Sew Pocket Bags To Side Seams

Correctly line up the straight side of the pocket bags with the side seams.

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First thing we need to do is sew each pocket bag to the side seams of the garment. So if you're using a pattern that has a pocket piece with it, you should have some notches along the side seams. It's quite hard to see, but there is a notch there and a notch there, and then you will also have matching notches on your pocket piece.

If you are adding pockets to a garment that doesn't have the pocket pieces included.

All you need to do is measure down from the top to where you want your pocket bag to start, and add a little mark on all side seams of your garments. You need to make sure that they are going to match up later on, so it's really important to be very accurate here.

So once you've located your notches or added your own markings, we're going to take the first pocket piece and we're going to flip it so that it's right sides together, and the teardrop shape down here is facing towards the hem of your garment.

Match up the notches and pin your pocket piece in place. So then we are going to sew from the top of the pocket bag down to the bottom of the pocket bag. At this point, we are going to sew it with a slightly narrower seam allowance than what your pattern instructions tell you.

So if you are sewing with a one and a half centimeter seam allowance, you're going to sew your pocket bag in place here with a one centimeter seam allowance. Make sure to back stitch at the start and end. Now do the same again with the mirrored pocket piece matching up any of your notches or marks that you've made, which is going to ensure that each side of your pocket bag is at exactly the same point. So we're gonna sew this one in place. So I'm just matching up those notches and again stitch with a smaller seam allowance.

Once you stitch that in place, we want to press the pocket piece away from the side seam. So just take your iron and press the pocket over the side seam. So the side seam remains underneath, and the pocket is coming away.