A DIY Faux Fur Jacket Sewing Tutorial

If you follow along with fashion trends, there’s no doubt that fur has been in this year. Whether it’s in the form of a fur scarf, or even a fur purse, people have been sporting this fuzzy fashion all over the country. On a recent trip to London, though, I noted that the most fabulous way to wear fur was in a full on faux fur jacket. It is such a statement piece, but is also incredibly warm and snugly to wear. Though fur has traditionally been reserved for fancy occasions, it has become the newest street wear, being paired with jeans and sneakers for a more casual look.

During the Winter months when cold weather and snow storms can hit at any moment, it’s great to have a project to work on, so why not try your hand at making your own faux fur jacket? Though it can seem intimidating to make something with a lining, you essentially just have to make a simple jacket twice, and then sew the two layers together. This pattern is perfect for a beginner since there are no closures or zippers to worry about, though you could easily add some hooks to keep the jacket closed if you plan to wear it during an extra cold day. Houston doesn’t see the most frigid weather, so wearing it open like I did in my photos is how I plan to style mine most of the time.

You can get all of the materials for this project from the Fabric Wholesale Direct website. Plus, the total cost of this jacket is under $30 – a total steal when it comes to fur coats! Follow along with the sewing tutorial below to be ready for the next time you need a cute jacket to wear out to dinner on a cold night, or simply to add a bold statement to your everyday look!

Supplies:

• 1.5 yards Rabbit Dark Gray Faux Fur
• 1.5 yards Poly China Silk Lining (60”) in Plum 
• Thread  to match the fabric
• Sewing Machine
• Scissors
• Paper + Pencil + Tape (to make pattern)
• Measuring Tape
• Pins

Time: 5-6 hours
Difficulty: Medium

LET'S GET STARTED!

Start by collecting all of your materials. Then tape your paper together and start making your patterns as shown in the instructions. All of the measurements in black are shown for a size 8 jacket, which is what I made, so if you are a size larger or smaller make sure to add on or subtract 1/4" to each of those measurements. The blue measurements should all stay the same no matter what size you are making. Place your pattern pieces on to the faux fur fabric, pin them down, and cut out each piece making sure you have one BACK, two FRONTs, and two ARMs. The BACK pattern piece should be placed on the fold of a fabric as shown. Repeat this on the lining fabric.

To begin sewing, place your two FRONT pieces on to your BACK piece with the furry sides touching and with the shoulder seams lined up. Pin the shoulder seams together and sew ½” from the edge of the fabric.

Next, unfold the FRONT and BACK pieces so the arm hole looks like a half circle. Pin the curved shape of the ARM pieces to the half circles of the FRONT and BACK with the furry sides touching. Sew along these seams ½” from the edge of the fabric.

Fold the entire jacket so that the fur is on the inside and the arms are folded in half so that you can see the jacket shape. Line up the bottom edges of the arms and the side seams of the jacket and pin them together. Sew along these seams ½” from the edge of the fabric.

Repeat steps 2-4 for each of the lining pieces so you basically have two jacket shells, one in fur and one in lining fabric.

To attach the lining to the fur jacket, place the fur jacket on the mannequin with the fur facing out like in the picture above. Next, turn the lining inside out and place it above the fur as seen in the picture above. Line up the neck, opening of the jacket, and bottom of the jacket and pin the two layers of fabric together. Sew along all of the seams ½” from the edge of the fabric, leaving about 6-8” of fabric along the bottom of the jacket open so that you can turn it right side out through this area at the end.

The last step of connecting the lining is to complete the sleeves. To do this, pull the fur arms out of the lining so that they are also inside out. Line up the sleeves on each arm, making sure that each arm has not twisted at all. Fold the last 2” of the lining arm into a cuff and slide it inside of the fur arm. Pin the fur to the top layer of the lining (the piece that is folded over) and then sew along this seam ½” from the edge of the fabric. You should only be sewing through two layers of fabric! Repeat on both arms.

To finish the coat, turn it right side out through the opening you left at the bottom of the coat in step 6 and sew up the bottom with hand stitching or a machine (since the fur is so thick, you can easily sew through it and you will not be able to see the stitches).

YOU DID IT! HERE IS THE FINAL PRODUCT