How to Sew a Curved Welt Pocket

Getting back to sewing jackets … by any chance did you happen to catch last weeks episode on It’s Sew Easy TV where I demonstrated adding a curved welt pocket.  Welt pockets can be a little intimidating because once you cut into the garment, you can’t change your mind! In case you missed the episode, here is a quick recap:

1.  Interface the entire jacket front and side front  pattern pieces (not only does that prevent the fabric from fraying, it supports the pocket).  Similar to a standard welt pocket, take two bias strips of fashion fabric, add fusible interfacing, and press in half.  Draw the curve line of the pocket onto the right side of the fashion fabric.  Turn the welts with the fold side away from the chalked in line (or make sure the raw edges are touching) and stitch along the center of the welt flap.  Notice how I have  also chalk marked the ends of the pocket opening.

2.  Turn the jacket over and on the wrong side of the garment you will see the stitch lines (I obviously used a yellow thread so you can see this :)).  Starting about 1″ in from one end of the stitching, cut into the fashion fabric.  Cut right in the middle of the stitch lines and end the cut about 1″ before the other stitch end.  Going back to the 1″ that we left alone, snip each corner from the cut line to the edge of the stitch line.  Do this for all four corners – as shown above.

3.  (See below) What is left is a slit with each welt on each side.  Pull the welts through the open slit, toward the wrong side of the fabric.

4.  Align the welts and press.  Run a basting stitch through the fold of each welt.  Now the pocket opening won’t slide around while finishing the pocket.

5.  Topstitch 1/8″ from the edge of the welt pocket.  The pocket shown above is a straight welt style, yet the topstitching you see would be the same on the curved welt.  Add the pocket lining.  That’s it!

This weeks It’s Sew Easy episode demonstrates preparing the jacket collar and lapel.  Have you been following along and sewing your own jacket?  On that note, I better giveaway another one of my online jacket classes:  Beginner’s Guide to Sewing Jackets on PatternReview.  Entering to win is easy, leave a comment below about what you find the most intimidating about sewing jackets.  (A random winner will be drawn on Friday).

Don’t forget ALL my PatternReview online classes are on sale for the rest of the week.  Why?  Just a special thanks to all of you that support my teaching.  Speaking of support, thanks to your votes in the Craftsy 2013 Blogger Awards, we won Runner-Up for Sewing Best Instructor’s Blog!  You all are awesome!!!! Thanks 🙂

Congratulations to Stephani the winner of my PatternReview class Create a Jacket Muslin !

 

Cheers!