Pocketsssssessssssss My Preccccciousssssss!

So I am in process of making a suit and there are many pockets in a suit.  On the Jacket there are two flap pockets on the front a slit pocket on the upper left breast and a slit pocket on the inside. In the vest there are two small slit pockets and on the pants there are two regular pockets on the sides and a slit pocket where the wallet goes. I am going to focus on the slit/flap pockets as the side pants pockets are as simple as sewing them to the sides of the pants and then sewing around the outside of them as one puts the pants together. I'm mostly using pics of the construction of one of the vest pockets. Sew anyway let's get to the Pocketses!

The Parts:

A. The pocket lining

B. The pocket fabric

C. The pocket piping

D. The outside finish.

Unfortunately the pattern I'm using has nothing but fake pockets. Flaps and Outside finish applied to the garment with no opening underneath to put things in! So there is a stitch line but it is for attaching the flap and nothing else!

I like to use tracing paper and a tracing wheel to transfer lines to my sewing.

So I marked a little below the stitching line (1/4 inch) for the opening of my pocket.

I prepped my finishing strip (D). folded it in half long ways, stitched about 1/4 inch from the ends, trimmed the corners and flipped it right side out. Then I pressed the hell out of it. You want the edge of this to look quite crisp as it is the finishing edge of the pocket.

Ready to turn right side out and press.

Then I checked to make sure the piping (C) was bigger than the marked slit. This is important because the fabric of the piping is what you are going to sew things to on the inside of the jacket and what keeps the cut opening from fraying.

I pinned the piping (C) to the jacket right sides together.

Then I stitched 1/8 inch on either side of my line. Note how I stop at the end lines of the slit, This makes sure there is fabric beyond the end of the stitching.

Then I cut the opening line. Note the triangles at either end of the slit. 

The Triangle at the ends of the slit makes the pocket opening open all the way and lay flat when the piping (C) is pulled through.

Pull the piping (C) all the way through and iron flat.

Sew around the edge of the opening as close to the edge as possible. 

pin The Finishing Piece (D) to the bottom edge of the hole and stitch very close to the edge.

I pull the upper edge of the piping (C) back through the hole so I don't accidentally sew it into the next step. Also not how the Finishing Piece (D) is wider than the piping so that you are NOT sewing the piping down on the inside of the jacket as you finish the outside of the pocket.

fold the Finishing piece (D) up and pin it. sew it down very close to the sides with a nice finishing stitch.

There! Now the outside of the pocket is done and we can finish the inside of the construction. Doesn't that look nice!

On the inside I pin the fabric part of the pocket (B) to the UPPER flap of the piping (C). Putting the fabric side of the pocket toward the lining of the jacket helps make the pocket last longer.

Then I sew it just as close to the opening as I can.

There (B) sewn to (C) and folded back. 

I do the same with (A) on the Bottom edge of (C)

Then I fold everything down nice and flat. press all the seams in the directions that make them lay flat and sew around the bottom and sides of the pocket (NOT ONTO THE JACKET! just (A) and (B) together) and the pocket is finished.

The Big Difference for me between a flap pocket and a slit pocket is that I apply the flap above a pocket about 1/4 inch up so that it can be flipped up and the pocket accessed rather than applying the outside finish to hide the slit like I did for this pocket.

Any questions? fire away!