adding pockets to your basic pants pattern

There comes a point in any young person's life when pockets become really important for holding all the things mom won't (dirty pennies picked up off the street), things you need to conceal (wrappers from pilfered gum), and a place to shove your hands into when you need to make a point to the lady down at the corner store who always wants you to give her high-fives.

I usually use a very basic pants pattern that fits my daughter well and then modify and embellish the pattern whenever I make a new pair. Since capri season is coming up (or here already, according to my daughter), I've been in production and have started adding pockets. Here for you is one easy way to modify a basic pattern to add pockets.

Modifying your pattern

Begin with the front piece of your basic pants pattern (trace onto a piece of regular paper, wax [or freezer] paper, or tissue paper and preserve your original).

Establish how big of a pocket you would like. Make sure that you take into account the waistline of the pants leave enough room to get the hand into at the top. Make it long enough to store something really good in there. Also take into account what type of opening you would like - curvy, deep, or straight at an angle. This is the artistic part.

I've marked the desired opening of my pocket with a solid line, and used a dashed line to indicate how big the inside of the pocket shall be.Place a sheet of tissue or wax paper over top (if using wax paper, use a sharpie pen) and trace the inside pocket.Take another sheet of tissue or wax paper and mark the area where the front part of the lining should be (the part that the top of your hand touches when you put your hand inside your own pocket). Trace the curve of the inside pocket piece and the curve of the pocket opening on the pants adding a seam allowance to the pants pocket opening. Like so:While you are at it, add a seam allowance to your pants pattern piece at the pocket opening.Cut out and label all of your pieces.
Sewing the pockets

Cut out assemble your pattern pieces (back of pants pieces not shown). Don't forget to leave room to share your work space. With right sides together, sew the pocket opening of the a front pant leg to the front pocket lining. Clip curves.Turn the pocket and press seam. Add a top stitch to keep it all in place.Take the inside pocket piece and position over the pocket area, with the right side facing the outside of the pants. Pin to the pocket opening piece along edges and sew. (Do not sew onto front of pants, unless you desire to have that seam showing. Which you might.)With your pocket pieces sewn together, all that is left is to secure the pocket lining to the pants to make it easier to sew. Machine baste the sides and top portion of the pocket.Complete your pattern as per usual.
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