Pockets are an essentially useful addition I feel is so lacking in Indian outfits. I feel the need for a pocket most, while carrying one toddler and dragging the other one and handbag is neatly zipped up and I just need a place to tuck away the car keys other than holding them between my teeth...
So now, almost all my kurtas and salwar tops have pockets sewn in. And these are almost invisible and don't affect the form of the outfit in any way.
Here's a step by step on how you can do this too. Takes about 20 minutes.
First start with a pocket template, customized to your hand size. place you hands on a piece of paper with the fingers pointing down, just like as it would be inside the pocket. Draw an outline. You'll notice I have enough wiggle room and then some more for the stitches too...
Using this template cut out 4 pieces.
Wear the top or skirt you want the pocket sewn into and mark the spot where your hands are comfortable with the pockets starting. Use a washable fabric marker and make sure you mark both sides of the seam. This spot is usually 2-3 inches below the waist level.
If you want pockets on both sides, just fold the outfit vertically in half and copy the same spot on the other side too.
Now, rip the seams from about 2 inches above the marked spot to about 10 inches. You will now have a gaping hole at the sides. If you take the seams out carefully without losing any fabric, you can sew in the pockets without altering the fit of the outfit.
Hold out the front of the outfit with the right side facing up. Place one of the pocket pieces pointing downward, aligning the straight edge. Now sew along the straight edge. Repeat the same for the back of the outfit.
Now turn the outfit inside out and pull out the 2 pieces of the pocket fabric. Align it and sew. I have roughly doodled where you have to sew. Double stitch it and finish off the edges.
And there you have it. You can make this completely invisible if you have the same design/fabric left over.
So now, almost all my kurtas and salwar tops have pockets sewn in. And these are almost invisible and don't affect the form of the outfit in any way.
Here's a step by step on how you can do this too. Takes about 20 minutes.
First start with a pocket template, customized to your hand size. place you hands on a piece of paper with the fingers pointing down, just like as it would be inside the pocket. Draw an outline. You'll notice I have enough wiggle room and then some more for the stitches too...
Using this template cut out 4 pieces.
Wear the top or skirt you want the pocket sewn into and mark the spot where your hands are comfortable with the pockets starting. Use a washable fabric marker and make sure you mark both sides of the seam. This spot is usually 2-3 inches below the waist level.
If you want pockets on both sides, just fold the outfit vertically in half and copy the same spot on the other side too.Now, rip the seams from about 2 inches above the marked spot to about 10 inches. You will now have a gaping hole at the sides. If you take the seams out carefully without losing any fabric, you can sew in the pockets without altering the fit of the outfit.
Hold out the front of the outfit with the right side facing up. Place one of the pocket pieces pointing downward, aligning the straight edge. Now sew along the straight edge. Repeat the same for the back of the outfit.
Now turn the outfit inside out and pull out the 2 pieces of the pocket fabric. Align it and sew. I have roughly doodled where you have to sew. Double stitch it and finish off the edges.
And there you have it. You can make this completely invisible if you have the same design/fabric left over.
This can be applied to almost any outfit any size. In this frock there were no side seams in the skirt. So I 'hid' the pockets behind one of the box pleats.
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