Pocket

[elizabeth_mn]

For my HB's suit, I knew I didn't want to try to put real pockets on the coat, but since he always needs to have at least one real pocket, and the vest was a heavier, more stable fabric, I made both vest pockets real and functional.

I really wasn't sure how an 18th century pocket was constructed, and the references I had were a little lacking in the details, so I used methods I'm familiar with from modern sewing to make something functional that I thought looked accurate enough, too.

Here's the complete description of how I made the pocket, under the cut.  (It is a bit image-heavy.)

I started by making the pocket flaps.  I cut the shape from two layers of linen, sewed right sides together, leaving an opening, then turned and pressed.

I used an unbleached linen scrap for the pocket itself, about 8" x 16".  Each pocket was stabilized with a scrap of horsehair canvas about 9" x 3".

I layered the fabrics as follows: on the bottom, vest front, with right side facing up; pocket; horsehair on top.  I marked the pocket placement with pins. 

(It's already sewed in this photo.  Just ignore that.)



I drew the pocket opening box onto the horsehair with pencil, making it 1/2" wide and 1/4" shorter than flap on each end.



I stitched around the box by machine, using a very short stitch length for the inch around the corners.  I cut down the center of the box, through all the layers, cutting triangles into each corner, as close to the stitching as I dared. (I wish I had gotten a photo of that part.)

I turned the pocket to the inside and pressed the box flat.

Opening from right side:



I folded the pocket over and pressed it.

 

Then folded back the vest front to expose the triangle I cut into the corners earlier.



I stitched that triangle to the horsehair and pocket with several passes of machine stitching.



I trimmed the pocket to be 1" shorter than the vest front.  I pinked the horsehair canvas (could've done this earlier, but I forgot).  Then continued stitching all around the pocket. 



With the opening and pocket finished, I pinned the flap in place on the right side and used the smallest, least obtrusive hand stitches I could manage to sew it in place.



Here it is opened.



After that, I sewed and lined the vest as I usually would.  The pocket is between the vest front and the lining.

I decided not to put buttons and buttonholes on these, but if I had, I would have sewed the buttonholes on the flaps before attaching.  I also could have made the opening even more invisible by sewing a scrap of the garment fabric to the pocket fabric first.  But I didn't want to add too much bulk.
 

Yay!  A pocket!