Sewing Vloggers

Sunday, October 27, 2013

The Super Fussy Piped Matching Pocket

Tunic #2 is done and I like it a lot. The weather has not been cooperating with my photography needs so pics may just end up on the dress form. But for now I have moved on to a pair of Jammies for my Zackie. He asked me for them with no solicitation. What could I say? Of course Bunbun will make you some winter jammies. I bought the wonderful flannel from the North Woods collection on Equllter.com.

This is my go to jammie pattern, simp 2771. Included are sizes from a 2 year old to Big Daddy, all the family. I have traced off  half of the sizes at this point and of course not the one Zackie needed. My slow brain has since decided the next time Joanns has a Simplicity sale I will just buy one for  each size, duh. No brainer. In the meantime I traced away.

This is a simple pattern, one of the reasons I love it. I've reviewed it here numerous times. This time, however, I am using a very strong print fabric. If I put a pocket on that did not match it would scream tacky and incompetent and I wanted that pocket. I needed to make a pocket with a band and piping in between that perfectly matched the bodice. It took a bit of effort that I will share with you.
I marked the pocket location with a horizontal line on the bodice. I matched the fold line of the band to that location line. Then I drew an outline of the big wolf on to the pattern piece. I matched to a scrap of fabric and cut out the band. I did the same for the pocket. Then I folded them on the seam allowance to see if they would match once stitched together.
I actually cut the pieces larger than needed to make sure I had a bit of fudge factor for matching. I didn't trim them to the proper size until the piping was installed.

I made my piping with a "moon colored" flannel, the cheap stuff so I washed it several times. I attached it to the lower pocket section. I am using half inch SAs here.

There was going to be a lot of bulk and 4 SAs of flannel so grading was inportant. I opened up the piping and cut the inner SA waaaayyyy back. Now it was time to attach the pocket band. I made sure my wolves matched up and stitched on the same seam line. There is a tute on the right sidebar all about how I do my piping if you are interested.
The band SA was graded back as well. Then I pinked what remained.
Success so far!

Now it was time to trim the pocket to the correct size and once again being careful to match to the bodice. I pressed the band on the fold line and trimmed the edge with the pinkers in an effort to keep the bulk down. I folded back the band, pinned it, and topstitched two rows above the piping.
Then I folded back the SAs, mitering and trimming the bottom corners. Too much bulk to do that at the top!

Now here comes the most important information I can give you today. DO NOT TOPSTITCH OVER YOUR PIPING. You will topstitch the bottom pocket first and as a separate process topstitch the band after. At no time will you cross the piping. Also, if you haven't already, take the cording out of the SAs, again, gotta get that bulk down!

I like to stitch a triangle at the tops of my pockets on just about everything. Then I usually follow with a zigzag at the very top but that would have been too bulky so I didn't. I used 1/4 inch masking tape to line up my triangles and stitched starting and ending at the piping.

All of this fiddliness took about an hour but I think it was time well spent. 

 It would have driven me to madness if it didn't and I would be howling at the moon along with these wolves!.....Bunny



30 comments:

  1. You are just amazing. I am in awe.

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  2. Wow. Just... wow. You never fail to amaze me!

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  3. Perfect pockets! I know what you mean - it they were off just a bit it would drive me crazy.

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  4. That is an awesome matching of the pocket. Looks good!

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  5. ha ha only you Bunny - looking great

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  6. Wow is right! That was a lot of work but well worth the effort. Perfect pockets!

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  7. I have a pic on Flickr with those pj's in the same fabric. Eerie. I have now made 4 pairs of the doggie pj's for my 5 pound Chihuahua with no fur on his tummy. I am making two pairs of fleece pj's for my sons this Christmas. Thanks for the timely post.

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    Replies
    1. Great minds think alike!:) Your puppy must be the best dressed puppy for miles!

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  8. It's the little details that make your garments so perfect and awe-inspiring! Putting an hour into a pocket so crucial to the wolf design was so worth it!

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  9. Hi there Bunny,

    Oh, I need some PJ's!! Must get around to a pattern.........................

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    1. Meant to say, I adore the fabric and the pocket is sheer perfection!!

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  10. Your efforts were well rewarded, a great looking pocket!

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  11. So much effort and perfection in a pair of PJ's is what sets you apart! Thank you for the inspiration and encouragement!

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  12. LOL! I think I would have used a contrast fabric for the pocket on a little boy's pjs and not fiddled with that, but then....I'm worrying about finishing seams in clothing for a 4" doll, so go figure. We Type A's have all got our particular "things," don't we?

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  13. BRAVO!! A perfect match...I would expect nothing less from you, Bunny. You raise the bar for all of us to do better.

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  14. BRAVO! Your technique and patience are wonderful! I aspire to sew as well as you! Thanks so much for sharing.

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  15. All of this in an HOUR?! Awesome. You are the master of pattern matching!

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  16. Shame only those you sleep with will see your masterful pattern matching.

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  17. Love your jammies, and that pocket is perfection...so much so it looks like a design feature. Awesome job Bunny : ).

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  18. Wonderfull work and a very good choice for the fabric,i love the flanel(pilou-pilou for old french)

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  19. That is some masterful pattern matching, Bunny. Masterful!!

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  20. OK I admit I chuckled. I thought I was the only one who would have gone to the trouble of matching a pocket on a pair of pajamas! But it sure looks great!

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  21. Rett told me you made your grandson a pair of pajamas out of this great fleece. It's similar to fleece I used as an overlay for a woodland-inspired tablescape. She said I just MUST see it, and she was right!!! Your grandson would fit right in our library with these PJs!!! :-) I can't sew a lick, so I'm always thrilled to see what people who CAN do with fabric! And I love how precise you were in the process!!!

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    1. Hi, Alicia. Glad you like the fabric. It is a cotton flannel, not a fleece, but that's just semantics. What really caught me in your post is that you work in a library. I do too!

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