Spent three days trying to make a pocket that didn't look like a sad envelope

I was working on a simple linen jacket and decided to add a welt pocket. Watched a 10 minute tutorial that made it look easy. My first attempt looked like a crumpled receipt holder, and the next five weren't much better. I finally got it right after using a glue stick to hold the fabric pieces before sewing, which the video never mentioned. Has anyone else found a trick that saved a basic design step from total failure?

3 comments

3 Comments

holly_walker768d ago

That glue stick trick is a lifesaver. I started using washable school glue for tricky bits like that, especially with linen that likes to shift. Another thing that helped me was marking the exact pocket opening with tailor's chalk on the right side of the fabric before I even cut the welt piece. It stops you from sewing in the wrong spot. What kind of lining are you using for the pocket bag?

keithlane5d ago

Is all that prep work really needed for a pocket? Seems like a lot of fuss for something that just holds your hand.

rubyk868d ago

My grandma taught me to baste everything with bright pink thread first, which feels like overkill until your welt pocket actually lines up. Holly_Walker76's chalk tip made me realize I should mark the back of the interfacing too, not just the fashion fabric. I ruined a whole silk panel once by skipping that step.