For your first activity of Module 11, you will pattern a pocket for a skirt. You can use any of the skirt patterns that we have drafted so far in the class, or you can simply trace off the basic skirt block and add a pocket to that. Feel free to make up your own design, or use one of the examples that are shown in the demos below or follow the directions for one of the pocket exercises in the textbook. You may choose to pattern a Patch pocket, an In-Seam Pocket, or an Inset Pocket.

As with all the pattern activities from here on, you may choose to do this pattern exercise in full scale or in half-scale.

Patch Pocket Drafting

In the textbook, the two examples that are given are for patch pockets applied in the chest area of a bodice. For this exercise you MUST PATTERN A POCKET FOR A SKIRT! If the patch pocket is being placed over top of a dart or a seam, be sure to close the dart or seam first to get the correct placement. The following demo will discuss how to place a patch pocket on the BACK of the skirt (flat below) where the pocket sits on top of the lower end of the dart.

the following demo is for drafting the back of this skirt

Watch the following demo to see how to place a patch pocket onto the backside of a flared skirt:

In-Seam Pocket Drafting

You can choose to follow the directions given in the textbook for Pattern Exercise 8.3 to create a side seam inseam pocket for your skirt.

Pattern and Sewing Exercises 8.3.pdf

However, in the following demo, we examine the process for creating an inseam pocket in a yoke seam rather than a side seam, and also consider the option of adding a "self facing" to the pocket so that the pocket lining is not visible in the finished garment.

flat sketch for skirt used in the Yoke skirt demo

Watch the following demo to see how to create an Inseam pocket with a self facing in the yoke seam of a skirt:

In-Set Pocket Drafting

Inset pockets are VERY common in pants and skirts that we wear all the time. The front pocket of your denim jeans is an inset pocket.

If you would like to follow the directions for Pattern Exercise 8.4 where an inset pocket is added to the basic skirt block, you can watch the first demo below. This demo was created in Zoom in the Fall of 2020.

Pattern and Sewing Exercise 8.4.pdf

Watch this demo for help in following the directions of Pattern Exercise 8.4:

As an alternative design, I have created another demo for drafting an inset pocket into the front of a Flared Skirt. This demo discusses that options for creating a Pocket facing and for patterning the pocket facing with the "right" side of the paper facing up.

Watch the following demo to see how to add an inset pocket to the front of a 4-gore flared skirt:

Click NEXT to continue Module 11