Making Welt Pockets or "Take a Deep Breath and Pray"

Greetings, patient readers!

As you can see above, I was alerted to yet another image of that Marc Jacobs daisy print silk gown (actually poly silk -- though it's never stated in these fashion spreads) that so many of you apparently loathe.  I just find it a strange fabric choice for a ballgown -- the equivalent of a liver-flavored lollipop.

Yesterday and today (yes, it took two days) were all about pockets.  Cutting diagonal welt pockets in poly silk taffeta is a task I wouldn't recommend to anyone who cries easily.  Then again, this fabric doesn't water spot so maybe it doesn't matter.  As I mentioned yesterday, I used the pocket pieces from a nicely drafted Burda coat pattern and -- big mistake -- the Burda instructions.  The first pocket was a disaster, but you know something?  Most sewing disasters are reparable as long as you don't unintentionally cut or rip your fabric.  I had to take everything apart: remove the welt and top and bottom pocket pieces from the already-slashed pocket opening and reattach them. 

I'll skip the ugly photos and show you how, in the end, I saved the pocket.  It's not perfect -- it's incredibly difficult to work with taffeta as it doesn't ease -- but it's good enough.  I learned the hard way the welt should not be interfaced (too thick) and must be cut on the diagonal so that when it's attached to the jacket front, it runs in the same direction as the jacket front fabric (i.e., parallel to the selvage).  Otherwise the welt catches the light wrong and looks very wonky.  Who knew?



Of course, my second pocket was much, much easier since I'd made (most of) my mistakes already.





Those little inside corners are very difficult to get perfect, and any pucker or wrinkle is obvious.  It's sturdier fabric than it looks, however.

I also added an inside pocket to my lining, which I cut last night.  This pocket was much easier to make since it's horizontal (and not visible from the outside so much lower stakes).  I copied the measurements from an old beige windbreaker I own.











Here's my full lining.  I used my gray poly for the sleeves (in case the nylon is too hot), which is exactly how my old windbreaker is done.





So now what remains is mainly the zipper insertion and the collar.  Would you believe I still haven't decided what kind of collar I want?  I'm leaning toward Mandarin or motorcycle and away from what I'd used on my preppy teddy bear print muslin, if you can remember back that far.

Then there's the zipper insertion.  I have a few options.  I have my finished facings from when I didn't think I'd line the jacket.  I can attach the lining and treat the jacket fronts as one with the lining, attaching the zipper to both layers and then adding the facing on top of the lining/taffeta combo.  Or, I can attach the the facings and the lining along the inside edges of the facing, cutting away the excess lining (if that makes sense), so I'll only be inserting the zipper between the outer layer of taffeta and the taffeta facing.  A lot will depend too on what kind of collar I choose and how it attaches.



I want the zipper to be exposed.  When I examine the exposed zipper on my windbreaker, it looks like it was attached to the zipper right-side-of-lining to wrong-side-of-zipper, and then turned and topstitched.  Same on the front.  The question is, do I attach these both to the zipper at the same time?  I'm nervous that the exposed zipper tape won't look even if I'm stitching from the underside.





The more I sew the more I realize there are many ways to do things rather than a single right way.  With these kinds of details, I just try to come up with a method that makes sense and works.  In the worst case, I can hand baste.  Anyway, I'm certainly open to your suggestions, if you have any.

OK, time to get back to work.

Have a great day, everybody!