A place for current and future students of trouser making, esp. those following the techniques and ideas of David Page Coffin, and the many examples in his multimedia workshop in a book/DVD package, Making Trousers, to gather for previews, announcements and discussion. Welcome!

Monday, July 13, 2009

A Moveable Waist, Extras; Part 3

So, with the pocket folded and creased, as described yesterday, to extend a little beyond the side seam of the front, I position the facing inside it by aligning the facing to the front at the side and top edges. I pin the facing in place, then stitch it to the pocketing in front, leaving a short section at the bottom unstitched so the back edge of the facing can be lifted away from the pocketing to get caught in the side-seam stitching without catching the pocket, as shown:

When the facing's stitched down and the slit's made and bound, it's time to "bag" the pocket, i.e., close the bottom. I like to fold back the pocket layers so they're out-sides together using the crease as a folding guide, stitch my bagging curve, trim close to the stitching, then turn the pocketing out-sides out again, as originally folded and stitch the curve again. This gives you a double-stitched bag and finishes the edges nicely; you could always serge the bag closed instead if that's your style; I prefer non-serged solutions, no doubt because I don't have a serger!

There are many ways to shape the bottom of the pocket as you stitch it, from making it a half circle, to keeping it rectangular. I usually curve it as shown below, or in a more elaborate curve as described in the book, and I typically use a template to mark the curve so it comes out the same on both pockets. Note that in the sample here, I didn't take the time to double-stitch the bag.

I don't want to catch the pocketing in the side seam because I want to use the pocketing to cover the pressed-open side seam, as you can see in the previous picture. The vertical stitching securing this selvedge edge from top to bottom comes from stitching in the ditch of the side seam as a last step after the rest of the pocket is complete.

The little clip in the outer pocketing layer (away from the body) below the facing allows you to keep that layer out of the side-seam stitching, too. It doesn't need to be finished in any way since it'll never be seen or exposed again once the pocket is finished.

Tomorrow: Shaping the tab.

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