Download Blazer

[Karri Pretty]

Ablazer is a type of jacket resembling a suit jacket, but cut more casually. A blazer is generally distinguished from a sport coat as a more formal garment and tailored from solid colour fabrics. Blazers often have naval-style metal buttons to reflect their origin as jackets worn by boating club members.[1]

A blazer's cloth is usually durable, as it is intended as outdoor wear. Blazers are often part of a uniform that denotes, for example, an airline's employees, pupils of a particular school, members of sports clubs, or sportsmen and women on a particular team.

Blazers are worn with a wide variety of clothes, ranging from a dress shirt and necktie to an open-necked polo shirt, or even just a plain T-shirt. They are seen with trousers of all colours and fabrics, from the classic white cotton or linen, to grey flannel, to brown or beige chinos, and also jeans.

A fitted, classically cut, double-breasted navy blue blazer with navy-style buttons is a popular design and sometimes referred to as a "reefer" blazer. Particularly in North America and the United Kingdom, it is now frequently used in business casual attire.

Blazers, in a wide range of colours, are worn as part of school uniforms by many schools across the Commonwealth, and are still daily wear for most uniformed pupils in Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. These are blazers in the traditional sense: single-breasted, and often of bright colours or with piping. This style is also worn by some boat clubs, such as those in Cambridge or Oxford, with the piped version used only on special occasions such as a boat club dinner. In this case, the piping is in college colours, and college buttons are worn. This traditional style can be seen in many films set in the Edwardian era, such as Kind Hearts and Coronets.

Where the blazer is part of the dress of a school, college, sports club, or armed service regimental association (veterans' organization), it is normal for a badge to be sewn to the breast pocket. In schools, this badge may vary according to the pupil's standing in the school: being a member of the junior or senior school, being a prefect, or having been awarded colours in recognition of particular achievement in some academic or sporting field. In the Commonwealth, many regimental associations wear "regimental blazers" which also sport a similar badge on the breast pocket, usually in the form of a wire badge, and sometimes also regimental blazer buttons.

In the British army, officers do not normally wear badges on their blazers (or boating jackets). Two regimental blazers will rarely be the same, as they are sourced from different civilian suppliers and are not issued by any authority. This results from the fact that the members of the association are no longer serving personnel, but civilians, though still retaining the bond that the badge represents. The standard colour is navy blue, although in some associations different colours are worn, such as rifle green for the associations of rifle regiments.

Two sporting events where blazers signify victory are the Congressional Cup Regatta, at the Long Beach Yacht Club, California, and the Masters golf tournament, held in Augusta, Georgia. The former event awards a crimson blazer to the winner of the regatta, while the latter awards a green blazer to the winner of the Masters.

The sartorial term blazer originated with the red "blazers" of the Lady Margaret Boat Club (1825), the rowing club of St. John's College, Cambridge. The Lady Margaret club jackets were termed blazers because of the bright red cloth, and the term survived the original red coat.

These early blazers were like later sports jackets, but this term has never referred to blazers, instead describing jackets derived from the later innovation of wearing odd jackets for land-based sports. Assertions that the name is derived from HMS Blazer are not borne out by contemporary sources, although it is reported that before the standardization of uniform in the Royal Navy, the crew of HMS Blazer wore "striped blue and white jackets",[4] apparently in response to the sailors of HMS Harlequin being turned out in harlequin suits.[5] As late as 1837 the gig's crew of HMS Blazer were dressed by their Captain in jackets of blue and white stripes and it is from this that the word blazer, meaning a striped jacket, has entered the language.[6][vague]

The reefer jacket of naval origin, described the short double-breasted jacket worn by sailors in harsh weather, while performing duties such as reefing the sails. It is the descendants of these jackets that are now commonly referred by the term blazer. Originally featuring black horn buttons, these jackets evolved into the modern dark blazer, now available in both single and double-breasted styles, often with metallic buttons.

The Heather is an unstructured, modern blazer. This comfortable and stylish jacket has a slightly oversized fit and can be worn in all seasons. It is the perfect editorial layering piece. This pattern is designed to be approachable for the beginner sewist. If you have always wanted to dip your toe into making outerwear but have felt intimidated, this is a great place to start!

The Heather Blazer is designed for woven fabrics. The easy silhouette of the Heather makes it look great in a variety of fabrics.

MAIN FABRIC: Any woven fabric with a bit of weight to it is great: Linen, suiting, twill, denim, canvas. Avoid fabrics that can't take a press since there is a fair amount of fusible interfacing involved in this project.

LINING FABRIC: Typically you want to line your jackets with something that will easily slide on and off over other fabrics. Anything a little bit slippery would work. Rayon, silk, a cotton with a tight weave.

WOVEN INTERFACING: You want the type that looks like fabric (not the papery kind) and is fusible. The papery kind will work in a pinch but it is worth investing in the woven stuff as it will really give your blazer a nicer feel.

KNIT INTERFACING: This interfacing also looks like fabric but has stretch, it will reinforce the collar and lapel without making them too stiff!

The Cashmerette Auburn Blazer features sleek princess seams, a sophisticated notched collar, and a single button closure. Complete the look with angled welt pockets and two-piece vented sleeves, or go for a cropped length and a clean sleeve finish. Whether sewn in a woven, stretch woven, or stable knit, the Auburn is sure to add polish to your wardrobe and style.

Main fabric for woven blazer: Mid- to heavy-weight wovens, such as suiting or tweed, made from wool, linen, or wool blends. Lightweight coating also suitable. Avoid fabrics with a very smooth surface like gabardine, as they will likely shine when pressed.

Body lining: If using a non-stretch woven, use a light- weight woven lining such as rayon bemberg or crepe de chine. If using a stretch woven or ponte, use a knit lining for the body, such as ITY or other slick jersey.

Interfacing: Mid-weight weft fusible interfacing and mid- weight knit fusible interfacing. Optional: use heavier weight interfacing for pocket welt; fusible horsehair canvas can be used for chest shield interfacing.

The PDF comes in separate files so you only need to print the cup size you need. Be sure to print both the Main Fabric and Lining/Interfacing files for your cup size. You'll receive files to print at home or at a copy shop. Files are delivered as a .zip file which can be downloaded on a computer, but not on a mobile device. For more on PDFs, see the FAQs.

Overall really liked making this blazer. I found the instructions well-written, and referenced the photos from the sew-along for one question I had about sewing the hem. I did size down in the bust for this, because i wanted to be able to wear it open without it looking super baggy in the front. I probably should have sized down 2 cup sizes because it's still a TAD baggy when I wear it open - but it fits perfectly when I button it. I learned the bound buttonhole for this jacket and it took me about 4 tries in practice scraps to get it - but it does add a very polished look!

I love this pattern. I made it in navy twill linen, lined with silk from an old sleeping bag liner, and it turned out beautifully. The instructions are clear and thorough. I was looking for a big project, and boy did I get it. There are LOTS of steps. My one suggesion is that psychologically it's tough to start with a bound buttonhole and welt pockets. They're tricky, especially the pockets. I reckon it's better to sew a few big seams first to get into the groove (e.g. start with the sleeves). I will definitely make this pattern again, but I need some recovery time first!

Hi Jenny,

I originally ordered the Auburn Blazer pattern in Dec. 2021 because my niece wanted a denim jacket and this was the closest pattern I could find that was designed for curves (in Cashmerette patterns, she's a 14 c/d in the upper body, a 16 waist and 14 hips). I made a muslin with the regular sleeves which were too tight, so we knew we would use the full bicep sleeves in the final version. I then moved things around and cropped the pattern to the length she wanted. The final version was completed in early March, 2022.

Then in early January, her younger sister asked if I had a black blazer she could use for Model UN, starting 2/3. I proceeded to have her try on the muslin (with the full bicep sleeves) from her sister's which worked perfectly. Tonight she came to pick up the finished blazer.

I have been very impressed with your detailed instructions and illustrations. I love the "tailoring tips" you include for those who either have more experience or want to make use of your added resources to add things like bound buttonholes (when I've made men's jackets using patterns from one of the big companies, I've had to remember on my own to add in the bound buttonholes).

The midweight, organic cotton twill jacket has a wide lapel, single button, extended back vent, interior pocket and a custom silk label reminiscent of historic Parisian athletic cards. The sartorial style is inspired by the attire of Opening Ceremonies over the last century.

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