Morden Work Pants Sew-along: Day 6 - Front Pockets

All variations of the Morden Work Pants have slanted front pockets with facings and linings. There are two ways you can assemble your front pockets. The more traditional way that pocket linings are finished in jeans and workwear is with a French seam finish, which I will show you how to do in the first portion of the sew-along! Alternatively, you can choose to stitch and finish the seam allowances of the pocket linings together which I'll show towards the end of the post. Variation 1 has a coin pocket attached to the right pocket facing.
  
  

FINISH FACING PIECES

The first step will be to finish the long edges of both the front inner and outer pocket-facing pieces. If using a fabric lighter than 9oz apply interfacing to the wrong side of the facing pieces following the manufacturer's instructions. Interfacing may not be needed for heavier fabrics.
  
Using a serge, zigzag, or your preferred method, finish the long straight edges of the outer pocket facing pieces. Finish both straight edges of the inner pocket facing pieces. 
  
  
  
  

ATTACH FACINGS TO POCKET LININGS

  
**If you are using a solid color pocket lining, choose what will be the right and wrong sides of your fabric. The following steps will not be as crucial, but you must end up with two mirrored sets of pocket facings and linings - make sure you don't accidentally make two of the same sets!
  
  
**If using a printed fabric it is important to note when to use the right and wrong sides of your fabric so that your print will be visible. 
  
  
With WRONG sides together, match the facing pieces to their corresponding lining pieces. Align notches, top, side, or bottom edges. Pin.
  
If using topstitching thread, you want the topstitching thread to be visible on the right side of the pocket lining. To do this, with your facings pinned to the linings, on the right side of the pocket lining, trace where the edges of the pocket facings are using chalk or a marking pen. With the pocket lining right side facing up edgestitch along the inside of your markings. 
  

  

ATTACH THE FRONT OUTER POCKETS

Match the front outer pocket to the front at the slanted pocket opening edge. Position your pieces so that the right side of the front is facing up. Match the facing side of the outer pocket to the front. This will be the right side together with the front and the pocket facing, but the wrong side of the lining. 

  

Stitch together at 5/8" (1.5 cm)

  

  

  

Press the outer pocket and seam allowances away from the front along the seam. If using a bulky fabric, trim and grade the seam allowances. 

  

    

Fold the outer pocket to the wrong side of the front, along the seam. Neatly press the pocket opening edge so that it is a straight line and not curved or wobbly in any parts. It also is best to press the seam slightly to the wrong side so that you don't see the seam from the right side of the fabric.   

Using topstitching thread, edgestitch along the pocket opening through all layers. Next, topstitch along the pocket opening through all layers to create a double row of stitching.

  

    

FINISH POCKET LININGS WITH A FRENCH SEAM

**For this section, when referring to "right" or "wrong" sides I will only be referencing the pocket lining, not the facing pieces. This is to make matching the pieces together hopefully less confusing!  

Fold the outer pocket up and away from the front. Position your pieces so that you are seeing the wrong side of the front and the right side of the outer pocket lining. 

  

Now you are going to match the front inner pocket lining to the outer pocket lining. With the right sides together, match the lining pieces together at the long straight edges and bottom edges.

  

Stitch around the edges at a 1/4" (6 mm) seam allowance.  

Trim the seam allowances so that they are even and there are no stray threads.

  

Flip the lining pieces to be wrong sides together. Neatly press the seams.  

Stitch again along the edges, this time at 3/8" (9 mm) making sure to encase the raw edges of the fabric from the previous step. 

 

  

You now have perfectly sewn front pockets finished with a French seam! The reason for the specific "right" and "wrong" sides of the fabric, is so that if you are using a fun, printed fabric for the lining, you can see the lining as shown in the picture below!  

Position the pockets into place and baste around the waist and side seam edges to secure the pocket for the next steps.

  

 

    

FINISH THE POCKET LININGS WITH A STITCH AND SERGE

Finish the long straight edges of the inner pocket facings. 

Since I am using a heavy fabric I am choosing to leave the finished edges flat instead of folding them under. 

With the inner pocket lining pieces facing the right side up, match the wrong sides of the facings to the right side of the linings. Match the side and bottom edges.

Edgestitch along the finished edge of the facing pieces to secure them to the linings. Baste along the bottom and side edges.

  Repeat the same steps for the outer pocket facings and lining pieces.

    

With right sides together match the outer pocket to the front along the angled edge. Stitch together at 5/8" (1.5 cm). 

 

  

 Trim and grade the seam allowances.

  

  

Press the outer pocket and seam allowances away from the front.

Understitch along the outer pocket catching the seam allowances underneath.

  

  

  

Fold the outer pocket all the way to the wrong side of the front.

Using topstitching thread, edgestitch and topstitch through all layers along the angled edge.

  

  

Now fold the outer pocket away from the front pant. With right sides together match the inner pocket and outer pocket together along the bottom and straight edges. 

Stitch together at 5/8" (1.5 cm) and then finish the seam allowances together. 

  

  

  

    

Fold the pocket pieces into place and make sure everything is laying nicely with the right sides facing up.

    

  

Baste along the waist and side seam edges through all layers to keep the pocket bags in place.

    

 

July 09, 2023 — Adrianna Aguirre
Tags: Morden Work Pants Sew-along
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