Variations on a Theme

Recently I attended the American Craft Council show in Atlanta. It was chocked full of fiber art, and lots of it was wearable. I always leave over-stimulated with ideas that I will try some day. (I also left with a few purchased objects that I could not resist.)

I kept coming back to the idea of a single pocket in a garment. Now that's not much of a grand idea, is it? But seeing these gorgeous garments with a single pocket gave me permission.

When I made my Tabula Rasa jacket, I gave it one pocket. This was a simple patch pocket. I just followed Louise Cutting's approach to patch pockets for shirts. Easy. Sort of an after-thought.

Since then I've been working on variations to an old favorite - the Hearts A Flutter (HAF) shell from Cutting Line Designs. I have made this so many times, I've lost count. The design of the top includes the lower band - a nice spot for an inseam pocket.

I made this first one more difficult than it needed to be.

Linen HAF Shell with pocket

Green linen pocket detail

On the next version, I stream-lined the pocket construction. And I added sleeves.

Finished pocket

1. Stitched pocket bottom from the outside following the previous hem stitching.

2. Folded it into place on the wrong side and cut off excess length.

3. Pinned and stitched the pocket sides in place.

4. Stitched to top of the pocket from the RS following the previous line of stitching created when I stitched top stitched the raw edges of the SA under.

I added 3/4 length sleeves using a pattern piece from a Marcy Tilton design. I recut the the armcye on the the shell after completing the bust darts so that it would conform to the dress pattern. I forgot that her sleeves are sometimes too snug for me. So I got to unsew the sleeves and add a bias strip to the underarm seam. 

I rather like this little shell with sleeves.

These are low-risk, high-fun projects. I think I'm ready to do something more complicated now.