Perfect Patch Pocket…Tailor Approved

While in San Fransisco at the BERNINA University, my hubby and I had a chance to walk around SF and discovered the WINGTIP store.  There, I met Erik Gavrilov – a designer/tailor with ‘solutions for the modern gentleman’.  In the bank vault, safety deposit area – merchandise was displayed in such a unique manner… displays, everything!  Here are a few photos…

Cuff and collar choices for men’s custom shirts

Collar styles available for men’s custom shirts.   

Tailoring of lapels and ties displayed from deposit boxes.

Soon, I introduced myself and shared with Erik why I was in San Fransisco – and that I, too, had tailoring experience.  Then we really started sharing…and when I didn’t see a patch pocket like I used to teach, I asked for some paper and then made him a sample of this technique. His eyes lit up – as he had never seen this technique!  Made my day……to teach this bona fide designer/tailor something……..

Sew……here it is for you, as well.  I really don’t know where I learned this, but I know I used it many times, in making little blazers for my boy – now 34!  Little boys ram their hands down into those pockets, so I was challenged to come up with a way to stitch them on securely.  Top stitching?  Yes – that was always a choice, but sometimes, I didn’t want to top stitch a patch pocket. Also – this technique allows for extremely perfect matching of plaids with the final stitching – assuming the pocket has been cut to match in the first place.  For even plaids, consider cutting the pocket on the bias.

HERE is the solution!  Basically, you machine stitch the LINING to the jacket front, then flop the shaped Upper Pocket down into place, and then hand stitch.  Even if you DO want to top stitch – even close the the shaped edge, doing it this way keeps the edge of the pocket a clean, pressed edge, rather than a seam (of the upper pocket to the lining).  ALSO – I found that making 2 shaped (curved lower corners) match exactly on BOTH pockets – was pretty challenging.

This first photo pretty much shows the entire technique.