It's about exploring and sharing my creative adventures (mostly sewing these days) ~
~those activities that sometimes obsess, usually inspire, occasionally frustrate
~and always provide a delightful maze to wander through.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Welt Pocket Construction Methods - Phase Two

My second method of trying out welts is from Ann of Gorgeous Things.    I won't copy everything, since she's already done it so beautifully here:  Gorgeous Things Welt Pocket Tutorial

My first welt is made following her instructions.   On the second one, I tried a slightly different technique, with much better results!

I thought that marking the lines on the fusible interfacing, not the fabric, was brilliant!  Fusible interfacing is pressed on the wrong side, (with pinked edges), and organza, the same size as the interfacing, is pinned onto the outside.

All 4 edges stitched, through all layers (interfacing, fabric, and organza), using tiny stitches on the corners & ends, longer stitches on the long edges.

Fabric cut, including "V's".  Ann calls for the V's to be marked 1/2" from the ends, which makes more sense to me than the 5/8" called for in Zapp's method.

Pull the organza through to the wrong side, and press, press press!   Theoretically, you now have a perfect rectangular opening.

Here's where I think the issues (i.e., lots of opportunities for messy errors) can happen.  You baste the welts in place, then sew the welts onto the garment fabric, near the original stitches.  My results are far from stellar:

Oooooh, you can see my mess on the inside!



Next Day:  I had another go at Ann's welt method, making two major adjustments from my first attempt, and got MUCH better results.

The first major change I made was laying one welt on top of the other, right sides together, and stitching them together straight up the center.  Then fold each welt back & press open.   This holds the center, where the welts meet in the pocket opening, together while you're stitching the welts in.   BIG help in keeping everything straight!!!

The second change I made was in the basting.   I was actually doing everything yesterday with printed instructions & no pictures.   This does not bode well for a highly visual person like me!   This time I basted by just picking up a few threads at the edge of the pocket opening fold line, & on the welt close to the fold.

Inside view, with welts pressed open & basted in place:

Finished pocket ~ MUCH better than yesterday's!

Inside view ~  again, big improvement!

Up Next:  Judy Barlup's Welt w/ Less Bulk!

2 comments:

glorm said...

When you find the one you like the best don't forget to mark it or you will confuse yourself.

Aren't most single-welt pockets about an inch wide?

Jillybejoyful said...

Me? confuse myself? Huh? ;~D

I think my single welt pocket looks so odd to me because it's pretty narrow, and it's actually a tad over 1" wide....but of course it all comes down to where it's actually going to live!