Pockets For Every Purpose: How-To

Pockets are useful as well as decorative on a garment. Many different kinds can be made if you know the basic rules. There are really four fundamental types: patch pockets, bound pockets, welt pockets, and pockets with a flap.

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Patch Pockets: For a good looking patch pocket, all edges must be true and even. To achieve this it is wise to cut a pattern, if there is none with the garment pattern. Cut two or three small notches on each rounded corner of pocket so the seam will lie flat (Fig. 1). Turn and press all edges of pocket and baste if necessary (Fig. 2). Or you can make a cardboard pattern of pocket, omitting seam allowances (Fig. 3). Place it on pocket pieces and press the seam allowances over cardboard edge. Finish the top of pocket with a plain hem or by adding seam binding to edge after it is turned–which finish you use depends on weight of fabric.

The pocket may be stitched close to the edge or back from it. If stitched close to edge, the top is attractive with several rows of machine stitching (Fig. 4). Pockets that are stitched back from edge (usually one-fourth inch), should be stitched equal distance back across top for added decoration.

To make a patch pocket with a flap, simply add the desired hem at top of pocket. Turn hem to the right side and stitch across each side (Fig. 5). Turn, baste and press edges so they are even. Hem by hand or machine stitch this flap before sewing pocket to garment. Be sure the stitching around pocket matches that on flap (Fig. 6). For interest these flaps can be of contrasting color.

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Bound Pockets: If the material in the garment is light weight, it can be used for the binding and lining, but in heavy fabrics self fabric is used for binding and a lining material for pocket.

First mark the pocket opening on binding and on garment. Cut the binding at least one inch longer than the completed pocket and three to four inches wide (Fig. 7). Be sure to match the grain of material of binding and garment or if the pocket is made on an angle, the binding should be on the bias.

Place binding on the right side of material, matching where the cutting lines will fall. Pin and baste carefully. Stitch around the cutting line–the distance you stitch back from the cutting line depends upon the effect desired when finished. One-fourth inch from cutting line gives an attractive piped effect. In heavier materials you need to stitch at least one-half inch from the cutting line. Make square corners at the ends by leaving the machine needle down in fabric, lift presser foot, and turn fabric, making the same number of stitches across each end (Fig. 7).

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Cut through center of cutting line to within one-fourth inch from each end. Now slash from center to each corner, being careful not to snip the stitches. Pull the binding piece through to the wrong side. Then continue to pull until the binding forms two even rows with perfect square on other side. Stitch across each end to hold binding together (Fig. 8). Then stitch around buttonhole in the seam edges so it will be flat.

Join pocket on wrong side (Fig. 8). If the binding piece is not large enough, add an additional pocket piece, opening the seam and pressing flat. Stitch and overcast the seam.

Source: The Workbasket (1952)

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