Chapter 26 - Pockets

Pockets are of two kinds: patch pockets, which are shaped pieces set on the outside of the garment, and set-in pockets, which are inserted into a slit, so that the bulk of the fabric is on the inside of the garment. Patch pockets are the simpler kind and are used for aprons, work clothes, and informal garments. The style chosen depends on the style of the garment and the individual taste of the wearer. Set-in pockets are usually made in more tailored clothes. General rules for pockets are: stitching on the outside must be straight for a good appearance, pairs must be carefully balanced, pocket must not be too high or too low, top corners must be carefully reinforced.

Pockets are sometimes finished off at the top ends with bar tacks. Make several vertical stitches, then work over them with small overhand stitches that catch in garment material. Two smaller bar tacks may be placed horizontally on each end.
 
Patch pockets: The following are just a few of the many possible styles. It is a good idea to stitch a tape on the wrong side of the garment where the top of the pocket will be.

Work pockets: Turn in a hem on the pocket all around and baste. Baste and stitch pocket to garment. Or, turn in a hem on three sides, baste. Then turn down top hem and slip stitch to place. Baste and stitch pocket to garment.
Lined patch pocket: Cut two pocket pieces, turn in seam edges on each to wrong side, and baste; then baste two pieces together, wrong sides inside. Sew across top in a decorative manner by hand or machine, baste and stitch to garment.

Or, cut two pocket pieces, one smaller than the other by the depth of the hem. Stitch them across the top, right sides together, press the seam open. Bring the lining down so that bottom edges meet. The seam just made is no longer at the top. Stitch around on three sides, leaving a space of l½ inches at the bottom to turn. Trim the seams, turn the pocket right side out, press. Turn in raw edges and slip stitch together. Baste and stitch pocket to garment.

Flap pocket: Turn under the edges of the pocket and the edges of the flap on three sides and baste. Sew right side of flap to wrong side of pocket across the top. Trim seam, turn flap over to right side, stitch flap down or use a decorative hand stitch around the edges. Baste and stitch the pocket to the garment.

Or, turn three sides of pocket under and baste. Cut out two flaps of desired shape, stitch them, right sides together, on three sides. Trim seams, turn flap right side out and press. Baste flap on to top of pocket, raw edges all meeting. Baste bias binding on top and stitch through all thicknesses. Turn bias to wrong side and slip stitch flat to position. Baste and stitch pocket to garment.

Or, turn three sides of pocket under and baste. Cut out two flaps, each double the width of the finished flap. Stitch on three sides, right sides together, trim seams, and turn right side out. Turn raw edges to inside and baste. Edge stitch all around. Fold flap in half and encase top of pocket in between. Baste and stitch flap to pocket, then stitch pocket to garment.

Seam pocket: Turn down top edge ¼ inch to wrong side and stitch. Fold along hem line to right side, stitch from top fold to bottom of hem, at the seam line on both sides. Trim top corners, turn hem to wrong side, stitch across top, if desired, and again at bottom of hem on right side. Turn in seam allowance all around, baste. Stitch pocket to garment.

Bound patch pocket: Baste binding on to edges of pocket, right sides together. Trim seams, turn binding to wrong side and baste. Binding may be slip stitched to the top of the pocket. Baste and stitch pocket to garment.

Set-in pockets:

Pocket With Separate Binding

Making Set-In Piped Or Bound Pocket
 
Set-in piped or bound pocket: Cut a piece for pocket, twice as long as finished pocket, plus one inch, and about ¾ to one inch longer than pocket opening. Fold in half crosswise, and place crease on marked line for opening, with strip open flat. Mark opening on pocket, baste in place and machine stitch a box exactly as long as the pocket opening, and ½ inch deep (¼ inch above and below crease). Slash through center to ¼ inch of ends, then diagonally to corners with small sharp scissors. Turn pocket to inside through slash. Make two little pleats from above and below so that edges meet in center of slash, and hold them together with a line of diagonal basting. Machine stitch a box around opening through the original stitching to catch binding in place permanently, or catch by hand with tiny invisible stitches from right side. On wrong side, turn pocket down, stitch all around through the little triangles formed by the slashing, but free of the garment, and overcast edges together. Sometimes the ends are finished with arrowheads (see p. 182). The finished pocket looks like a bound buttonhole (p. 161), gives a tailored look.

Welt pocket: The welt pocket also gives a tailored effect, especially with lightweight or medium-weight fabrics, and is made like the set-in pocket just discussed. While the piped pocket has two lips like a buttonhole, the welt pocket has just one. Make pocket like set-in bound pocket, as described above, but instead of forming two lips or pleats, fold the lower part up to meet the top of the opening exactly, and basted, together with diagonal basting. All other details are the same as above.

Pocket with separate binding: Cut binding about 2½ inches wide and one inch longer than the opening. Baste the binding in place over the marked place for the opening, stitch about ⅜ inch to ½ inch wide around mark for opening, slash through center of box and diagonally to corners. Turn binding to wrong side through slash, forming two pleats together that meet in the center. Diagonal baste the edges of these lips or pleats together. On right side, sew through original stitching for the box by hand or machine. Now cut two pocket pieces, one longer than the other about ½ inch. Stitch right side of longer one to upper edge of binding on the inside, and stitch right side of shorter one to lower edge of binding. Baste pocket pieces together to form a pouch, stitch around on three sides. Overcast edges together. Separate binding is used for contrasting decorative effect and can be repeated in button-holes. Binding may be straight, rounded, or S-shaped for further decorative detail.

Pocket with separate welt: This type of pocket is used for heavy garments, as coats, and for wool skirts, jackets, and slacks. Cut welt piece 2½ inches wide and 1 inch longer than the opening. Fold it through the center crosswise, right sides out, and baste to the right side of the garment, the raw edges just below the place for the pocket opening. Cut two pocket pieces, one ½ inch longer than the other. Baste shorter piece, right side down, over the welt. Baste the longer piece wrong side down, above the welt. Stitch the length of the opening ¼ inch above and below the raw edges. Fold pouch pieces back on stitched line, slash through the center and diagonally to the ends of the stitching line. Turn pocket piece and welt ends through the slash to the wrong side. On the inside, stitch through the little triangles formed by the slash, and through the welt pieces; turn the upper piece down. Baste pouch together, stitch around, and overcast edges.

Flap set-in pocket: Cut out two flaps, stitch them, right sides together, on three sides. Trim the seams, turn right side out, press, and baste above the marked line for opening, raw edges down. Now proceed exactly as above for pocket with separate welt. To finish pocket, turn flap down.

Pocket in a seam: Stitch the seam, leaving an opening several inches shorter than the pocket. Stitch one pocket piece, right sides together to front opening, and other pocket piece to back opening, as far down as the bottom of the opening. Clip seam at bottom, turn pocket pieces to wrong side, and baste together to form a pouch. Stitch, free of garment, from top around pocket and up to seam opening. The top of the pocket is caught in the waistband of a skirt or in the waistline seam of a dress. This is a kind of secret pocket.

Stand pocket: This kind of pocket is good for clothes of masculine design. It is made like pocket with separate welt and flap pocket. The stand is different from the flap in that the flap faces down, while the stand is a straight piece facing up. Make the stand like the flap above. (For softer material, baste an interfacing on to the wrong side of one part of the stand, and turn edges of stand in ½ inch over interfacing. Stitch other stand piece on, right sides together; trim seams and turn right side out.) Continue with directions as given above, but turn stand up and catch corners with invisible stitches to finish.

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