As a leader for October’s Sew My Style Denim Jacket month, the Stevie Jean Jacket wasn’t initially on my radar yet it was the one I needed to make. I’ve never made myself a jacket or worked with denim so I started early, did tons of research, and now I’m sharing everything I’ve learned about making the Stevie with you. With all these resources, I hope you find the courage to make your first jean jacket as well!

Earlier this month, I shared a sewalong on my Instagram to help walk you through making your own Stevie. The videos and pictures of each step is saved in my Highlights, but I also compiled everything to share here. Feel free to pause as you’re going through each step or refer to the step-by-step photos below as you make your Stevie.

*This pattern was provided to me for free as a member of the #sewmystyle2019 leadership team. All views and opinions are my own.

This is my first attempt at sharing a sewalong and I really hope it helps you decipher the pattern. If all else fails, you can take a look at the Hampton Jean Jacket Sewalong (which I reference in the steps several times). Use it as a reference or it’s also a great alternative to the Style Arc instructions.

Step 1: Complete front body by sewing pieces 3, 4, and 5 right sides together. Remember to do the Inbetween Steps before topstitching. I won’t mention it after ever step, but it’s very easy to forget with all the topstitching involved in this make.

Step 2: Be sure to finish the 3 outer edges of pocket facing before attaching to the front body. *Not shown above.

Step 3 and 4: Sew pocket flaps and attach to front yoke. I forgot to take a picture after these steps, but it’s pretty straightfoward and is also explained in the video (1:46).

Step 5: Pin the front pocket piece behind the front body, right side to wrong side. Be sure to mark the pocket to use as a guide when you topstitch.

Step 6: Sew front yoke to front body. Complete steps 1-5 for the opposite side.

Step 7: Now we’re going to make the button placket. There are 3 notches you’ll use to make it. This step is explained in the video in more depth (3:03).

Step 8: Topstitch the inner edge of the button placket and around the outer edge.

Step 9: Welt pockets! This is the hardest part of the entire pattern and where I veered the most away from the instructions. I mentioned before that you can cut the pockets as a big rectangle, but I decided to try making the pockets with the pieces from the pattern so I could explain to those who wanted to stick with the pattern instructions. I explained this as best I could in the video (3:50), but I did use this and this to help me.

Step 10, 11, and 12: Piecing together the back body is pretty straightfoward. Again, don’t forget to do the Inbetween Steps before topstitching. I forgot to finish the seams before topstitching several times and it was a headache to unpick.

Step 13: The collar is pretty straightforward, but I do recommend folding the top collar, wrong sides together, at 3/8″ so you have a guide when you’re topstitching. If you haven’t made a collar before, here’s a great post on how to make sharp collar points. Pin the long edge, right sides together, to the rest of the jacket at the neckline and sew. Turn, press, and topstitch. Topstitch around the entire collar.

Optional: I added a hanging loop which I basted onto the neckline before attaching the collar. To make it, I cut a 3 by 0.75 inch piece, folded the edges toward the center twice, and stitched.

Step 14 and 15: Here, we’re working on the sleeves. Sew the under sleeve to the top sleeve and double turn the sleeve openings (3:57). Set sleeves into armholes, press seams toward body and topstitch. Again, don’t forget to finish the seam first.

Step 16: Sew side seams starting at the waist seam. Finish seams and topstitch.

Step 17 and 18: Make the cuffs and attach them to the sleeve openings. Here, I recommend folding under one of the cuffs again 3/8″ to help with topstitching. Topstitch around the outer edges.

Step 19, 20, and 21: The waist tabs are completely cosmetic so you can totally skip them, but I think they add a beautiful level of detail. I opted to sew them after I attached the waistband so I could make sure I liked the placement.

Step 22: Add the buttonholes! The buttonholes for the pocket flaps, cuffs, and hem tabs can be added before they’re attached. If you didn’t do that, add them now. You’re making 13 button holes in total.

Step 23: The best part is here: It’s time to add the hardware! Since this is the first time I’ve ever installed jean hardware, I used this post as a reference.

And now you’re done!

Are you making a Stevie Jean Jacket? I’d love to hear how you like it! If this sewalong was helpful, please let me know in the comments below. Enjoy making your Stevie!