Free Gathered Pouch Pocket Pattern & Tutorial

I don't need to sell you on why you need pockets. If you have a kid, you already know. So, skipping the sales pitch, here's a free pocket pattern and tutorial so you can add handy and adorable gathered pouch pockets to your Tie Dye Diva patterns, or anything you have in need of a little colorful accent or helpful place to hold stuff.

You'll need: scraps of two different fabrics. The button is decorative, and therefore optional, but looks super cute. You could also use a little pre-made bow or make your own from fabric or ribbon. I also recommend using a fusible or self-stick sewing tape such as Wash Away Wonder Tape or a glue stick to make construction easier.

I'm using two gorgeous prints from the Geofabulous collection by Maude Asbury for Blend Fabrics. My main pocket is made from Facet in Blue; my trim is Kaleidoscope in Pink, and I'm showing it on Stained Glass in Navy. These fabrics were generously provided to me by Blend so I could bring you this great tutorial. Win-win!

Finished pocket is about 4.5" x 4.5".

Download the free pocket pattern and print at 100% scale, with auto rotate and center UNchecked.

Cut out the pocket piece (seam allowances are included) from your main fabric.
Cut a strip for the pocket trim 5" x 2". You can cut this on the bias for visual interest, but you don't need to.

1.  Press the trim in half lengthwise with wrong sides together to make a crease and unfold, then press both long edges to the center.

Now fold again along the center line but with right sides together - so, not as if you were making a short piece of bias binding, but so you have a piece that is fan-folded, with the raw edges on the outside. I'm just turning one end here so you can be sure yours looks like this before you stitch.

Stitch along the short edges using a 1/4" seam allowance. Trim the seam allowance very close to the stitches. Do not turn the trim right side out yet.

2.  Sew a line of staystitches around the sides and bottom edge of the pocket (shown in black). While you are at your machine, go ahead and sew the gathering threads too: 2 rows of long, loose stitches across the top of the pocket about 1/4" and 1/2" from the edge. Start and stop these gathering threads just inside your staystitches.

Using the staystitches as your guide, press the side and bottom edges of the pocket under 1/4" to the wrong side.

 
Use the gathering threads to gather the top of the pocket to the width of the trim, from stitching line to stitching line. Keep the side edges folded under.

3. If you have sewing tape or a glue stick, leave the trim wrong side out (with raw edges on the short sides) and apply tape (or glue) along one side, from stitching line to stitching line. I've left the backing on my Wash Away Wonder Tape for the photo so you can see where I am placing it.

Stick the gathered pocket edge, wrong sides together, on the trim from stitching line to stitching line, aligning raw edges.

 
Make sure it is sticking well, then carefully turn the trim piece right side out, folding it down over the gathered edge of the pocket. Poke the corners of the trim out with a poky tool, and press, then stitch into place from the right side.

If you don't have sewing tape or glue, you may find it easiest to turn the pocket trim right side out first (so the raw short edges are inside), poke the corners square, and carefully insert the gathered pocket edge into the trim, pinning, and taking care to catch both sides of the trim as you sew.

4. Re-press the pocket edges if needed, and place on your garment. Stitch around 1/8" from the edge, backstitching at the beginning and end to secure the pocket.

Add decorative button if you wish.

Enjoy!