Drawstring casing in a jacket: add a cord and shape an oversized fit
How to add a drawstring casing to a jacket: choose the waist level during a fitting, transfer the marks to the wrong side, measure a 1.5–2 cm casing width, measure the length around the jacket, draft a strip with 1.5 cm allowances, make openings, stitch the casing, insert the cord, and add cord locks.
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Translated
Things you will learn
Choose the casing level while wearing the jacket, using your waistline as the guide.
From the transferred wrong-side mark, measure down 1.5–2 cm for the casing width.
Measure the future casing length along even marks around the whole jacket.
Draft the casing strip from the measured length and width, adding 1.5 cm seam allowances.
Mark the cord openings about 1.5 cm from the edge, then pin the cord before the final stitch line.
What you will make
The jacket becomes more shaped at the waist: a fabric casing is sewn inside, a cord runs through it, and cord locks let you adjust the silhouette for your outfit or the weather.
Materials and tools
Materials
Jacket, 1 piece, Try it on first and mark the waistline.
Fabric for the casing, Use a close color match or make the casing intentionally contrasting.
Cord, Placed inside the casing before the final stitch line.
Cord locks, 2 pieces, Installed at the end.
Thread, For stitching the casing to the jacket.
Tools
Measuring tape, For the 1.5–2 cm width and the casing length around the jacket.
Chalk or pencil, For wrong-side marks and the casing pattern.
Pins, For holding the casing and cord in place.
Iron, For pressing all seam allowances.
Scissors or rotary cutter, For cutting the strip and opening the cord holes.
Sewing machine, For the stitch lines along the casing edges.
Preparation
Decide whether the casing will match or contrast
The source allows both options: if you cannot match the original jacket color, use a deliberate light/dark contrast.
Fit first, mark second
Choose the casing line while the jacket is on the body. This helps you hit the waist instead of a random level on the flat garment.
Mark the jacket
Start with a fitting, then transfer the marks to the wrong side.
Mark the waistline
Put on the jacket and decide where the casing should sit. Use your waistline as the guide.
Choose the casing level during a fitting.
Measure down 1.5–2 cm
Transfer the mark to the wrong side. From that mark, measure down 1.5–2 cm; this will be the casing width.
Measure the casing width down from the mark.
Make even marks around the jacket
Place even marks at the same level around the whole jacket.
Place the marks at the same level around the jacket.
Measure the future casing length
Lay the jacket flat and measure the length of the future casing along the marks.
Measure the strip length along the marked line.
Make the casing strip
Cut the strip to the measured length and prepare the cord openings before attaching it.
Draft the strip with 1.5 cm allowances
Draw the pattern from the casing length and width, adding 1.5 cm seam allowances.
Draft the pattern from the length, width, and allowances.
Cut the strip from suitable fabric
Cut out the pattern and place it on the fabric chosen for the casing.
Place the pattern on the fabric and cut the strip.
Press the allowances and mark the openings
Press the allowances on all sides, both long and short. Mark the openings about 1.5 cm from the edge.
Mark the openings about 1.5 cm from the edge.
Cut the openings and place the casing
Once the openings are cut, place the casing on the jacket along your marks.
After cutting the openings, place the strip on the jacket.
Cord, stitching, and locks
Attach the lower edge first, place the cord inside, then close the casing with the second stitch line.
Stitch the lower edge and insert the cord
Stitch the lower edge of the casing, then lay the cord inside.
The lower edge is stitched first, then the cord is inserted.
Pin the cord in place
To keep the cord from shifting, secure it with pins before the final stitch line.
Pins keep the cord from shifting.
Sew the final stitch line
After the cord is fixed in place, sew the final stitch line along the casing.
Sew the casing after the cord is pinned.
Add the cord locks
After the cord locks are installed, the casing is ready to use.
After adding the cord locks, the casing is ready.
Finish and variations
Finish
Check the adjustment
After adding the cord locks, put on the jacket and check how freely the cord tightens and loosens.
Use it on loose children’s jackets
The discussion notes that, on roomy children’s jackets, a casing helps the garment sit closer to the body and lets in less wind.
Variations
Contrasting casing
If you cannot find fabric in the same color, use a light/dark contrast; the source treats this as a deliberate decorative choice.
Parka-style effect
The discussion notes that this can turn a loose jacket into something closer to a parka and lets you adjust the shape over different layers.
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