Pockets Today

Today is pocket day. I always add side zippered pockets to my pants and it took a while because I couldn't find the right colors for the pockets. I took out my plum and purple boxes of fabrics and of course the pieces had been waiting there all this time.

Exactly the same shade as the pants!

I cut out 4 pieces, 2 for each pocket measuring 22 x 26 cm each.

Wine pants and matching fabric for pockets

The inner seam leg is unpicked to enable access to the outside side seam of the pants leg.

I measured down 30 cm from my waistline on the outside side seam and marked a chalk line at this point. I took one of the pocket rectangles and placed it face down with a width of 22 cm and a length of 26 cm lined up to the chalk mark at the top. I pinned the piece down with a pin at each corner.

Pocket piece pinned to loutside eg seam

Next, I marked a line 3 cm down from the top of the pocket piece and drew a rectagle of 18 cm width with a 1 cm height.

Rectangle for opening marked with chalk

I stitched on this rectangle going through both layers of fabric, the pocket piece and the pants.

Stitching on the rectangle

Next a line is drawn in the center of the rectangle and both layers of fabric are cut open making sure to cut very close to the corners without cutting over the stitching line.

Cutting inside the rectangle

Turn the pocket piece towards the inside of the pants leg.

Pocket piece turned inwards

Iron it down on the inside of the pants leg making sure that the corners lay flat.

Pocket piece ironed

Iron it from the outside.

Also from the outside

This is what the opening should look like once it has been ironed.

Pocket opening

Place the zipper underneath this opening and stitch in place.

Zipper topstitched under opening

Lay the second pocket piece face down on the first piece and stitch all around making sure that you do not catch the pant leg in the stitching line. I do this twice.

Second pocket piece stitched down

The finished zippered pocket from the outside.

Finished pocket

It is wide enough and deep enough to fit a cell phone in.

Zippered pocket

For additional reinforcement and neatness of edges I ran my serger along the edge. If you don't have a serget you can do a short, wide zig zag stitch along the edge.

Close the inner seam of the pants and you are done.

Serged edges