Fusing
On the wrong side of your cut out pieces, mark in pocket placement from your front pattern piece. Cut 4cm/1.6”wide strips of fusing and fuse the hemline of your front and back pieces, sleeves, and the top edge of pockets. Fuse your front and back neck facing pieces.
Step 1
Neaten all edges of pocket piece.
Fold down the top edge of pocket from notches, so that right sides are facing and stitch down along side seams. Clip corners and turn through to right side. Press. Press remaining edges and bottom corners in 1cm/0.39”.
Step 2
On your front bodice pieces, mark in pocket placement from your front pattern piece. Place pocket on front piece markings. Topstitch around sides and bottom, sewing small triangle in each top corner for added strength. Repeat on other side.
Step 3
With right sides facing, pin front pieces to back piece at the shoulder. Stitch and neaten seams. Press seam allowance open.
Step 4
Pin the the side seams of the front and back together. Starting from notch A (the armhole notch) Stitch side seams together all the way to the hem. Press seam allowances open.
Step 5
With right side together, pin the sleeve edges together from armhole to sleeve hem. Stitch. Press seam allowances open.
Step 6
With right sides together, place the sleeve inside the jacket front and back to match armhole edges. Place a pin where the sleeve underarm seam meets the jacket side seam. Pin around armhole, matching shoulder seam with sleeve centre notch. Start stitching from the underarm seam and stitch around armhole. Press. Repeat for other side.
Step 7
Fold hem and sleeve edges up at notches and press well forming a fold-line.
Step 8
With right sides facing, pin front & back neck facings together at shoulder seams. Stitch. Press seam allowances open.
Step 9
Fold back lining piece in half with right sides facing, and stitch down a couple of stitches at notch to form a pleat.
Step 10
Evenly distribute pleat on either side of seam and edge-stitch down along top edge. Press.
Step 11
Pin front and back lining together at shoulders. Stitch. Press seams open.
Step 12
Pin side seams with right sides facing. Stitch, leaving a 20cm/8” gap on one side seam only. Press seams open.
Step 13
With right sides facing, pin the sleeve lining edges together from armhole to sleeve hem. Stitch. Press seam allowances open.
Step 14
With right sides together place the sleeve lining inside the jacket front and back lining to match armhole edges. Place a pin where the sleeve underarm seam meets the jacket lining side seam. Pin around armhole, matching shoulder seam with sleeve centre notch. Start stitching from the underarm seam and stitch around armhole. Press seam allowance open. Repeat for other side.
Step 15
Pin outer edges of facing around neck opening of lining with right sides facing. Stitch together, starting and stopping your stitch-line at the notch closest to hem on facing/lining. Press seam allowance toward lining.
Step 16
With right sides together, pin facing to jacket shell all the way around neckline, matching notches and shoulder seams. Stitch together. Trim seam allowance in half and under-stitch toward facing.
Step 17
Pull your lining to one side and your shell to the other with wrong sides out. Fold your sleeves in to the centre to meet each other. Overlap your sleeve lining over jacket sleeve. Stitch edges of lining and jacket sleeves together. Repeat for other sleeve.
Step 18
With right sides facing, stitch bottom edge of facing to jacket shell, stopping your stitch-line 1cm/0.39” from open edge of facing.
Fold bottom edge of facing up out of the way. On shell only, from inside corner of hem cut-out, clip in a diagonal up to the end of your stitch-line, being careful not to cut through your stitches.
Clip outer corner of facing to reduce bulk when it’s turned through the right way.
Step 19
With right sides facing, pin lining hem to shell hem. Stitch together.
Step 20
From clipped corner, fold hem of jacket shell up at pressed edge, towards lining. Pivot at clipped corner until the side edge of hem lines up with facing edge. Pin together, sandwiching lining between, to form a pleat. Stitch.
Step 21
Carefully pull coat through the opening in side seam until its the right way out. With coat lining side out, either edge stitch or hand sew side seam gap closed.
Voilà!