Do you want to know how to sew a pocket to a T-shirt so that it does not curl and ruin the look of the whole T-shirt? Don't worry, it's easier than it seems. Sewing knits has its specifics, but if you follow a few basic rules, you will do great. Wondering where I got this amazing menthol knit with apples?
I bought it at Unuodesign.cz, here: Stretchy knit - Apples.
Suggestion
Before you start sewing, I recommend reading this article:
Sewing elastic fabrics with a regular sewing machine - 4 steps to success
Material
You will need a piece of thin one-sided fusible facing and, of course, a piece of fabric that will form the pocket itself.
I did not originally plan to add a pocket to this T-shirt, but when I had a nicely shaped piece of fabric left after cutting out the front piece, I decided to use it.
By the way, patterns for different types of children's, women's, and men’s T-shirts can be found here:
Sewing instructions
Reinforce the pocket piece first. Place your pocket on the fusible facing, transfer its shape to it and cut it out. You can place the pocket directly on the side with the glue - that’s the rougher side (there are drops of glue on it). Apply the fusible facing to your pocket.
This is what it should look like:
Clean the top of the pocket (pocket opening) and fold it to the reverse side. You can use your overlock machine, or even a regular sewing machine and some suitable stitch (zigzag stitch, for example).
Topstitch the pocket opening.
I wanted the pocket to be inconspicuous, which required a bit of pattern matching. I couldn't determine its exact position in advance (sewing from scraps, right?), but it ended up in a pretty reasonable place.
I recommend temporarily stitching (basting) the pocket to the T-shirt so that it stays where it should be.
Sew the pocket to the T-shirt. You can use a dense zigzag stitch, for example. Before sewing, I recommend trying the machine settings on a piece of reinforced fabric to avoid unpleasant surprises.
And that’s it!
The first (and maybe the second) pocket probably won't look exactly as you imagined, but that's normal. Don't give up, it just takes some practice... You'll probably be able to iron out smaller creases around the pocket. Steam the pocket area (a lot) and iron it until it is dry. Allow the T-shirt to cool completely before folding or putting it on. :)
The neckline hem of this T-shirt is very simple, but it looks nice and clean. You can learn more about that in this article:
I also recommend reading this article, which contains instructions on how to sew a T-shirt in just a few minutes:
How to sew a T-shirt in a few minutes - Industrial sewing method
Also, don't forget to check out the Tips & tricks section.
Did you wash the fabric before sewing and now you are bothered by twisted edges? Try this simple trick:
- If you have washed your knit before sewing, its edges are probably twisted. I recommend straightening the fabric out and fixing it in place with pins. You shouldn’t stretch it, just spread it so it’s flat (as shown below). Don’t use pins with plastic heads, the iron could melt them. Steam the edges well and iron them (until dry). Leave the pins in place and let the knit cool down. After cooling, you can take out the pins, and the edges of your knit should remain flat and straight.
I also filmed the procedure:
This is what it should look like after you pull out the pins:
Have a nice day, Petra
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PS: Did you know that there are FREE PATTERNS available on my blog?