Fitting the Manon Jacket Sewing Pattern
Making a jacket that fits well starts before you cut into your fabric. With a garment like our Manon jacket sewing pattern, you’ll want to think about the overall fit, sleeve length, shoulder position and how much room you need to wear it over your clothes.
Manon is designed with a relaxed, boxy silhouette, so it has more ease than a close-fitting top or dress. That extra room is intentional – particularly if you’re planning to layer it over a jumper or other thicker clothing.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how Manon is intended to fit, how to choose your size, which adjustments you might want to make and how to use a toile to check the fit before cutting into your lovely fabric.
How is the Manon jacket meant to fit?
Manon has a dartless, boxy shape, with angled side seams that give the jacket a slightly swingy silhouette.
The bodice finishes at the high hip for a contemporary cropped look. The shoulder seams sit just past the natural shoulder point, while the sleeves are designed to be full length, finishing past the wrist.
The convertible collar gives you two looks. Button it right up and the collar stand sits close around your neck, or leave the top button undone and fold the bodice corners down for a V-neck shape.
Remember that "good fit" is partly personal preference. You might prefer your jacket a little longer, your sleeves shorter or more room through the body. The beauty of sewing your own clothes is that you can make those choices yourself.
How to choose your Manon size
Start by taking your measurements and comparing them with the body measurements in the Manon size chart. Your bust and hip measurements are particularly useful when choosing your size.
Don't be surprised if the finished garment measurements are considerably larger than your body measurements. This is called ease – the extra room built into a pattern so you can move comfortably and, in the case of a jacket, wear other clothes underneath.
If your measurements fall across more than one size, you can blend between sizes rather than choosing a single size from top to bottom.
For Manon, I'd recommend keeping the boxy shape by blending between bust and hip sizes at the side seams rather than shaping in or out at the waist.
→ How to Select Your Sewing Pattern Size
Make any adjustments you already know you need
If you've sewn a few garments before, you may already know which adjustments you tend to make.
If, for example, you usually need to:
- lengthen your bodices
- shorten your sleeves
- adjust the shoulder width
- make a full bust adjustment
I'd recommend making those changes to a copy of the paper pattern before cutting your fabric.
If you're not sure whether you'll need any adjustments, making a toile (also called a muslin or mock-up) is a useful way to check before committing to your nice fabric.
Lengthening or shortening the Manon bodice
Manon is designed to finish at the high hip, but you don't have to stick to the cropped length.
The finished measurements chart includes the nape-to-hem measurement for the back bodice. To check where the hem will fall on you, stand up straight and let a tape measure drop down your back from the nape of your neck – the slightly knobbly bit at the base of your neck.
If you'd like to lengthen or shorten Manon, use the lengthen or shorten lines marked on the pattern rather than simply changing the hem. This keeps the shape of the pattern and hemline intact.
Make the same adjustment to the:
- front bodice
- back bodice
- front facing
- front bodice lining
- back bodice lining
You'll also need to redistribute the button and buttonhole markings so they're evenly spaced vertically, and adjust the welt pocket markings to maintain their original spacing.
If you're shortening Manon, move the upper pocket marking up more than you would move the lower one down so the pocket doesn't end up overshooting the hem.
Want a longer Manon?
You can absolutely turn Manon into a longer jacket or coat.
For example, Tilly made a version finishing at the low hip by lengthening the front and back bodices, facings and linings by 17cm (7in), grading the side seams out by 1cm (3/8in) to create a little more room at the hips, lowering the buttonholes and moving the welt pocket markings down by 7cm (2¾in).
Because everyone's height and proportions are different, use these measurements as inspiration rather than a fixed formula.
Lengthening or shortening the sleeves
The Manon sleeves are designed to finish past the wrist, but sleeve length is very much down to personal preference.
The finished measurements chart gives the sleeve length from the shoulder point to the finished sleeve hem. You can compare this with your own measurements to decide whether you want to change it.
Use the lengthen or shorten lines on the sleeve pattern to make your adjustment, rather than changing the sleeve hem directly.
Don't forget to make exactly the same adjustment to the sleeve lining, if you’re planning to line your jacket.
→ How to Lengthen or Shorten a Sewing Pattern
Grading between sizes
It's completely normal for your bust and hip measurements to fall into different pattern sizes.
You can grade between sizes by redrawing the side seams from one size to another. With Manon, I'd keep the waist boxy rather than grading in or out there, so you retain the intended silhouette.
Make the same adjustment to the:
- front bodice
- back bodice
- front bodice lining
- back bodice lining
There's one extra detail to watch when changing the side seams: the lower section of the back bodice side seam changes angle shortly above the hem. You'll need to preserve this shape when blending between sizes so the hem sits correctly, and ensure that the bodice hem interfacing still matches.
If you're adding the storm flap, adjust the side seam to match your new bodice shape.
→ How to Combine Sewing Pattern Sizes
Full bust adjustment
Manon is drafted with different cup proportions across its size range, with more ease through the full bust than a close-fitting bodice.
If you have a larger bust and notice pronounced drag lines pointing towards your bust when you make a toile, you may benefit from a full bust adjustment (FBA). Manon is dartless, so you could make a full bust adjustment, and turn the extra length added at the side seam into a dart.
I'd recommend making a toile before deciding that you need an FBA. With a relaxed, boxy jacket like Manon, some apparent pulling can simply be caused by the jacket not being overlapped correctly or by the layers you're wearing underneath.
If you do make an FBA and are lining your Manon jacket, remember to make the same adjustment to the front bodice lining, replacing the dart with a pleat.
If you’re adding the front storm flap, close the new dart on your adjusted front bodice pattern, lay the front storm flap piece over the front bodice, add some length to the bottom of the storm flap, and trace off any changes to the side seams and armhole.
Need more help with bust adjustments? Our Bodice Fitting for Home Sewing workshop goes much deeper into diagnosing and adjusting fit across the bust, shoulders, waist, hips, neckline and back.
Full or narrow bicep adjustment
If you think you might need more or less room around your upper arm, you can check the sleeve pattern before cutting your fabric.
Measure horizontally across the sleeve at its widest point. Subtract 3cm (1¼in) for the seam allowances and compare this measurement with your own bicep measurement.
Remember that you need enough room to move your arm comfortably and, if you're making Manon as a winter jacket, to wear whatever you plan to layer underneath.
→ How to Do a Full or Narrow Bicep Adjustment
Adjusting the shoulders
Manon's shoulder seams are designed to finish just past the natural shoulder point.
If you know you have particularly broad or narrow shoulders, or your toile shows that the sleeve isn't joining the armhole where you'd expect, you can make a broad or narrow shoulder adjustment.
Transfer the same adjustment to the front and back bodices, both bodice linings and the front storm flap if you're adding it.
If you're narrowing the shoulders, you may also need to shorten the epaulette so its button doesn't become hidden beneath the collar.
Make a toile before cutting your good fabric
I know. Making a toile isn't always the most exciting part of sewing a new jacket.
But when you're making a more involved garment like Manon, it can save you a lot of heartache later.
Use calico or another inexpensive fabric with a similar weight and drape to your final fabric. You don't need to make the whole jacket – just enough to check the important areas.
For a basic Manon toile, I'd make:
- front bodice
- back bodice
- sleeves
- one collar and collar stand
- storm flap and shield, if you're using them
You can leave off the facings and lining. To save time, trim away the seam allowances from the front opening and top edge of the front bodices and collar stand, and shorten the bodice and sleeve hems.
You can also mark the buttonholes, buttons and pocket openings so you can check their position on your body.
How to assess your Manon toile
Try your toile on over the type of clothing you expect to wear underneath the finished jacket.
A jacket worn over a thin T-shirt will feel very different from one worn over a chunky jumper, so test it accordingly.
Overlap the right-hand front bodice over the left by 17cm (6¾in) at the hemline, bringing the collar stands together at the neckline, and pin it closed.
Then check yourself in the mirror from the front, back and side.
Look at:
Shoulders
Do the shoulder seams sit in the right place, or do they need moving in or out?
Bust and hips
Does the jacket have enough room? Are there pronounced drag lines pointing towards the bust?
Bodice length
Is the hem sitting where you want it to, and is it level all the way around?
Sleeve length
Do you like where the sleeves finish?
Storm flap and shield
If you're adding these details, do they look balanced on your body?
Buttons and pockets
Are you happy with their positions? Remember that the buttons aren't designed to sit in a perfectly vertical line.
Once you've identified any changes, transfer them back to your paper pattern before cutting into your final fabric.
Do you really need to make a toile?
Honestly? That's up to you.
If you've sewn Manon before and know exactly which adjustments you need, you may feel confident making them directly to the pattern.
If it's your first time sewing a jacket, or you're unsure how Manon will fit your proportions, I'd strongly recommend making a toile. It's particularly worthwhile if you're planning significant changes to the bodice length, sleeve length, shoulders or bust.
And if you really can't bear to make a toile, you could treat your first version as a wearable toile: choose a nice but inexpensive fabric so you can wear it if everything goes well, but won't be heartbroken if you discover something you'd change next time.
Fitting is personal
There isn't one magical version of a "perfect fit".
You might prefer a longer jacket. Someone else might want shorter sleeves. You might want plenty of room for a chunky jumper, while someone else plans to wear Manon over a T-shirt.
The aim is to make a jacket that feels comfortable and looks the way you want it to.
Once you've made your adjustments and you're happy with your toile, you're ready to cut into your final fabric and start sewing your Manon.
Want to learn more about fitting?
If you find fitting one of the trickier parts of dressmaking, our Bodice Fitting for Home Sewing online workshop with professional pattern cutter Kate Roberts takes a deeper dive into diagnosing and correcting common fitting issues. It covers adjustments across the bust, waist, hips, neckline, shoulders, armholes and back, with practical demonstrations you can apply to future sewing projects.
You can also explore our guide to choosing your sewing pattern size and complete guide to making a toile for more fitting help.
Happy sewing!
