MODULAR DENIM · PATTERN + COURSE
The Keystone Jacket
Four front routes. One jacket system. Make it yours.
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THE KEYSTONE JACKET
The Keystone Jacket
One pattern. Four jackets. A complete denim jacket course.
THE SYSTEM
it isn’t one jacket.
It’s a system of interchangeable parts — you choose the front, the pocket, the back, the yoke, the collar, the waist adjuster, and whether it’s lined. The same pattern makes a clean trucker, a heritage Type I/II, an engineered Type III, or the Roughcut.
It’s built around the construction language of real denim jackets rather than one fixed design, so you finish it understanding how a denim jacket is put together — not just having followed a set of steps. Four front routes, three pockets, two backs, two yokes, two collars, three ways to cinch a waist.
Read this first. Choose carefully. Cut once. Build with intent.
A
Simple
Clean, unadorned trucker.
B
Type I/II
Heritage Americana, built around a welt pocket.
C
Type III
Engineered three-panel front.
D
Roughcut
Curved opening, no yoke seam.
THE VIDEO COURSE
Watch it. Make it.
The build is taught in two parts. Follow the available lesson at your own pace; Part 2 will appear here when it is ready.
Part 1
Video link coming soon
Part 2
Coming soon
DECISION ONE
four front routes.
The biggest decision, and the one that drives the silhouette, the pocket and how much fabric you buy. Your size stays the same whichever you pick.
Simple
The detail
No pleats, no panel lines, no fuss — the closest thing in the system to a classic, unadorned trucker. This is the route that lets the fabric and the fit do the talking. If you're not sure which to pick, this is the safe, confident answer.
Pocket — Classic patch or Trucker flap, your choice
Best paired with — Classic Yoke + Classic Collar + Side Cinch
Type I/II
The detail
Front pleats and a welt inner pocket — the construction language of the classic mid-century trucker. The most technically demanding front to sew, and the widest single front panel in the system, because pleats need extra fabric folded in before they're pressed flat.
Pocket — Built around the Welt (inner) pocket
Best paired with — Classic Yoke + Classic Collar + Classic Buckle
The welt pocket isn't built step-by-step inside the main tutorial — it gets its own dedicated video, free on YouTube, because a welt deserves the room to show every step properly. Watch it before you cut into good fabric.
Type III
The detail
Three vertical panels — centre, middle, side — instead of one piece, with the chest pocket and flap built directly into the panel system. More seams means more precision, but no single step is as fiddly as a welt. The visible panel lines become the design feature.
Pocket — Integral Type III chest pocket and flap, built in
Best paired with — Western Yoke + Western Collar for full workwear, or Classic for something calmer
Narrow panels nest efficiently, so this is the route that copes best with narrow selvedge.
Roughcut
The detail
The route this brand is named after. A sweeping curved front opening, an integrated utility pocket, and no yoke seam at all — the shoulder line runs unbroken from collar to cuff. The most demanding front to sew cleanly, and the one that reads as most deliberately designed.
Pocket — Integral Roughcut utility pocket, built in
Best paired with — Pleated Back + Western Yoke + Western Collar + Roughcut Buckle — the flagship combination
This is the build the original tutorial was cut in.
Swipe to compare all four
THE BUILD PLANNER
seven decisions. that’s it.
Every Keystone build comes down to seven choices — front route first, since it shapes everything else.
Front route Simple / Type I/II / Type III / Roughcut
Simple
Type I/II
Type III
Roughcut
The biggest decision — drives silhouette, pocket and fabric quantity.
Pocket Classic patch / Trucker flap / Welt
Classic patch
Trucker flap
Welt
Only relevant for Simple and Type I/II. Type III and Roughcut have their pocket built into the front panels.
Back panel Plain / Pleated
Plain
Pleated
Pleated adds volume and a western feel; plain stays close to the body.
Yoke Classic (straight) / Western (curved)
Classic (straight)
Western (curved)
The shoulder shape. Chosen together with the back panel.
Collar Classic / Western
Classic
Western
Western collar tips are optional hardware, sold in pairs.
Buckle / waist adjuster Classic buckle / Roughcut buckle / Side cinch
Classic buckle
Roughcut buckle
Side cinch
Classic and Roughcut share the same 25mm buckle — only the fabric strap changes. Side cinch uses buttons instead.
Lined or unlined Lined / Unlined
LinedUnlined
Entirely your call. Lining is a separate fabric and doesn't affect any shell decision.
what pairs with what
Back panel + yoke
Plain + ClassicCalmest, most versatile
Plain + WesternShoulder shape, no volume
Pleated + ClassicGood middle ground
Pleated + WesternThe flagship
Collar + buckle
Classic + ClassicUnderstated · Routes A/B
Western + RoughcutBold · Routes C/D
Side cinchNeutral · works with either
Heads up
Both back panels carry a trim line for the Western Yoke — cut the fuller line if you're pairing with the Classic Yoke. You can always trim down later, but you can't add fabric back.
STILL NOT SURE?
steal one of these.
Four complete specs, one per route. Copy one and you never have to make the seven decisions yourself.
The Weekend Simple
Beginner-friendly · lightest fabric use · wear-everywhere
Front route
Simple
Pocket
Classic patch
Back
Plain
Yoke
Classic
Collar
Classic
Waist
Side cinch
Lining
Unlined
The Heritage Rider
Vintage Americana · welt pocket practice required · classic silhouette
Front route
Type I/II
Pocket
Welt
Back
Pleated
Yoke
Classic
Collar
Classic
Waist
Classic buckle
Lining
Lined
The Engineered Type III
Precision piecing · full workwear energy · visible seamwork
Front route
Type III
Pocket
Integral chest
Back
Plain
Yoke
Western
Collar
Western
Waist
Classic buckle
Lining
Unlined
The Statement Roughcut
The flagship build · advanced · the one from the tutorial
Front route
Roughcut
Pocket
Integral utility
Back
Pleated
Yoke
Western
Collar
Western
Waist
Roughcut buckle
Lining
Lined
SIZING
XXS–3XL, and how to pick.
These are finished garment measurements, not body measurements. The most reliable way to pick your size is to lay a jacket you already own and love flat, measure the same four points, and match it to the table.
| Measurement | XXS | XS | S | M | L | XL | XXL | 3XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A · Sleeve length | 56 | 57.6 | 59.2 | 60.8 | 62.4 | 64 | 65.6 | 67.2 |
| B · Chest width | 47.5 | 51.5 | 55.5 | 59.5 | 63.5 | 67.5 | 71.5 | 75.5 |
| C · Body length | 57.6 | 59.5 | 61.4 | 63.3 | 65.2 | 67.1 | 69 | 70.9 |
| D · Hem circumference | 84.9 | 92.9 | 100.9 | 108.9 | 116.9 | 124.9 | 132.9 | 140.9 |
Scroll the table sideways to see every size →
ASleeve length — shoulder seam to the end of the cuff
BChest width — pit to pit, laid flat. Not around the body.
CBody length — highest point of the shoulder down to the hem
DHem circumference — all the way round the bottom opening
–
–
–
–A note on fit
Most Roughcut patterns run oversized. This one doesn't. It's drafted off original vintage denim jacket construction — a proper cropped, true-to-size fit, not a boxy oversized cut. Size up if you want it roomier.
Your size is the same whichever route you build. A Large Type III finishes to the same chest, length and sleeve as a Large Simple or a Large Roughcut. The route changes how it looks, not how it fits.
FABRIC
how much denim do i buy?
It depends on which route you build and how wide your fabric is — so rather than guessing, every pattern piece was measured at its actual cutting line and laid out at every common width. Pick yours.
Your fabric width
One jacket — your route
| Width | Buy | Raw cut |
|---|---|---|
| 60 cm | 8.5 m | 7.3 m |
| 70 cm | 7.5 m | 6.1 m |
| 80 cm | 6.5 m | 5.5 m |
| 90 cm | 6 m | 5.2 m |
| 100 cm | 6 m | 4.8 m |
| 110 cm | 5.5 m | 4.4 m |
| 115 cm | 5 m | 4 m |
| 120 cm | 4.5 m | 3.9 m |
| 130 cm | 4.5 m | 3.7 m |
| 140 cm | 4 m | 3.4 m |
| 150 cm | 4 m | 3.2 m |
One of everything — full modular
| Width | Buy | Raw cut |
|---|---|---|
| 60 cm | Not usable | |
| 70 cm | 13 m | 11.1 m |
| 80 cm | 11.5 m | 9.6 m |
| 90 cm | 10.5 m | 8.8 m |
| 100 cm | 9.5 m | 7.9 m |
| 110 cm | 9 m | 7.4 m |
| 115 cm | 8 m | 6.7 m |
| 120 cm | 8 m | 6.6 m |
| 130 cm | 7.5 m | 6.2 m |
| 140 cm | 7 m | 5.8 m |
| 150 cm | 6.5 m | 5.4 m |
Measured at 3XL, the largest size, with a 15% margin already included. Around M–L expect roughly 10–20% less; at XXS–XS roughly 25–30% less. Lining is a separate fabric and isn’t included.
Before you buy
Round up, always. An extra 0.5m costs little; running out mid-build means chasing a dye lot that may not exist.
Order a swatch first. Selvedge varies roll to roll, and almost every shop sells them for a couple of pounds.
Read the width and the weight twice before you add to basket.
Cheapest per metre isn't automatically best — narrow fabric needs far more length than wide. Weigh price and width together.
Mistakes happen. A piece cut backwards, an offcut smaller than it looked. That's normal, and it's what the 15% margin is for.
If a number doesn't match what's in front of you, re-check the piece against your actual fabric width before cutting.
Usable width, not advertised width
A "30-inch" selvedge roll is closer to 76cm once you lose the selvedge edge itself — measure your actual roll before matching it to a row. Two pieces push the limit on narrow fabric: the back yoke (about 59–60cm across at 3XL) and the Type I/II pleated front. On narrow selvedge, build around Route A or Route D instead.
FABRIC, EXPLAINED
what to look for, in plain english.
This pattern was developed on 15oz selvedge denim. You don't need selvedge to make it. Plenty of great jackets get made from ordinary wide cotton denim at a third of the price — the only thing that changes is how much you buy, and the calculator above handles that.
What actually is selvedge denim?
"Self-edge" — a tightly woven, clean edge a fabric gets when it's made on a narrow, old-style shuttle loom instead of a modern high-speed one. Those looms weave one continuous cross-thread back and forth, so the fabric finishes itself at both edges instead of fraying. That's the whole trick.
It matters here because it's why selvedge rolls are narrow — usually 70–90cm, against 140–150cm for regular fabric. Which is exactly why the width column in the calculator matters so much.
What's the coloured line along the edge?
The stitched ID line — often red, sometimes white, pink or green. It traditionally marked which mill wove the cloth. It's decorative now, but it's still a good-faith signal of a real shuttle-loom mill rather than a printed imitation.
What weight should I buy?
Weight is ounces per square yard.
9–11oz — light, shirting-adjacent. Will drape, won't hold a shape.
12–14oz — solid everyday jacket weight.
15oz+ — stiff and workwear-tough. Will fight you on every seam but will outlive you.
The Keystone was drafted with a mid-to-heavy weight in mind. Jack's own build is 15oz.
Raw or sanforized?
Raw — or unsanforized — hasn't been pre-shrunk, so it'll shrink when washed and you cut it bigger. Sanforized has already been shrunk at the mill, so what you cut is close to what you get. Check which one you're buying before you cut.
What's deadstock?
Leftover mill fabric that didn't get used first time round. Often the best value and the most interesting colours — but once it's gone, it's gone. Don't fall in love with a deadstock roll before you've got enough for the whole jacket.
I've only found narrow selvedge. Is that a problem?
Not necessarily, but two pieces push the limit: the back yoke (roughly 59–60cm across at 3XL, tight on 60cm fabric) and the Type I/II pleated front. On narrow selvedge, build around Route A (Simple) or Route D (Roughcut) instead — Type III's narrow panels also nest well.
And remember the width in the calculator is usable width. A "30-inch" roll is closer to 76cm once you lose the selvedge edge itself.
SOURCING
where to actually buy it.
Real shops, real prices, wherever you're sewing from. Cheapest per metre isn't automatically best — narrow fabric needs far more length than wide.
United Kingdom
Cloth House Jack's pick
130 Royal College St, Camden, London NW1 0TA
PriceSelvedge £15–25/m · everyday £19–28/m
Width82–104cm
Weight6oz–13.5oz
The shop this pattern was cut and sewn with. A proper independent with a genuine Japanese selvedge range alongside a 150+ option everyday-denim wall. Ships worldwide. If you're anywhere near London, go in person.
United Kingdom
Croft Mill Budget
Online, ships from the UK
Pricefrom £10/m
Width147–180cm
Wide, non-selvedge cotton denim with no compromise on feel. Genuinely wide rolls mean far less waste when you're cutting a 3XL front panel — worth reading against the width table above.
Japan
KOFUYA denim works Deep end
Ships worldwide, currency selector for 30+ countries
Price$17–31/yard
Width~76cm
Weight8oz–23oz
Genuine Okayama selvedge sold by the yard — indigo, black and colour, from shirting weight up to 22oz+. Watch out for shops selling finished jeans rather than yardage; this one sells the cloth.
China / Hong Kong
KSDenim Best value
Via Etsy · Hong Kong office, woven in China
Price$6–10/yard
Width30″ (76cm)
Weight10–15oz
A genuine mill rather than a reseller, 30+ years in textiles, selling direct to makers. By far the most affordable entry point here — a fair route in if you don't want to commit £100+ before you've started.
United States
Big Z Fabric Heritage
Maywood, California
Pricefrom $13/yard
Width~30.5″ (78cm)
Weight11.5oz
Real Cone Mills White Oak deadstock selvedge. The White Oak plant in Greensboro closed in December 2017, so anything sold as Cone Mills today is genuine deadstock — real, but finite. Stock comes and goes in small batches.
United States
Mood Fabrics
New York Garment District & Los Angeles
Pricevaries — check site
Widthwide
The reliable fallback if selvedge stock is thin: a huge, dependable range of quality cotton denim at standard wider widths. Not selvedge, but genuinely good cloth.
Europe
Denim.lab / selvage.lab One-stop
Netherlands · ships across the EU and internationally
Price€19–26/m
Width~76cm
Weight4oz–21oz
A curated deadstock collection pulling genuine shuttle-loom selvedge from both Japan and Italy — unsold mill stock repurposed rather than wasted. Well organised by weight and colour, with country of origin on every listing.
Australia
Homecraft Textiles Local & legit
Perth, WA · family-owned direct importer
PriceAU$20–60/m
Width70–86cm
Weight9oz–23oz
Named-mill Japanese selvedge — Kaihara, Kurabo, Kuroki — the same mills that supply the top Japanese denim brands. Small-batch imports mean things sell out fast; that's normal, not a fault.
Compiled by hand in August 2026. Small-batch denim shops sell out constantly — that's the nature of deadstock and limited mill runs, not a sign something's wrong. If a link is sold out, most shops restock or take waitlist requests. Treat this as a strong starting point, not gospel.
HARDWARE
what else you’ll need.
Match the hardware to your chosen build. Check the Hardware & Notions Guide before you order.
Core — every build
9mm yellow brass rivets / burrsPocket corners, stress points and selected detail areas8
20mm tack buttonsFront placket closure — count depends on your size6–8
Route-dependent
Back cinch buckle — 25mm / 1"Used by both the Classic and Roughcut buckle routes. Same metal, different fabric strap.1
Side cinch buttons — 17mm tack buttonsIf you're using the Side Cinch instead of a back buckle
Western collar tipsSold in pairs. For the Western Collar.1 pair
D-rings — 20mmOptional utility detail on the Roughcut pocket route
Pocket snap buttons — 12.5mmHeavy-duty press studs, for flap pockets with a snap closure
Optional / decorative
60cm YKK No.8 heavy-duty zipZip-front detail — layers onto any of the four routes1
Leather back patchApprox. 7 × 10cm1
The main hardware family is antique brass / yellow brass. Keeping the buttons, rivets, buckles, snaps and D-rings in the same finish is what makes the jacket feel considered rather than assembled.
THE DOWNLOAD
what you actually get.
The digital option includes the pattern files and supporting booklets. The video course releases in two parts: Part 1 on 17 September at 6pm UK; Part 2 coming soon.
A0 copyshop files8 sheets, layered sizing
A4 and US Letter print-at-homeSplit into four modular print packs — Core Jacket Panels · Front Routes · Back + Details · Lining
30-page handbookEvery piece, every code, facings, sizing, seam allowances
The Build PlannerThe seven decisions, route guidance, pairing tables and a lock-in worksheet
Fabric GuideExact metreage at every fabric width, plus every pattern piece measured
Sourcing the FabricReal shops, real prices, six regions
Hardware sheetEvery rivet, button, buckle and snap, by size
Colour-coded A0 + pattern mapEvery piece tinted by construction group so you can sort before you cut
Icon glossaryEvery symbol on the pattern, explained
Two-part video coursePart 1 releases 17 September, 6pm UK. Part 2 coming soon.
How to print & stickA separate video for tiling and taping the print-at-home pages
Taught on video, not in paragraphs
That's a deliberate choice, not a gap. Written notes cover what earns its place — seam allowances, cutting rules, what pairs with what. Technique, movement and pacing live in the videos. Find the technique on video before you unpick a seam.
PRINTING & CUTTING
three things to know before you print.
Formats
A4 print-at-home, US Letter print-at-home, and A0 copyshop — all three are in the download, so you don't choose at checkout.
Print settings: 100% scale, correct paper size, single-sided, black and white. Print the cover page first and measure the 2″ × 2″ (5cm) test square before you print the rest.
Layered sizing
Switch off every size except yours in Adobe Acrobat's Layers panel, and print one clean line.
Browser PDF viewers, Mac Preview and phone apps all ignore layers and will show every size at once. That isn't a fault with the file — open it in Acrobat to get the layers.
Seam allowance
The whole pattern is drafted at ¼″ / 6mm and it is already included. Cut directly on your size line — don't add paper.
Some areas are marked for extra allowance: ½″ panel seams, flat-felled seams, enclosed seams and folded finishes. Add only where the sheet marks it.
Cut what is marked. Add only where told. Sew seams at ¼″. Refer to the tutorial.
QUESTIONS
before you buy.
Do I need selvedge denim?
No. It was developed on 15oz selvedge, but plenty of great jackets get made from ordinary wide cotton denim at about a third of the price. The only thing that changes is how much you buy — and the calculator above handles that.
Can I make this as a beginner?
Honestly: Route A, yes, if you've made a couple of things before and you're comfortable sewing a straight seam and pressing properly. Don't start here if you've never sewn — a denim jacket is a lot of pieces and heavy cloth, and you'd be learning two things at once.
Routes B and D are genuinely advanced. Route B is built around a welt pocket; Route D around curved facings.
What machine do I need?
Any machine that sews a straight stitch. A domestic is fine — the whole pattern is drafted around a ¼" seam, which is roughly the edge of a standard domestic foot. Heavier denim asks more of a machine than it does of you: use a proper denim needle, go slowly over seam intersections, and don't force it.
Is seam allowance included?
Yes — ¼" / 6mm, already in the pattern. Cut directly on your size line and don't add paper. A few areas are marked for extra allowance (½" panel seams, flat-felled seams, enclosed seams, folded finishes); add it only where the sheet marks it.
What sizes does it come in?
XXS–3XL, layered so you can switch off every size but yours in Adobe Acrobat. All the measurements in the chart above are finished garment, not body.
Your size is the same whichever route you build — the route changes how it looks, not how it fits.
A0 or print at home?
Both are included. A0 copyshop is 8 sheets. Print-at-home comes as A4 and US Letter, split into four modular packs — Core Jacket Panels, Front Routes, Back + Details, and Lining — so you only print the route you're actually building.
How long does it take?
Realistically: a weekend of solid work if you're experienced and building Route A unlined. More like two or three weekends for a first denim jacket, and longer again if you're following the tutorial properly rather than racing it.
Cutting and printing is most of the first session. Don't plan to finish it in an evening.
Is the tutorial included?
The course is being released in two parts. Part 1 releases on 17 September at 6pm UK. Part 2 is coming soon. The video cards above show the available links.
Can I sell what I make?
Yes — absolutely. Small-scale and independent maker use is fully supported. For larger-scale production, manufacturing runs, or brand use, get in touch on WhatsApp for a licensing breakdown first.
Can I share the pattern with a friend?
No. Roughcut patterns are for the individual customer only and must not be shared, forwarded or distributed. If someone wants it, they buy their own copy.
Is this a free update to the original Keystone Jacket?
No. This is a new, separate modular pattern and course. A previous purchase of the original Keystone Jacket does not include this release as a free or automatic update.
MAKE IT YOURS
choose your route. build your jacket.
Save this page for the tutorials, sizing, fabric calculator and build resources.