Pocket Week - Zippered Pockets - Always Expect Moore

Today’s Pocket Week sponsor is Sweet Grass Stamps. If you like to stamp – cards, scrapbooking, or the backs of your little one’s hands (Little Moore loves that)… you need to check out her Etsy Shop. She’s giving away the cute pocket watch stamp (featured in her button over there on the right), either mounted or unmounted, to one lucky follower of this blog – announced at Midnight Tonight. Make sure you’re a follower so you have a chance to win!

While you’re at it, upload your pocket projects to the Pocket Week Linky for a second chance to win on Sunday!

Little Moore doesn’t know how to use zippers yet, but will soon. I thought it would be fun to make him pants with a little zippered pocket. Because using a zipper is tough enough, I decided to put the pocket on the front instead of on the back, so that it would be easier for him to get to.

In addition to your pants pieces, cut out 2 rectangles, each 6×5.5″. Iron interfacing onto the top 2 inches of one rectangle.

Using your fabric pen, draw a rectangle on the interfacing. Mine is 1/2″ tall by 4 1/2″ wide. If you want your zipper to be less obvious, make your box only 1/4″ tall.

You’ll notice my zipper is way too long. That’s fine, we’ll be taking care of that later. Obviously, the longer your zipper, the more waste you’ll have – so you’ll want to find a zipper that is as close to the proper length (without being too small).

Pin your rectangle to your pants, adjusting the markings to the height you want your zipper to be at (consider the waistband and side seams when adjusting.

Sew around all four sides of the box you drew. Then cut along the middle and (carefully) into the corners.

Push the entire rectangle of fabric in through the holes, and over to the other side. Press.

Pin the zipper into place, and sew around all four sides.

This part is very important: Have your sewing machine that was “serviced” only a month ago completely flip out on you. Take it into the shop (a different one than the one that did the original “servicing”), and be sans-machine for 2 days. Learn from this second shop that the first shop didn’t actually service the machine, they just cleaned and oiled it, and just about every do-hicky on the sewing machine needs re-adjusting. Do all this if you want to have the exact same experience I had. Or, not… and actually get your shorts done in an afternoon… the choice is yours.

Pin the second square to the first, right sides together. Make sure you’re only pinning the two squares together, and not pinning the pants fabric.