Londa S Double Welt Pockets

Londa’s Double Welt Pockets

Back in the 70’s, when I was struggling with tailoring jackets for my dear hubby, I sent in tears to a Polish woman in my town who had wonderful sewing skills – having worked in garment factories for many years. I am indebted to this wonderful woman, Jo Marno, for this technique, and for how she taught me to set in sleeves without any ease stitches.

These directions are taken from what I first wrote in my Tailored Elegance pattern – Londa’s Elegant Creations - #9009, published in 1990. That pattern also includes these pockets done with curved lips.

Double welt pockets are Easy – and impressive! Well done, most people will marvel at your talents. If this is new to you, or even a new technique, I recommend strongly that you take time – for your own reassurance – to try one on a scrap of fabric.

These pockets resemble a bound buttonhole – and the lips can be any width you desire. Of course, the wider the lips, it is somewhat easier. I generally advise ¼ to ½” finished width for each lip.

Pocket Designing Rules of Thumb

Bustline pockets: 3.5” – 4” long

Waistline pockets: 5” long

Hipline pockets: 6 – 6.5” long

Discard all patterns given to you with a pattern you are using – and follow THESE directions for cutting!

Cut Lips & Stabilizer

1. Cut each lip 4 times WIDER than the finished desired width. Cut each lip 2” LONGER than your desired finished pocket length.

Example: for a pocket that ends up 6” long, and with double ¼” finished ‘lips’ – you will cut lips 8” long by 1” wide. You will need 2 lips per pocket. I cut them straight grain if possible. If working with a plaid, I usually cut them on the bias.

2. Cut stabilizer of compatible fusible interfacing, using pinking shears (which decreases the chance of the edges of this stabilizer striking through and being seen on the garment’s right side). Cut this stabilizer 2” longer than the finished pocket size and 2” wide.

Example: 8” long by 2” wide.

Note: you are NOT yet cutting the pocket pieces. I like to get the lips in and then cut the back pocket piece (or patch on a pocketing fabric) so that I can be absolutely sure that it ‘matches’ if I’m using a plaid or striped fabric.

Mark Pocket Placement

I mark and completely do one pocket first – then I measure carefully to mark the remaining pocket so that it exactly duplicates placement of the pocket already done. This is experience speaking – and what I have found that works for me.

What you are marking here is the CENTER line of the pocket – where the lips will actually meet.

1. Lay jacket front unit right side up on flat, padded surface. Lay pattern piece on garment and accurately stick in a pin at each end of the pocket. Carefully remove pattern tissue. See diagram.

2. Mark on the right (non-fusible) side of the Stabilizer, a line as long as your finished pocket length, right down the middle of your Stabilizer.

3. On wrong side of Jacket, guide the pins protruding through from the front EXACTLY at the ends of this marked line on your Stabilizer. Be sure the fusible side of your Stabilizer is Down. Fuse Stabilizer remembering the rules of fusible interfacings, and splitting the Stabilizer at any garment princess seamline or dart that might cross your pocket length. Slip the stabilizer under the seam allowances. See diagram below.

4. Now – you are going to REMARK the pocket placement on the right side of the fabric – with Thread. Repeat Step 1 with the pattern piece. Mark the exact pocket placement and ends by hand basting – or even machine basting. Diagrams illustrate a slanted pocket. The ends of a slanted pocket MUST be aligned with the straight grain of the fabric and garment in order to look correct, and NOT at right angles to the pocket placement line. See diagram below.

Stitching Steps to Pocket Perfection

Reduce your stitch length and above all, be PRECISE!

1. Press Pocket Lips in half, wrong sides together. Stitch EXACTLY down the center of each folded strip.

2. Attach Lips to OUTSIDE of garment…with CUT edges touching the basted pocket center line. Stitch, over previous stitching line on the lip, ending and securing by stopping needle down EXACTLY at the pocket end cross mark, turning the fabric 180 degrees, and stitching exactly back on your stitching for ¼” or so. (This is far more exact and secure than backstitching, as many machines will take one more stitch forward before going backwards). See Diagram below.

3. Check for accuracy of your stitching by scrutinizing it from the wrong side. Are your welt stitching lines just made exactly parallel, with the basted center line exactly between them? Are your stitching lines ending EXACTY at the point where the end basting lines intersect the center line? If not, fix it NOW!!! See Diagram below.

4. Cut X opening from WRONG side of the jacket. Slash along the center marking, through the GRAMENT ONLY. (Please note, you do NOT cut through the Lips – even at the angled clipping!) You will be cutting between the two lines of stitching you just did and ending WITHIN ½” from each corner. Cut diagonally to each corner. Don’t be a chicken clipper as I always told my students – you MUST clip ALL THE WAY to those stitching lines!!! If you don’t, you’ll have blobby ends! I always use my Applique Scissors for this job! They are strong and exact enough and stay sharp to their tips to do this easily and accurately. See Diagram below.

5. Carefully pull the two welt lips to the INSIDE. Press (using a press cloth) from the outside as the welts should lie. Square the corners by pulling the welt strips straight in back. The triangle of jacket fabric at the ends should fold to the inside.

6. Secure Ends by folding the jacket back so the triangle is visible at each end. Stitch on top of the vertical basting, continuing to stitch back and forth out to the end. Be sure to keep the triangle on top, with the two folds of the lips meeting underneath. See Diagram below.

Cut Pocket Pieces

1. Cut 1 of garment fabric (to be the backside of the pocket, so you see the fashion fabric through the pocket between the lips as they open.)

Cut 1 of lining fabric (to be the front side of the pocket). Make these pieces the same length as the pocket lips, and as deep as you desire the pocket to be. (I cut a bit larger, then stitch across the bottom in steps below to my desired depth, making sure the pocket is shorter than where the garment’s hem allowance will rest.)

Pockets with Flaps: If you desire a welt pocket with a flap, as is found on fine men’s suits, it is at this point that you would insert a flap up and under the upper welt – BEFORE you stitch the back pocket on. When making your pocket flap, consider lining for the under flap, and make sure it is just long enough to snugly fit in – not too short or too long for your pocket opening. I personally wait until this point to stitch my pocket flaps so that I can make CERTAIN they are the correct size.

2. Attach Pocket piece backside. Pin fashion fabric, or backside pocket piece to the UPPER Lip on the INSIDE with cut edges meeting at the top.

Now…flip pocket over so that the lips are on the top. Lay garment right side up. Flip upper part of the jacket down towards you, exposing the first lip stitching line. Stitch exactly over this first stitching line AGAIN. This secures the backside pocket piece to the jacket. (If you’ve inserted a flap, do it this way, then this step goes after inserting and securing the flap.) See Diagram below.

3. Repeat this procedure to attach the front side Pocket piece, but you’re obviously attaching it to the Lower Lip.

4. Using a press cloth (I love a piece of silk organza) as it should lie. Pin the sides and bottom of the pocket pieces. STITCH pocket pieces together with garment fabric pocket piece lying next to the machine bed…and with the garment turned back out of the say, starting at the top of the upper lip, stitching over the triangles, rounding at bottom corners, and up the other side to the other corner of lips. Trim seam allowance.

SMILE!!! You did it!!!!

Pat yourself on the back…

and go have some chocolate…………