Trouser Side Pockets

I have made about ten pairs of trousers and shorts and have yet to get
the side pockets right.

The bottom joint where everything comes together never does and I have
to mush over it with a fine zig zag.

It looks so simple when studying a commercial pair but putting it into
practice is a different matter.

Any ideas?

js

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Jack Schmidling wrote:
I have made about ten pairs of trousers and shorts and have yet to get
the side pockets right.

The bottom joint where everything comes together never does and I have
to mush over it with a fine zig zag.

It looks so simple when studying a commercial pair but putting it into
practice is a different matter.

Any ideas?

js

Jack, ate these traditional gents slacks type pockets? What I do is
assemble the pocket bag and attach to the front of the trouser leg
before sewing the side seam. Then I just clean finish the edge (wide
zigzag in the old days, serger now) and press it flat. Then I press the
seam to the back and top stitch down the back piece about 1/4" from the
seam line. For suit trousers (where you don't want top stitching) I
assemble the pocket bag in the same way and clean finish the edge of
each piece before sewing and pressing the side seam, which gets pressed
open.

For casual inseam pockets, you attach the front half and back half of
the pocket bag to each half of the leg, clean finish that bit of seam,
and then sew the side/pocket seam in one, clean finish the edge, and
press the whole thing to the front.

Hope this helps - yell if you want more details. I take it you aren't
using a commercial pattern with instructions?
--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Jack Schmidling wrote:
I have made about ten pairs of trousers and shorts and have yet to get
the side pockets right.

The bottom joint where everything comes together never does and I have
to mush over it with a fine zig zag
---
Jack, are you referring to the pocket area at the hip side seam, at
the lower outside edge of the pocket lip? (This is why the standard
sewing/construction vocabulary is so important--I'm not sure which area
of the pocket you are referring to.)
If so, and, assuming this is a slant-edge pocket, it's possible that
you are stretching the upper edge of the pocket, which is cut almost on
the bias, and is therefore fairly stretchy to begin with. It can be
further stretched during cutting or handling, as well as during sewing.
Commercial pant(s) most often have a very small strip of stabilizer
sewn into the bias edge of the seam during construction, which
eliminates stretching during the sewing process. The trick to this: cut
stabilizer to fit pattern piece; handle all bias/semi-bias pieces
carefully; be sure the sewn pocket piece is still the same size as the
pattern--if not, trim slightly, or re-work so that the edge is the same
dimensions as the pattern and actual pant(s) edge. One cannot ease
these edge pieces to fit--too much bulk.
I used to taks pants apart frequently to re-place the whole pocket
bag, until I learned that it is a perfectly acceptable practice to sew
in a 3/4 or 1/2 pocket bag from just above the bag tears. Youse guys
and yer keys!
Cea

In article ,
Jack Schmidling wrote:

I have made about ten pairs of trousers and shorts and have yet to get
the side pockets right.

The bottom joint where everything comes together never does and I have
to mush over it with a fine zig zag.

It looks so simple when studying a commercial pair but putting it into
practice is a different matter.

Any ideas?

js

I hear David Page Coffin has a new book out about making perfect men's
trousers. He used to be on the Threads editorial staff. His shirt book
was awesome so I expect the trouser book to be of equal quality. For
men's clothing, there's nothing like a man's experience.

Phae

--
I fear me you but warm the starved snake
Who, cherished in your breasts, will sting your hearts. (Henry VI,Shakespeare)

Kate Dicey wrote:

Jack, ate these traditional gents slacks type pockets?

I guess but I am having trouble understanding the definitions of
pockets.

It is an inseam pocket but it is slanted a bit as a result of the way
the front is attached to the back facing. It is about an inch forward
of the side seam so I do not know if this qualifies as a slant pocket.

I have worked over several instrustion sets and they all are different
enough to create some confusion.

The Simplicity instructions in the basic pattern makes the bag with
facings attached, French seam and then stitches this into the side
seams. The problem is at the bottom of the opening, all seams end at
the dot but it is impossible to layer things neatly and I usually end
up with an opening I can stick my finger through.

The Reader's Digest book has a two piece bag, each piece of which is
stitched to the appropriate side before constructing the pocket.

CTT is a variation on the first but the pocket is vertical and hard to
get the hand into and the waist came out too small because of the lack
of that one inch space described above.

I just did the second pocket on shorts I am making and stitched the two
sides of the bag in and then did the French seam and this seems to have
worked much better. I also went about an inch below the the dot and
wonder if this might be the whole problem, vis., stitching up to and
down from the dot as in Simplicity provedes no overlap.

What I do is
assemble the pocket bag and attach to the front of the trouser leg
before sewing the side seam.

Is this French seamed already?

I am leaving the rest of this so I can send it to myself and read off
line.

.................

Then I just clean finish the edge (wide
zigzag in the old days, serger now) and press it flat. Then I press the
seam to the back and top stitch down the back piece about 1/4" from the
seam line. For suit trousers (where you don't want top stitching) I
assemble the pocket bag in the same way and clean finish the edge of
each piece before sewing and pressing the side seam, which gets pressed
open.

For casual inseam pockets, you attach the front half and back half of
the pocket bag to each half of the leg, clean finish that bit of seam,
and then sew the side/pocket seam in one, clean finish the edge, and
press the whole thing to the front.

Hope this helps - yell if you want more details. I take it you aren't
using a commercial pattern with instructions?
--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Phaedrine wrote:

I hear David Page Coffin has a new book out about making perfect men's
trousers.


I have the shirt book and find it a great read but hard to follow his
actual instructions.

I also have reached a brick wall with regard to the narrow hemmer which
he claims one should not bother making shirts without one.

I have three of them and have never been able to do anything useful
with them.

js

In article .com,
" wrote:

Phaedrine wrote:

I hear David Page Coffin has a new book out about making perfect men's
trousers.

I have the shirt book and find it a great read but hard to follow his
actual instructions.

I also have reached a brick wall with regard to the narrow hemmer which
he claims one should not bother making shirts without one.

I have three of them and have never been able to do anything useful
with them.

js

OK, well the book does assume a certain degree of requisite skill.
Perhaps you could take a private lesson on how to use those feet, and
some of the more intermediate sewing skills. Sometimes it only takes a
few minutes with an advanced teacher and you're on your way! My hemmers
work exceedingly well. But....... you do have to get a feel for using
them, for matching the right size with your fabric, knowing how to
start, finish and go over seams, and knowing how to hold the fabric and
feed it in at the proper angle.

Here are some pix of some seams so you will know it is possible to do
very neat rolled and flat-felled seams on a home machine, and how they
should look. These were all done on my 20+ year old Bernina 931 and are
all scanned, hence the wrinkling. You will never achieve seams like
this by hand. The first is the intersection of two 1/8" flat-felled
seams. The vertical is the sleeve/side seam and the horizontal is the
armhole seam. The second is another similar intersection on a different
shirt with the armhole seam closer to 1/4", using a different feller.
The third is at the yoke/armhole seams. And the fourth is at the lower
hem done with a rolled hemmer. All it takes is a little guidance, some
practice and a little patience. You can do it.

Phae

--
I fear me you but warm the starved snake
Who, cherished in your breasts, will sting your hearts. (Henry VI,Shakespeare)

Phae, where did you post the photos, please? It has been years since I've
used hemmer feet. In October, I will soon have a brand-new baby girl great
niece and will need to use the hemmer for clothing I have planned to make
her. Thanks.
Emily

wrote:

Kate Dicey wrote:


Jack, ate these traditional gents slacks type pockets?


I guess but I am having trouble understanding the definitions of
pockets.

It is an inseam pocket but it is slanted a bit as a result of the way
the front is attached to the back facing. It is about an inch forward
of the side seam so I do not know if this qualifies as a slant pocket.

A traditional slant pocket is formed at the side seam. The top of the
pocket, where the front of the trouser joins the back is an inch or so
forward of the side seam, to allow access. The bit of the pocket bag
thus exposed is disguised with a facing in the face (outer) fabric.

I have worked over several instrustion sets and they all are different
enough to create some confusion.

The best I have seen so far were those in the Vogue gents suit pattern.

The Simplicity instructions in the basic pattern makes the bag with
facings attached, French seam and then stitches this into the side
seams. The problem is at the bottom of the opening, all seams end at
the dot but it is impossible to layer things neatly and I usually end
up with an opening I can stick my finger through.

Which pattern number is this?

The Reader's Digest book has a two piece bag, each piece of which is
stitched to the appropriate side before constructing the pocket.

Not finished to look like suit or slacks pockets, then.

CTT is a variation on the first but the pocket is vertical and hard to
get the hand into and the waist came out too small because of the lack
of that one inch space described above.

The inch should in no way be added to the waist circumference: it is
taken OFF the front of the trousers to expose the inside of the pocket
with the face fabric applied to disguise it. It sounds like a
misreading of the instructions has lead to this inch being closed up
rather than allowed to lie flat.

I just did the second pocket on shorts I am making and stitched the two
sides of the bag in and then did the French seam and this seems to have
worked much better. I also went about an inch below the the dot and
wonder if this might be the whole problem, vis., stitching up to and
down from the dot as in Simplicity provedes no overlap.

I'm not at all sure what you are getting at. I stitch the pocket in
place, from top to bottom, then start at the waistband, swivel at a
point 5/8ths down the pocket bag, go round it to a similar point at the
bottom of the pocket, swivel again and continue down the seam.

This makes a great pocket for summer shorts, dresses, and anywhere that
a loose but hidden pocket can be let into a seam.


What I do is
assemble the pocket bag and attach to the front of the trouser leg
before sewing the side seam.


Is this French seamed already?

No French seams involved. They are too bulky for this, and don't go
well round the pocket curves.

I am leaving the rest of this so I can send it to myself and read off
line.





--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

wrote:

Phaedrine wrote:


I hear David Page Coffin has a new book out about making perfect men's
trousers.



I have the shirt book and find it a great read but hard to follow his
actual instructions.

I also have reached a brick wall with regard to the narrow hemmer which
he claims one should not bother making shirts without one.

I have three of them and have never been able to do anything useful
with them.

js


I think he uses them for making felled seams. It takes a lot of
practice... I find it easier, quicker, and neater to press the seam
allowance in place and use a standard foot.

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!