on the flap marking; stitch 1 cm from the raw edge.
- Fold the flap down over the pocket, press and topstitch 5 mm from the fold to enclose the seam allowance.
4. Yoke
- Place the two Yokes right sides together with the Back between them, matching the edges, and stitch. Turn, press and topstitch.
- Attach the Fronts to the front edges of the yoke in the same way, matching the notches and sandwiching the Fronts between the two yokes.
5. Collar on a Stand
- Place the two Collar pieces right sides together; stitch the outer edges, trim, turn, press and topstitch.
- Place the two Collar 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.
6. Sleeves and Slits
- Stitch the Upper Sleeve and Under Sleeve together up to the slit marking; overlock and press the allowances towards the upper sleeve. Below the marking press the allowances open.
- Pin the Sleeve Slit Facing right side to the wrong side of the sleeve by the markings and stitch along the edge. Finish the open edge with a narrow machine-stitched hem.
- Clip the allowances at the top of the slit and turn half the width of the facing to the right side. Turn its raw edges under and edgestitch to the sleeve.
- Set the sleeves into the armholes flat, matching the notches; overlock, press the allowances towards the body and topstitch.
7. Side and Sleeve Seams (Flat-Felled)
- Place the jacket right sides together and stitch the side and underarm seams in one continuous seam.
- Press the allowances towards the front, trim the lower allowance to half its width, fold the upper allowance over it and stitch to the garment with double topstitching.
8. Cuffs
- Form the pleats at the sleeve hem by the markings, press and baste.
- Place an interfaced and a plain Cuff right sides together; stitch the short ends and one long edge, then turn.
- Stitch the interfaced 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
- Join the Back Waistband and Front Waistband at the short ends; press the seams open.
- 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 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 left front, collar stand, pocket flaps and cuffs by the markings.
- Sew on the buttons.
- Give the jacket a final press.
