Every Star Wars fan is eagerly awaiting the newest installment of the franchise, wondering if they’re going to love it or hate it. I am no different. Rather than stress, I figured I’d get started on what I love to do best: making some costumes. The design of Han’s new jacket was something I instantly wanted to try my hand at sewing, and it did not disappoint. It’s full of handy pockets, exactly as you would expect of a professional smuggler. This free pattern includes his gorgeous suede jacket, as well as the shirt he wears underneath it, which is very similar to the white one he wears in the original trilogy.
Fabrics & materials used:
- 2.5 yards Chocolate Solid Faux Suede
- 1 yard Black Solid Faux Suede
- 1/2 yard Black Single-Faced Woven Interfacing
- 1.5 yards 4.5oz Black Tencel Denim
- MDF045 – The Delta Cosplay Sewing Pattern (free download below!)
Sizing is based off of your chest measurement. Now available in sizes 36 through 46! Pattern includes a 1/2″ seam allowance unless otherwise stated.
Starting with the shirt, interface both collar pieces and sew them along the top three edges with the fabric faces together. Side the collar aside momentarily.
Attach the two front panels of your shirt to the back panel at the shoulders. Since this is an unlined garment, I recommend using a serger or French seams.
Next, attach one layer of your collar to the neckline, like above. Once sewn, fold and press the face of the collar down and fold its raw edges inward. Press again, and slip-stitch into place along the neckline.
Take your shirt facing and line it up with the top corner of your shirt front, faces together. Sew from the edge of the collar to the corner, and then down until about 1″ from the bottom of your facing, like you can see above. Trim the top corner of your seam allowance.
Turn the facing right side out and fold the raw edges inward, pinning them to the wrong side of your shirt. Edge-stitch around the remainder of the facing and double fold the rest of the raw edge of your shirt front. Pin in place for now, like above.
Attach your sleeves, and then sew up the inseams and sides of your shirt.
Overlap your front panels, matching up the lines of your front facings. Edge-stitch both into place, about 2/3 of the way up your shirt. Your garment is now starting to look like a garment! Take this moment to fit it; take the sides in if need be, check the length of the sleeves, etc. Once everything fits well, finish off the bottom of your shirt and sleeves with a simple rolled hem!
Next we have the jacket! For simplicity, and due to the fact that many comic conventions are held in the summer, I kept this jacket unlined and so decided to go with French seams. Surprise, surprise.
Since the front of the jacket can get a bit complicated, I started with the back. Connect the center back panels to each other at the straight seam, and then add the lower side back pieces, like you can see below. I chose to stitch the seam allowances down. but this is mostly a personal aesthetic choice and not 100% necessary. Add the back yoke to the top edge, and set the back of your jacket aside.
The wearer’s right sleeves gets a small pocket, which I made by pressing the raw edges of the square toward the wrong side. Double fold the top edge and stitch.
Following the guidelines on your pattern, place the pocket on your sleeve and edge-stitch into place along the lower three edges.
This pocket gets a small flap, which can be made by folding the piece in half, faces together, and sewing up the sides. Turn it right side out, and fold the raw edge 1/2″ toward the back.
Sew the flap above your pocket, using a zig-zag stitch like you can see below. Press flap down toward the pocket.
Edge-stitch to finish into place.
Now we get into some interesting future space aesthetic design. Which includes weird pockets! Fold the raw edges of the chest pockets inward, similar to the sleeve pocket. This time, fold the top edge down about 1″ and stitch into place.
Following the guidelines on your pocket again, place the pockets on the front underlay of the jacket and edge-stitch, like below. Set the underlays aside temporarily.
Next, you’ll want to get started on the main section of the front of your jacket. Attach the front yokes, and then get ready for welt pockets!
Take a 4″x7″ rectangle of suede and draw a 1″x6″ box about an inch from the top. This will be the welt of your pocket. Divide the box in half horizontally and vertically. Cut the suede into two pieces along the horizontal division line.
Draw a 6″ line on the face of your front jacket panels where you’ll be placing your pocket. Place the larger cut of your welt piece and place it along the line. In the picture below, the center front of the jacket is toward the bottom of the photo.
Stitch along the 6″ line, and then add your pocket lining to the opposite edge of your welt panel, like you can see above. Add the smaller portion of your welt panel on the other side of your pocket line, like in the photo below.
Cut along the 6″ pocket line, angling the ends of the slit toward the corners of your stitching. Pull the pocket pieces through the slit, toward the wrong side of your jacket front panel.
Fold the larger welt panel up so it meets the smaller one, like below.
Fold the pocket lining in half, meeting the edge with the smaller welt panel. Fold the triangles of the pocket opening back and sew through them, your welt, and your pocket lining.
Stitch the raw edges of your pocket lining closed, and press the whole thing. Welt pockets!
Pick the underlays back up and attach them to the respective jacket front panels, like you see below.
Fold the front panels over the underlay so they overlap about 1″. Press and edge-stitch the lower section of the front panel, not including the underlay.
Do the same with the front yoke, but this time include the underlay in your stitching so it’s anchored.
Next, form two front plackets and then attach to the edge of each jacket underlay. Attach the fronts and back of your jacket at the shoulders and sides, and you’ve essentially got a super cool vest on your hands. Take this time to check the fit, and then you’ll finish up your sleeves.
Add your cuff panels to the bottom of each jacket sleeve, followed by the cuff facings. Sew the inseam of your sleeves, and then attach each to the armholes of your jacket.
Edge-stitch the bottom of your sleeve cuff, like you can see below.
Fold the facing of your cuffs upward and tuck in the raw edges along the top. Edge-stitch into place, similarly to the previous step.
Tack down the front panel of your jacket across from your welt pocket and just beneath your chest pockets.
Add your collar similarly to the way you attached it to your shirt, and then fold the bottom of your jacket up to form a 3″ facing. Hand-stitch into place, making sure you only catch one layer of your pocket lining. Don’t sew your pocket closed!
All in all, very cool style, Solo. This jacket is so comfortable, I really want to make one for myself just for casual wear. Will you be trying this project out? What other cosplay have you done in the past? I’d love to hear in the comments!
27 comments
Courtney, I love your patterns! I’ve been learning to sew via trial and lots of errors, and I love trying patterns you’ve done. Typically I make a mistake here or there, but I’m learning more and getting better with each project. So, another person here saying, ‘Thanks, You Rock!’
Just want to let you know, when I received the email with the link to download these patterns, It sent me to the Atlas (Daenerys) download page(another awesome pattern,btw). There seems to be some sort of misconnection going on.
Thank you so much!! It’s so fun to put these patterns out every week; I’m glad you’re enjoying them! I still make mistakes too, no worries. That’s the best way to learn!
And thanks for pointing out the file issue. There’s seems to be a problem with the original and we’re working on getting it sorted. For now there’s a version available in a size 38, which you can re-request above. Hopefully the rest of the sizes will be available later today!
Oh my gosh Courtney, I’m in love with the jacket pattern! I did a “Hanna” Solo cross-play for a convention a few years ago (Episode IV Solo) so this is the perfect set to do a new Hanna Solo costume 🙂 Thank you for making these patterns available, and for just being so amazing to come up with them in the first place!
Thank you so much – I’m so glad people are enjoying them!! 🙂 I’ve had a genderbent Han Solo on my cosplay wish list for a while and now that I made this, I have no excuses. I need to make it for myself asap!
I love this pattern! Don’t know if I’m up to the task, but sure want to try! Thank you!!
Thanks for the free pattern Courtney. Finding any reasonable patterns for men is near impossible. I love the design of this jacket and it looks like a great starting point for something fab. Could you give a quick run through, or direct me to a tutorial showing how this jacket could be lined?
Thank you! To add a lining, essentially you’ll just want to simplify the jacket pieces so you have just a back panel, two front panels, and sleeves. You can tape together the existing jacket pattern pieces to make the lining pieces, but be sure to overlap them to account for the added seam allowance. This tutorial is for a blazer, but it might help!
Your yardage may be a little conservative – I’m making the shirt in size 46, and needed three yards of 45″ width cotton. Otherwise, so far so good! Excited to see how it turns out!
Courtney, still trying to get this pattern. Jake says it links to the Atlas Daenerys pattern which is probably why I got the message that my email had already been used when I requested. I already have that pattern. You sent me a pattern as an attachment once before. Is it possible for you to send this one (MDF045) (045MDF) by the same method? Thank you and yes I will have all 50 patterns once I get this one. plus the ones published earlier before they became MDF patterns. I am an avid follower of Mood sewciety.
I’m super excited to use this shirt pattern, I’ve been desperately hunting for anything like it, so when I found this I was ecstatic! However, I’m having trouble figuring out what size I should use, I can’t find a sizing chart anywhere. Could you direct me to where the men’s pattern sizing chart may be hiding?
The sizing is based off of your chest measurement 🙂
So excited to try this! I’m brand spanking new to sewing so this may be silly, but when cutting my pattern on the shirt, should I be cutting a single layer of fabric or should my fabric be folded, so I get two pieces of fabric per pattern piece?
Hi there! All of your pattern pieces will be label whether they’re cut 2, or cut 1 on fold, etc. 🙂
I’m having trouble getting the download to initiate. I get an error message every time. Is there something I’m doing wrong?
Sorry for the inconvenience! The issue should be fixed now, but please let me know if it still gives you any trouble.
thx to you courtney, your pathern is very awesome
Hey Courtney love this jacket, I’m looking at that shirt and wondering were you got that pattern. if you can let me know where you got that pattern would be greatly appreciated
Hi, Adam! The shirt is included in this pattern. 🙂
I just downlaoded this pattern for the shirt and I wondering when you list it as “size 46” for the chest is that the exact garment measurement or roughly how much ease is built in for each size?
Hi Trevor! The size 46 refers to your chest measurement. 😀
Hi Courtney. Thanks for sharing your skill and gorgeous patterns. I want to make this as a Christmas gift for my bf but he is 6.5 and has big tummy. How do you account for that on the shirt size. Thank you so much. I really want to make these for him.
Hi Jewel! You might need to make a full abdomen adjustment to the pattern to accommodate for his tummy. We don’t have any tutorials on that but they are easy to find online!
Thanks Elizabeth! I finished as per 46″ size and I blindfolded him for a fit check. Haha! To keep the element of surprise. Great thing about it is it’s an open jacket to the big tummy didn’t stressed me too much. Gorgeous jacket.
Is it possible to closed this jacket?
Hi Ivana! Yes, this jacket would look great with some closures! I would highly recommend making a very quick and simple mockup first though, to ensure you have enough overlap in the front to add closures and ease. 😀
do you have any suggestions for adjusting the shirt for a more hourglass women’s figure? Darts? I’m planning a female smuggler character but these shirts never seem to fit well on my figure
Hi Niki! If the shirt already fits your bust, then yes I suggest darts! You can put them on the front and back for a perfect fit. But if these shirts usually pull, creating annoying folds at the side bust, you’ll need to alter the pattern for a bust adjustment first. Take a look at our article How to Alter a Pattern to Adjust Bust. Either way, I strongly suggest making a muslin first, to ensure the best fit!