Refresh your button up shirts with this fun and simple waistcoat. It features an open front, a cropped length, and a fully lined interior for a beautifully finished garment. Boasting a plain design, it can be easily dressed up or down, making it a versatile addition to your wardrobe.
Download the FREE PDF sewing pattern, and sew your own handmade waistcoat now!
1 cm (3/8″) seam allowance included!
Material
- 1 m (1 1/8 yd) tweed, herringbone, jacquard, satin, wax, denim, or quilting cotton
- 0.7 m (3/4 yd) fusible woven interfacing
- 0.7 m (3/4 yd) viscose or satin lining like bemberg or kasha
- All-purpose thread
- Universal needle
PLEASE NOTE! Fabric requirements are based on a width of 150 cm (59″). If your fabric is narrower, you may need more fabric!

Download the free PDF sewing pattern…
… and once you’re done, share a photo of you wearing proudly your new handmade waistcoat with #unfetteredpatterns or tag us @unfetteredpatterns!
Need help to print your pattern? Check our detailed tutorial here! Also, find out how you can customize your pattern for A0 printers and projectors here.
Need help completing the project?
Check our Kofi store for printable sewing tutorials, including detailed sewing instructions, line sketches, a sizing guide, and a list of the materials needed!

Sizing Guide
This pattern is drafted according to the following body measurements. Standard height is 1.64 m (5.4 ft). Check this tutorial if you want to add sizes to your pattern!
XXS | XS | S | M | L | XL | XXL | |
Bust | 85 cm (33 1/2″) | 89 cm (35″) | 93 cm (36 1/2″) | 97 cm (38″) | 101 cm (39 1/2″) | 105 cm (41″) | 109 cm (42 1/2″) |
Waist | 64 cm (25 1/2″) | 68 cm (27″) | 72 cm (28 1/2″) | 76 cm (30″) | 80 cm (31 1/2″) | 84 cm (33″) | 88 cm (34 1/2″) |
Hips | 92 cm (36 1/2″) | 96 cm (38″) | 100 cm (39 1/2″) | 104 cm (41″) | 108 cm (42 1/2″) | 112 cm (44″) | 116 cm (45 1/2″) |
Finished garment measurements
Ease is included in the measurements below to make the garment larger than the body.
XS | S | S/M | M | M/L | L | XL | |
Bust | 93 cm (36 1/2″) | 97 cm (38″) | 101 cm (39 1/2″) | 105 cm (41″) | 109 cm (42 1/2″) | 113 cm (44″) | 117 cm (45 1/2″) |
Shoulder | 34 cm (13 1/4″) | 35.2 cm (13 3/4″) | 36.4 cm (14 1/4″) | 37.4 cm (14 3/4″) | 38.8 cm (15 1/4″) | 40 cm (15 3/4″) | 41.2 cm (16 1/4″) |
Length | 50.5 cm (19 7/8″) | 51.5 cm (20 1/4″) | 52.5 cm (20 5/8″) | 53.5 cm (21″) | 54.5 cm (21 3/8″) | 55.5 cm (21 3/4″) | 56.5 cm (22 1/8″) |
Sewing Notes
Here are some tips we recommend for a successful sewing project:
Fit and style
- This waistcoat is not designed to be fastened, so it’s not necessary to blend between the sizes. Just choose a size according to your bust. Refer to the body measurements chart.
- On the finished garment measurements chart, you can also check the length of the dress and see if it’s suitable to your height. You may want to compare the length with a similar piece of clothing. This waistcoat should stop below the waist.
- If you need to shorten or lengthen the dress to achieve this look, slash the pattern between the hem and the bust level. Slash perpendicularly to the grainline, and spread to add length, or overlap to shorten. When you spread the pattern, fill in the gap with scraps of paper. Tape everything back in place. Be sure to do this on all the pattern pieces, excepted the back facing.
Fabrics
- Your fabric should have a bit of stiffness and weight, avoid fluid fabrics. Also, be sure that you pick a fabric and a lining with a similar weight. The fiber content should also match so it’s easier to watch the finished garment.
- The lining should have a more slippery feel so it doesn’t stick to your shirts when you wear the finished garment.
Cutting out
- Preshrink the fabric before you start cutting it out. To do so, wash and dry the same way you would with the finished garment. This means you should also take into account the fabric type and its content.
- Once the fabric is washed and dried, press it to remove all the creases. Be sure that you’ve set your iron to a temperature that is suitable to the fabric. As a rule of thumb, synthetic fibers (acrylic, spandex, polyester…) should be pressed at low heat, and natural fibers (cotton, wool, linen…) should be pressed at high heat.
- When you’re ready to cut into the fabric, fold it lengthwise, right sides together. The fold should not twist and lay flat. If it’s twisting, unfold and fold again, until it lays flat. Then, place the pattern pieces so that the grainline is parallel to the selvages.
- Be sure that you don’t cut the notches too much, they should be about 0.3-0.4 cm long (1/8″).
Sewing
- This waistcoat is fully lined, so you don’t need an overlocker. However, if your fabric or lining frays a lot, you may want to overlock all around the edges once the pieces are cut into the fabric. You can prevent fraying with a sewing machine by sewing a zigzag stitch right on the edges of the fabric pieces.
Good luck with your sewing project!
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thank you!
Thanks very much. Is there a tutorial to go with the pattern please 🙏
Hi, I just released a printable tutorial on my kofi shop. Check in the blog post there’s a link if you’re interested.
Thankyou for waistcoat pattern. Is there a tutorial please
Sent from Sky Yahoo Mail on Android
Hi, I just released a printable tutorial on my kofi shop. Check in the blog post there’s a link if you’re interested.
Dankjewel 🤗
This looks absolutely wonderful! Thank you so much – I came here from ‘Sew Easy’ youtube sewing channel. 🙂 She just did a lovely sewing tutorial based on your pattern. <3
thank you very much now learning to sew and doing good so far with your pattern
Thank you for your kind words!