Safety Notice: Handmade items made from this pattern may contain small parts or long cords that pose choking or strangulation risks. Not suitable for children under 3 years. Please see the full safety disclaimer at sewmag.co.uk/safety.
Longer-line garments always look more flattering than their shorter cousins, and this exclusive design by Amanda Walker is no exception. Made in forgiving lightweight washed wool, the fabric has a slight stretch making it super-easy to work with. The clever pattern involves minimum cutting and the self-lined facings add a really professional finish. We opted for statement red, a colour that suits most skin tones and once teamed with a timeless Breton style striped top, the look is bang up to date.
1 Download and print the templates. Cut out the pieces following the cutting guide. Fuse interfacing to the front facings and one of the collars. With the right sides of the two collars facing, stitch them together leaving the neck edge open. Trim away the bulk from the corners, then turn to the right side. Tease out the seams and corners and press.
2 Match, pin and stitch the shoulder seams of the front two jacket pieces to the back jacket with right sides facing. Press the seam allowances open. Align the centre of the collar on the neck edge and the centre back neck edge of the jacket back, matching the notches and dots and stitch to the neck of the jacket.
3 Pin and stitch the shoulder seams of the two front facing pieces to the back facing, with right sides facing. Press the seam allowances open. Position the joined facing over the attached collar, matching the notches and taking it down the centre front edges. The facing is shorter than the jacket to accommodate the 4cm hem. Stitch the facing in place around the neck and down the front, sandwiching the collar inside.
4 With the right sides of the facing and jacket still together, match the armholes and stitch in place. Clip around the curved seam allowance and turn the jacket to the right side by threading the front jacket parts through the shoulders. Tease out the seam allowance around the armholes, clip around the neckline, trim the bulk from the corners and turn the facing to the right side. Push out the corners and press.
5 Match the side seams together, pin and stitch from the dots indicated on the pattern at the top of the splits up to the underarm, then into the edges of the facings. Make sure the armhole seams are open when stitching this seam. Press the seam open and continue folding and pressing the edges of the splits. Fold the facing back inside under the arms and hand stitch in place to stop it from rolling out. Fold and press up a 4cm hem. Sew the corners of the splits and hand stitch the hem.