# A Complete Course in Dressmaking/Lesson 5/Making pockets

MAKING POCKETS
Fig. (41) The front hem stitched at the bottom A Square Patch Pocket: Skirts have but little trimming these days except a pocket or pockets. Often it's the pocket that gives the style to the skirt. The neatness and nicety of the tailoring of a pocket, makes a plain skirt smart.
A pocket, suitable for a skirt of heavy material such as tweed or homespun, is shown in Fig. 44. The diagram for making this pocket pattern is shown in Fig. 45.
Fig. (42) The corner completed
First, decide on the dimensions that you want the finished pocket. It may help you to draw the pocket on the skirt diagram. Never make a pocket exactly square, an oblong pocket, on account of the variety of the lines, is far more pleasing to the eye.
​Fig. (43) The edges finished at the closing
Draw the lines AB and CD parallel.(See Fig. 45.) Make these lines the width you want the pocket and place them the distance apart that you want the pocket deep. Allow a hem at the top and seams at the sides and bottom, as indicated by the dotted lines EFGH, Fig. 45. Cut out the pattern along these last lines.
Fig. (44) A plain patch pocket
Fig. (46) A patch pocket with a pointed lower edge is suitable for any medium weight skirting
Fig. (48) The outline of a pocket can be varied with double points
A Patch Pocket with Pointed Lower ​Edge: If you want to vary your patch pocket a little, add a point to the lower edge as shown in Fig. 46.
Fig. (45)  Diagram for making plain patch pocket pattern
After you have drawn the outline for the upper part of the pocket as shown by the lines ABCD, Fig. 47, divide the lower line in two, marking a point at the center as point E. Draw a line from point E at right angle to line CD. On this line, mark the depth that you want the point, as point F, Fig. 47. From point F, draw lines to points C and D. In cutting out the pattern allow seams at the sides and lower edges, and a hem at the top.
A Patch Pocket with Double Points: Fig. 48 shows a patch pocket with double points which is attractive on a silk skirt or on a woolen skirt of medium or light weight goods.
In making a pattern for this pocket, first draw the upper part of the pocket as lines ​ABCD in Fig. 49. Lines AB and CD are parallel and the lines AC and BD are at right angles to them.
Divide the lower line in two marking the center E. Then mark the two halves in two again, marking the centers of these portions F and G. (See Fig. 49.) From points F and G, draw lines at right angles to line CD.
Fig. (47) Diagram for pointed pocket pattern Mark these lines the depth you want the points, as points H and I. Draw lines from point H to points C and E, and from point I to points E and D.
In cutting out the pattern, allow seams at the sides and lower edges F and a hem at the top.
A Patch Pocket with Tabs at the Lower Edge: There is really no end to the shapes that you can make in a patch pocket. Fig. 50 gives another style. Here two tabs are cut on the lower edge.
To make a pattern for a pocket of this type, first draw the pocket without the tabs ​as lines ABCD, Fig. 51. Fig. (49) Diagram for pocket double points As in the other pockets, lines AB and CD are parallel to each other and lines CA and DB are at right angles to AB and CD. If you want the space between the tabs to just equal the width of the tabs, divide the lower line in three equal parts as CE, EF and FD. Continue the lines AC and BD below the original pocket. Also, draw lines from points E and F at right angles to line CD. On these new lines, mark the depth you want the tabs, as points G, H, I and J. Draw lines from G to H and from I to J. These will complete the outline of the tabs.
Fig. (50) Tabs are another way of giving the pocket a little difference
Fig. (52) Tabs are sometimes added to the sides of a pocket.
Fig. (54) Scallops are another pretty pocket outline
​Use your ruler or two-wheel tracer to mark seams at the sides, around the tabs and across the bottom of the pocket. It is important that the seams are put on evenly at all points. If you guess at the seam allowance, it is almost sure to be more in one place than another, which probably will mean a pocket out of shape, when finished.
Fig. (51) Diagram for making pocket pattern that has tabs at the bottom
In cutting, allow a hem at the top unless you intend lining the pocket.
A Patch Pocket with Tabs at Sides: Just to show you another variation, there is Fig. 52. This pocket has its tabs at the sides. It makes a pretty pocket for a cotton wash skirt, such as cotton gabardine. Sometimes, fancy pockets of this kind are used on sports silk skirts and skirts of medium weight woolen, such as flannel.
In making the pattern, draw the lines for the pocket without the tabs. See lines ABCD, Fig. 53. Decide on the width that ​you want the tabs and mark points E and F. From points A and E draw lines at right angles to line AC and from points B and F draw lines at right angles to line BD. On these lines mark the length that you want the tabs, as points G, H, I and J. Draw lines from G to H and from I to J which will complete the tabs.
This pocket will finish easiest with a lining. Allow seams at all edges. In cutting the lining, make it just a trifle smaller than the outside at all points. Then, hold it to the outside in stitching and, when the pocket is turned right side out, the outside will roll over the edges and hide the lining.
​A Patch Pocket with Scalloped Top: Even the upper edge of a pocket may be cut in a fancy outline. Fig. 54 illustrates a silk skirt that has a pocket with scalloped top. It's a style of pocket that would be pretty, too, on a wash skirt of cotton or a medium weight woolen, such as serge.
Fig. (55) Diagram for pocket pattern with scalloped top
The diagram for the pattern is shown in Fig. 55. First, draw the outline for the pocket below the scallops as lines ABCD. Divide the upper line in two and mark a point in the center as point E, Fig. 55. From points A, E and B draw lines at right angles to the line AB. On these lines mark at the depth you want the scallops as points G, F and H. Place a piece of paper under the diagram and trace along the lines AG, GF, FE and EA. Cut out this portion. Fold it, bringing the edges GA and FE together. Then, oval off the top as shown in Fig. 56. Cut along the dotted line indicated in Fig. 56 and use this scallop as a guide in ​marking the tops of the two scallops in the diagram Fig. 55.
This pocket, too, ought to be lined. Allow seams at all edges in cutting out the pattern, being sure that they are marked at an equal depth at all points.
An Oval Patch Pocket: Where you want just a small pocket, an oval outline is effective. See Fig. 57. This style of pocket can be used on almost any skirt, whether the material is a heavy woolen, such as tweed or a medium weight silk, such as rough-weave, sports silk. Fig. (56) Pattern for scallop
The diagram for the pattern is shown in Fig. 58. Decide on the width and depth that you want the pattern, then draw the box ABCD to these proportions. Divide the lower line in two, marking the center as point E. Trace the outline onto another piece of paper, cut it out and fold it as in Fig. 56. Mark the curve for half the lower edge and cut it out. This gives you a guide for making the curve on each side of the pocket exactly the same. Use it in marking the curve on the diagram. In cutting ​out the pattern, allow seams at the lower edge and a hem at the top.
A Patch Pocket in Pointed Outline: V-shaped pockets make a stylish trimming for a sports skirt. A silk skirt is shown in Fig. 59
with pockets of this description.
Fig. 60 gives the diagram for making the pattern. Draw line AB the width that you want the top of the pocket. From the ends of this line draw lines at right angles to it, as lines AC and BD. Mark points C and D at the depth that you want the pocket. Draw a connecting line from C to D. Divide the lower line in two, marking a point in the center, as point E in Fig. 60. From point E, draw lines to A and B. This Fig. (58) Diagram for oval pocket pattern ​gives you the outline for the pocket.
Fig. (60)  Diagram for V-shaped pocket pattern
In cutting the pattern, allow seams at the sides and a hem at the top.
Fig. (61)  Adding fullness to the top of the pocket
This gives you a pocket that will lie flat to the skirt. If you want it to stand away from the skirt a little, split the pattern in the center, as shown in Fig. 61. Draw a line on another piece of paper and place the two pieces either side of the line, keeping the lower edges together and spreading them an equal distance from the line at the top. Mark around the outside of the pieces. This gives you the new outline for the pocket. The upper edge will curve a little, but when it is sewn to the skirt, placing the outer points A and B so that they are just the same distance apart that they were on the ​original diagram, Fig. 60, the upper line will seem to be straight.
In cutting out the pattern, allow seams at all sides and line the pocket in making it.
Fig. (62) Where pockets and trimming tabs are cut in one
Fig. (68) Welt pockets are used on tailored skirts
Where Trimming Tabs and Pocket Are In One: Fig. 62 shows a skirt which has the trimming tabs and pockets cut all in one piece. Some years, pockets of this variety are popular. However, at the present time, smaller pockets are considered more stylish. Nevertheless, it's well to know how to make all kinds.
The diagram in Fig. 63 shows the best way of going about making the pattern. Work directly on the diagram for the skirt. After you have the outline marked on to suit you, trace the outline onto another piece of paper. In cutting out the pocket piece, allow seams at all edges.
​After the front-piece of the skirt is cut, the pocket outline can be traced onto the material. Then, you can't make a mistake in placing the pocket.
A Slashed Pocket: One of the pockets used the most in separate skirts at the present ​time is the slashed pocket. This is shown in Fig. 1, in the first part of the lesson. The material used in a skirt that has a slashed pocket ought to be firm of texture. It is possible to finish a neat slashed pocket in good quality serge, flannel, broadcloth, prunella cloth or a twill. If the material is loosely woven and frays easily, it is almost impossible to finish the edges without having them lose their shape.
The secret of binding a slashed pocket neatly is in stitching the binding to the skirt before cutting the pocket opening. Mark where the pocket opening will come on the goods. Cover the mark with a piece of goods which extends about three-quarters of an inch beyond the mark at all points. Then, stitch around the mark, running the stitching parallel to the mark at the sides and square at the ends. Keep the stitching about one- eighth of an inch from the mark at all points.
After the stitching is made, cut along the mark to within one-eighth of an inch of the ends. From the ends, slash diagonally to the corners. (See Fig. 64.)
Turn the binding piece through the slash onto the wrong side of the skirt and lay in small pleats at the ends. (See Fig. 65.) These ​pleats will be like little inverted box pleats.
Then, from the right side of the goods stitch around the pocket again running the stitching just in back of the binding. On the wrong side of the skirt, attach the lower pocket piece to the lower edge of the binding. (See Fig. 66.) The other pocket piece must be cut long enough to extend to the top of the binding. Now lay this in place and stitch it to the top and sides of the binding piece and to the sides and bottom of the under
​pocket piece. (See Fig. 67.) Then, bind the raw edges.
A Welt Pocket: Another way of finishing a slashed pocket is with what is called a welt. A skirt with a welt pocket is shown in Fig. 68. This is the kind of a pocket that is used in a man's vest. Here, too, the material must be firmly woven.
To make a welt pocket, mark where the finish welt is to come on the garment. A welt three-quarters of an inch wide gives a good appearance. Then, mark centerway between the upper and lower edges of the welt ​to within one-half inch of either end. From the end of the center line mark diagonal lines to the corners of the welt. (See Fig. 69.) These center lines are where the material will be slashed.
Cut two pocket pieces to extend a seam's width beyond the welt marks on either side. The pocket piece which is to be sewed to the lower edge of the slash should be cut the width of the finished welt longer than the pocket piece which is to be sewed to the upper edge of the slash.
Place the pocket pieces on the right side of the material with the edges just meeting at the center line on the welt. Stitch across the pocket pieces, running the stitching equal distances from the slash mark and placing the two rows at a distance apart which is just equal the width of the finished welt. Slash on the mark centerway between the stitchings and diagonally to the corners. Turn the pocket pieces through the slash onto the wrong side. Turn both pocket pieces up above the slash and stitch the lower pocket piece to the material at the ends of the slash. (See Fig. 70.)
Turn the two pocket pieces so they hang down and stitch around the outer edges. On the outside the welt will appear as in Fig. 71.
Regulating the Hang of Your Skirt: The curve that your skirt takes at the waist-line, regulates the hang. If your skirt buckles ​across the knees and swings out the back, it's because the run at the waistline is wrong. In the reverse case, where the skirt pokes out in front, the slant at the waistline needs altering on the pattern.
If a skirt pattern was made for a woman whose waistline ran straight around, that is, was parallel to the floor at all points, and then ​the skirt was made up and worn by a woman who had a waistline that dipped down in the front and up in the back, the skirt wouldn’t set right. If the waistline were crowded down in the front and the back of the skirt were hitched up to suit her figure, the whole skirt would be out of balance and swing toward the back. For this particular figure, add to the top of the skirt at the back giving the waistline a new run, as in Fig. 72.
If the original pattern, made for the woman with the straight around waistline, were made ​up and put onto a woman whose waistline ran up in front, the reverse would happen. (Elderly women with high stomachs often have a waistline that runs up in the front.) In this case, the fullness would poke out in the front. On the pattern, the waistline needs lowering in the back. (See Fig. 73.)
If you want to throw ripples at any given point in a skirt, lower the waistline in your pattern at this point. For instance, if you want a skirt that hangs flat at the front and ​back and ripples at the sides, lower your waistline on your pattern a little at the side. When the skirt is made up and the sides pulled up in place, it will throw the flare of the skirt to the side.
Style changes in the way skirts are hung just the same as it does in the lines and pattern of the skirt. Twenty years ago the fullness of the skirts was swung to the back. A few seasons ago, the smart skirts hung with ​the fullness at the sides and were straight at the front and back. Now, the average skirt hangs about an equal distance from the figure all the way around. Some of the young girls, who go in for extremes, are wearing skirts that have the fullness swung ever so slightly to the front.
Making a Pleated Skirt: First decide how much material you want to put into the skirt. For instance, if you are using thirty-six-inch goods, you might want to put two-and-a-half widths in the skirt. Join the seams on the half. If you substract this amount from half the waist measure it will give you the amount that you must pleat up in the top of the skirt.
Suppose, when joined, the material for the skirt measured forty-four inches on the half and that the waist measure was twenty-eight inches or fourteen on the half, it would leave thirty inches on the half to be taken up into pleats at the waistline. Make a memorandum of this on a piece of paper.
Next consider the hip measure. Measure the woman six below the waistline. If you have a forty-inch hip measure, or twenty inches on the half, it will leave twenty-four inches ​to be taken out in pleats at the hip. Subtract half the hip measure from half the width of the skirt.
Work out the problem at the lower edge in the same way. Decide on what lines you want the skirt to hang. When pleated, do you want it to hang on lines equal to a plain skirt that measures a yard and a quarter at the lower edge or do you want the outline of your skirt to flare more as a skirt that measures one and a half or one and three-quarter yards? At the present time, skirts are pleated to hang very close to the figure.
If you decide you want the skirt to hang, as a plain skirt measuring about fifty-five inches would hang, you must pleat the lower edge into exactly this measurement, or on the half, twenty-seven and one-half inches. Substracting this amount from the width of the material that you have to pleat up, leaves sixteen and one-half inches to be pleated. Substract one half the width you desire at the bottom from one half the total width of the goods to be pleated. Make a memorandum of this.
Now you know exactly how much you must pleat at the waistline, the hips and the bottom.
* For pleats at waistline
* thirty inches
* For pleats at hips
* twenty-four inches
* For pleats at bottom
* sixteen and one-half inches
Take a large piece of paper and make a diagram. Draw your center-front line, the length you want your skirt at this point. At the top and bottom, draw lines at right angles to the center-front, making these lines equal to half the width of the material you have joined for the skirt. In the case of the skirt mentioned above, it would be forty-four inches. At the forty-four-inch point, draw a line parallel to the center-front, this gives you the center-back line of the skirt. Use this outline as a working diagram. It's easier to work out the pleats on paper than it is to pin and unpin and pin again in the goods.
The next step is to consider the waist measure in relation to the placing of the pleats. Decide how many pleats you want to put in the skirt. Suppose you want eight pleats and a panel in the front. You know that half your waist measure is fourteen inches. You have fourteen inches of space to divide into half of a panel and the spaces between the pleats. If you count the pleat at the side of the panel as the first pleat and figure on the last pleat coming at the center-back and forming an inverted pleat you will have ​half of your panel and seven spaces of which to consider the width. The best plan is to make the front panel the width you desire and then divide the remaining amount equally. If the whole front panel were to measure four inches, on the half of the skirt it would take up two inches. Substract half of the width of the front panel from half the waist measure. In the case mentioned above, you would have left two inches from fourteen or twelve inches to be taken up in seven spaces. Dividing the amount as nearly equal as is practical, it gives you one and five-eighths for the first two spaces back of the front panel and one and three-quarter inches for the remaining spaces. Make a memorandum of this.
Figure how you will space the pleats at the hips. After substracting one half of the width of the front panel, divide the remaining hip measure into seven equal spaces. In the case ​of the skirt used as an example, you would take two inches away from the twenty-inch hip for the front panel. This leaves you eighteen inches for the spaces between the pleats. You will remember in working on a skirt with eight pleats that you have seven spaces back of the front panel. Dividing eighteen by seven, gives two and one-half inches for the first three spaces in back of the front panel and two and five-eighth inches for the remaining spaces. Make a memorandum of this.
Determine the spacing of the pleats at the bottom, too. You know that the finished skirt is to measure twenty-seven and a half inches on the half when pleated up. Subtract half the width of the panel from this and divide the remaining amount into the seven spaces. Two inches, half the width of the panel, from twenty-seven leaves twenty-five and one-half inches. Dividing this amount by seven, the number of spaces, gives ​three and five-eighths for the first six spaces and three and three-quarter inches for the last space. Jot this down, so that you will not be confused.
Now, go back and consider your first memorandum. It gave you the amount to be pleated up at the waistline, six inches below the waistline (hips) and at the bottom. Decide how deep you want to make each pleat at each of these points. At the bottom you can divide the amount to be taken up in pleats by the number of pleats and distribute the goods to be pleated evenly. In the case of the skirt mentioned before, you have sixteen and one-half inches at the bottom to be taken up into eight pleats. This gives you two and one-eighth inches for the first four pleats and two for the last four.
At the waistline the first two pleats should be folded shallower than the others, as the ​swell of the hips comes back of these points. Pleat the side of the front panel about the same depth from top to bottom. In the case of the skirt used as an example, this would be two and one-eighth inches. Subtract this amount from the amount to be pleated at the waistline. In the case mentioned, it gives you twenty-seven and seven-eighth inches. Divide this amount by the remaining number of pleats. If an equal amount were put into each pleat, it would give a little more than three and seven-eighths for a pleat. However, it is better to make the first pleats even and add the extra width to the last pleat.
At the hips, the pleat at the panel ought to be the same depth that it is at the bottom. At the other pleats the fullness can be distributed equally. Figuring on the skirt used as an example in this lesson, you would take two and one-eighth inches, the width of the first pleat from the amount to be pleated at the hips, which is twenty-four inches. This gives you twenty-one and seven-eighth inches. Dividing twenty-one and seven-eighths by seven, the number of pleats left, you have three and one-eighth inches to go into each pleat. Make a memorandum of the amount ​to be pleated in each pleat at the waistline, the hips and the lower edge.
With these memorandums, you have all you need to go ahead with the diagram. First, measure the width of the front panel from the center-front, at the waistline, six inches below and at the bottom. Draw a line connecting these points. Next, measure one-​half the amount to be taken up in the pleat at the waistline, the hipline and the lower edge and draw a line connecting these points. Then, mark beyond this line one-half the amount to be taken up in the first pleat at the waistline, the hip and the lower edge and draw a line connecting these last points. You have your first pleat marked.
Now, measure from the back line of this pleat, the amount of the first space at the waistline, the hip and the lower edge and draw a line connecting these points. This gives you the front line of your next pleat. From this line, measure one half of the amount to be taken up in the second pleat at the waistline, the hipline and the bottom. Draw a line connecting these points. Beyond this line, mark half the amount of the pleat and draw another line, connecting these last points. Then, mark the second space in the same way, beyond that the third pleat and so on across the skirt.
When all the pleats and spaces have been marked, crease along the front and center line of each pleat, bring the front line over to the back line of the pleat and pin the pleat in place. This will show you exactly how your finished skirt is going to look made up.
​After the pleats are pinned, measure one inch above the waistline at the center-back and from this point reslope the waistline with an even curve to the center-front. Add a seam at the top and a hem at the bottom and cut out the pattern.
When the skirt is unpinned, it will give you the exact lines to cut the goods.
Fold the material which was joined in half and lay on the pattern, noting whether the seams come under the pleats or on top. If the seams come on top of the pleats, fold the material at a different point so that the seams will be thrown under the pleats.
The style and variety of pleats can be varied as you like. It just means that you must determine how many pleats and spaces you want and then divide them into the waist, hip and lower edge measure.
Fig. (74) It's easy to hang your own skirt if you use a table top as a guide
Turn a little to the side and put another pin in the skirt; turn still further around and put another pin in and continue until you have pins every two or three inches apart all the way around the skirt on a level with the table. (See Fig. 74.)
Stand in front of a mirror and turn up the center-front of the skirt the desired amount. Then remove the skirt, measure from the lower edge to the pin at the center-front. Turn the hem the rest of the way around the skirt, keeping the distance the same from the pins to the lower edge at all points. (See Fig. 75.) If turned in this way the skirt is sure to hang evenly for any difference in length will come above the pins, as the fullest part of the hips was above the pins.
Adding a Single Pleat to a Gore: If you want to add a tuck or pleat at any place in a skirt, fold the tuck or pleat in paper, lay the skirt pattern on the paper in the desired position and mark around it for the new pattern.
Fig. (75) Turn the lower edge according to the pins you have placed at the hips
the sake of making the different problems more clear. Be sure that you understand the principle underneath. Work out the same ideas with different measurements and a little variation in the style. Don't be afraid to try your hand at something different.
​Most of the material given in this lesson also applies to dresses. Many one-piece dresses are made with a waist and skirt that are joined together at the waistline.
When you have mastered this lesson with the knowledge you already have of blouses, you ought to be able to evolve many charming frocks.
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