Tutorial for Sewing Curved Welt Pocket Design

If you've ever attempted to make a welt pocket they can be quite challenging.  When I decided to change it up a bit and do something that looked more girlie for my bags I was surprised how easy it actually was!

With this tutorial you will be guided step-by-step to sew a pocket of your own!

Project Time:
30 minutes to 1 hour

Shopping Lists:
*scraps of medium to heavy-weight fabric for outside (non-stretch)
*scraps of light to medium-weight fabric for pocket lining (non-stretch)
scrap of fusible interfacing
matching thread
black writing pen
fabric marker/chalk

*Feel free to mix & match different colors of fabrics depending on what you want your pocket to look like.  In the tutorial I used different colors of fabric so you can better see what pieces are which.  If you have a big bold pattern like the chevron purse you may want to do a solid color for the welts because it would be nearly impossible to match the patterns for all the pieces.

Download & Print Pattern:
SMALL pocket, HERE (approximately 5"-wide)
LARGE pocket, HERE (approximately 9"-wide) <--used in tutorial

-CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS-
Out of heavy to medium-weight fabric cut:
-pocket back (1 piece)
-pocket welts (4 pieces)
-large piece for the exterior (about 3" bigger on all sides of 'pocket bag' piece)

Out of medium to light-weight fabric cut:
-pocket bag (2 pieces)

Out of fusible interfacing cut:
-rectangle 2" bigger on all sides of 'pocket opening' piece (1 pieces)


-SEWING INSTRUCTIONS-
Pin fusible interfacing to RIGHT side of large exterior piece (with fusible side UP) about 1" from top edge.  Trace 'pocket opening' over fusible interfacing.

 Stitch over pen markings with a 2.5 length stitch.

 Cut down the center of stitching and into each of the corners (be sure not to clip your stitching!)

 Cut out the bulk from the center so you have about 1/4" left, and clip into the seam every 1/2-1" for ease of turning.

 Turn the edges of your interfacing through the opening and to the back side.  Carefully iron interfacing down so that the stitched opening is crisp and holds the correct shape.

 Turn your piece back over and this is what it should look like from the front side.

 With right sides together, sew both pairs of pocket welts together along longest edge with a 1/4" seam.  Clip seam for ease of turning.

 Turn welts right side out and press flat with iron.

 Place welts under pocket opening and arrange until they look good.

 Gently pin the welts together without moving (don't pin the top layer of the top welt).

 With the top layer free of the top welt, you can open and sew just inside the seam allowance where your welts overlap.

 This is what it looks like from the back side.

 Use your 'pocket back' piece and trace the bottom edge along the bottom edge of your welts (on back sides) using a fabric marker or chalk.

Pin the right side of a 'pocket bag' piece along the marked edge of your welts.  To do this, first clip 1/4" into the dip in the center of the pocket bag and match and pin that to the dip marking of your welts.  Manipulate (without stretching/pulling) the rest of the pocket bag piece to follow the marked line and pin as you go.

Sew the pieces together by following along the marked edge/edge of pocket bag with a 1/4" seam.  Make sure you back stitch when you get to the center on each side of the clipped area.

 This is what it should look like when you're done.

 Flip pocket bag down and iron flat.

 With wrong sides together, pin welts + pocket bag on the backside of your opening.

 Top-stitch 1/8" from opening's edge across bottom edge, making sure to backstitch on both ends.

 Sew the other 'pocket bag' to 'pocket back' with right sides together, matching centers and edges with a 1/4" seam.  Flip down and iron just as before.

 Center pocket back with the welts so the "dips" match.

 Pin the back on from the top side.

Top-stitch around the rest of the opening 1/8" just as before, making sure to backstitch.

 This is what your pocket now looks like from the back side... all you have to do now is sew the pocket bag pieces together on the sides and bottom!  Do this by first marking where to sew with a fabric marker/chalk and a ruler.  Pin pocket bag layers together.

 Sew over your marks, overlapping with the top-stitching from the front by 1/4".  To sew this you'll need to fold over the top layer (where the opening is) back so you don't sew it.

 Finish off by trimming the pocket back to reduce any extra bulk.

FINISHED!!

Interested in learning how to sew a zipper pocket?  Click here.

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