I love pockets and I usually add them to every garment I sew. Inseam pockets are nice because they are hidden in the seam of your garment. The traditional way you sew these pockets can sometimes cause alignment issues, which makes them not lay nicely. In this sewing tutorial, I’m going to show a method that adds both pocket pieces to the front of the garment. It’s similar to a slat pocket. I find this method makes the pocket lay much flatter than the traditional method. Have some fun with your pockets and use a contrasting fabric for a pop of color inside.
For this sewing tutorial, I used the Full Skirt Dress pattern but you can easily adapt this method to any pattern that has a side seam or an inseam pocket. Follow along with this sewing tutorial and see how easy it is to add inseam pockets using this method!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Full Skirt Dress pattern or another pattern you have on hand
- Free Pocket pattern
- Interfacing (optional)
- Small sharp scissors
- Small Ruler
- Cutting Mat
- Rotary Cutter
- Pins or Clips
- Fabric marking pen
Let’s get started
Cut out the pocket pieces. You will need 2 sets mirror image (4 total pocket pieces). Finish the raw edges of pocket pieces with a serger or zig zag stitch.
You can add a small piece of interfacing to the wrong, straight side of the front pocket if you wish. With a fabric marking pen, use the guide on the pattern piece to transfer your stitch line. REPEAT with the other pocket.
Measure down from top of front skirt piece about 5″, mark location. You can adjust this to your preference of where you’d like your pockets to sit.
With RIGHT sides together, place the top of the pocket on the 5″ mark. Align the raw edges along the side seam. Pin/clip together, stitch along the rectangle you drew in the previous step. REPEAT with the other pocket on the opposite side of the skirt.
Snip into each corner at a 45˚ angle of the pocket. Do this carefully so that you do not cut through your stitches. Snip both corners of the pocket. REPEAT on the other side.
Flip the pocket toward WRONG side of skirt. Sandwich the seam allowance together at each corner to form a 90˚ angle. The seam allowance of the piece you snipped at the corner will be sandwiched in between the pocket and skirt.
Press pocket well.
Starting at the inner corner of the rectangle, stitch out 1/8-1/4” from top corner. Continue sewing down the side and back to the other corner. REPEAT with the other pocket.
Place one of the remaining pocket pieces RIGHT sides together onto the attached pocket. Align the curved edges of the 2 pocket pieces. Pin/clip the two pockets together along the curved edge. Stitch only the 2 pocket pieces together. REPEAT with the other pocket on the opposite side.
This is a view of what the pocket will look like from the right side of the skirt before sewing the side seam. From here you can continue construction of the Full Skirt Dress pattern tutorial. When you sew the side seams of the skirt, make sure you are only catching the pocket seam allowance. You can push the cut out rectangle in so that you don’t catch it in the seam as you sew.
Still have questions about how to sew your pockets?
Here are a few patterns that use this inseam pocket method with videos showing how to put it together.
Give this method a try and let us know what you think.
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