Pogonip Pocket Hack

With the launch of the new pattern the Pogonip Pullover, it's been exciting to think up some sewing hack tutorials. After seeing various pullover styles on Pinterest, I decided to make a version omitting the original welt pockets and instead creating a breast pocket with a flap. This is a fairly popular look on other pullover styles. In this blog post I will demonstrate how I created this and talk you through the steps.

Inspiration:

Above are inspirational photos I found on Pinterest, where you can see the breast pocket and pocket flap with a snap fastening. I liked the idea of having the one pocket like this.

Materials:

- Everything you need for the Pogonip is the same, just omit the Welt pocket pieces from the pattern as I'm not inserting those.

- Snap fastenings

- Interfacing

- Tracing paper / printer paper to help create the hack pieces.

Pattern Hack:

I put together a diagram to show you what my sewing plans for this are. I wanted to insert a small square pocket to the chest front seam, and a pocket flap on the front to keep it closed and neat, but also as a nice design feature.

- Take off length from front piece A, about 3 cm - As long as you have enough room left for a seam allowance under the underarm.

- Also you will need to reduce the Button/snap placket by the same amount (see photo below).

- Add what you took off from piece A, onto piece B, so you're increaseing the hight of that piece to make up for the loss of length on piece A. This is to bring the chest seam higher so the pocket sits in a better position.

- Create a pocket rectangle, this can be as big/small as you want. Mine was roughly 4x5 inches. Cut 2.

- Create a pocket flap, I made it the same width as the pockets, but just added an extra 1cm to each side, I then drew a line at the half measurement, and graded it int a point. Cut 2.

- Mark a notch on the front piece A, and lower front B, where you will want the pocket, in my case I chose wearers left, notch 1 inch from the centre front seam on piece A, and on piece B lay it flat up to piece A, and notch in the same place (this is for matching up the pocket bags).

Once you have cut everything, it's time to sew! All your steps are pretty much the same, but before sewing together Front piece A, and B, you will sew together the collar and placket, attaching front A and back piece together at the shoulders.

- With RST baste one of your pocket bags to the front A with the pocket laid on top of the piece.

- Repeat this step on lower piece B, at the top at the notch you created.

- Make sure your collar piece is sewn in place and that they are basted together before sewing on the piece b.

- Once the pocket bag is basted sew onto lower piece B, and front piece A, and the front button/snap placket and both front pieces A are sewn together, you can now attach front pieces A, to lower piece B.

The only difference to the instructions is that instead of sewing straight across, you want to pivot 1cm in from the pocket, then sewn down all the way around the pocket as show in the diagram above. Essentially you're sewing the pocket in place like you would if you were sewing a pocket into a skirt.

- For the pocket flap, sew the 2 pieces right sides together around the side and pointed edges. Turn right side out, press, and overlock/finish off the top seam.

- Pin this in place slightly above (about 1 cm) your pocket opening (not on top of it). Stitch this in place. Fold the pocket flap over and press. Top stitch the flap to sit down, making sure not to catch the pocket opening underneath.