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4/17/2008

Perfect Pockets Every Time!


In my search to streamline construction while maintaining the utmost quality of the shirts I design, I developed an easy way to ensure perfectly symmetrical pockets.

First, change your pocket pattern by reducing the side and bottom seam allowances to no more than 3/8".

To help with accuracy while cutting, place your fabric on a stable padded surface, such as your ironing board. Stab-pin the pattern through the fabric and into the padded surface, as shown below. By pinning in this manner the fabric will not shift as the pocket is cut.







With Wrong side UP, press the seam allowances of ONE side and ONE angle edge, as shown below. You now have half of the pocket seam allowances pressed to the wrong side. Normally we would continue to press all the seam allowances to the wrong side, but by doing that we often end up with a pocket with odd angles and unequal side edges.





Fold the pocket in half RIGHT sides together at the point, matching the top edges as shown below.






Next, press the remaining seam allowances TO MATCH THE PREVIOUSLY PRESSED (folded) EDGES. Don't worry if the seam allowances vary in width. The goal is to have a finished pocket with its edges even...NOT the seam allowances!






Now we need to address the pocket's top (hem) edge. Before folding and pressing it into position, slide the top edges of the seam allowances IN a scant 1/8" as shown below. By doing this, bulk is reduced when stitching the pocket to the garment.







Finish the top edge of the pocket hem as desired. Fold down to the wrong side and press.


Place the pocket right side up and press. The corners and point will miter "auto-magically".
The finished pocket will have sharp point, perfect angles, and all edges will be even!

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11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great tip thanks.

7:05 PM  
Blogger lorrwill said...

Brilliant! (as usual) Thanks for this info.

9:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

wow, what a great tip! So simple, yet I'd have never thought to do it that way. Thanks for sharing!

10:05 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Did I read in one of your posts to the creative machine group that you use a 1 inch double hem for the top edge of your pockets? All your tutorials are wonderful!

3:43 AM  
Blogger Pam Erny said...

Yes Pat, on most pockets I use a 1" double fold for the top hem edge.

Glad you like the "tutes"...will be writing more as soon as possible!

8:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Pamela...you ROCK!!! That makes perfect sense!

With friendship,
Lisa

7:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The best way I've found to assure pockets come out symmetrical is to make a template of the finished pocket shape from a piece of tag paper, (same as oak tag or the heavy manilla pattern paper), and lay it on the cut out pocket and iron the seam allowances up around it. This is very fast as well.

1:37 AM  
Blogger Pam Erny said...

Yes, I use templates too...sometimes.

6:56 AM  
Anonymous Tory said...

Brilliant. And easy! I love your tutorials.

8:00 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Ah, thank you so much! Your tutorial has made my life easier, I now don't need to run into town to get help with a pocket on a shirt I'm working on.

8:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ah, thank you so much!
Your tutorial has made my life easier,
I now don't need to run into town to get help
with a pocket on a shirt I'm working on.

8:59 PM  

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