How to Add Shaped Pockets to Pants and Skirts

Pockets. We need them.

We put things in them. They keep our hands warm. They’re conspicuous in their absence on pants, and a pleasure when included in skirts.

Quite a lot of women’s pants patterns, and most skirt patterns, do not include pockets. What a shame, and how annoying, we say, but luckily, pockets are easy to add!

There are many different kinds of pockets, so it’s important to choose the right kind for your project. For example, on pants that fit slim or tight through the hips, you want to avoid an in-seam pocket, which will pull open, and go for a shaped pocket, which will stay flat across the front.

Here’s how to add a shaped pocket:

(click for a larger image)

Now in practice:

Left to right – the pants leg with the pocket shape cut out; the pocket facing; the pocket bag “fill in”

Here’s the back (inside) of the pants leg – the pocket facing and pocket bag are stitched together around the bottom.

From the front – the pocket opening is finished cleanly with a top stitch. The completed pocket bag is secured to the side seam and waist seam in the seam allowances. This piece is now treated as one and  sewn together with the rest of the pants, according to the pattern instructions.

The great thing about this method is that you can make the pocket bags as big and deep or narrow and shallow as you want. You can create interesting shapes with the cutout edge, too. This method creates a pocket that stays flat at the front rather than pulls open under stress.

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be cutting pockets into everything!