Welt pockets. The words can strike fear into aspiring sewists: “Fastest way to ruin $200 worth of beautiful material,” I heard one sewist mutter under her breath. Welt pockets can elevate a garment from “homemade” to “tailored” and back to “homemade” again with one slip of the scissors.

In this installment of the Pocket Series, I will help take the fear out of making welt pockets. Step by step, I’ll walk you through a fail-safe method for making welt pockets so you will be confident when you cut your “Y-snip”.

Preparation for a welt pocket

Position the pocket.

Your sewing pattern will usually indicate locations for your welt pockets. In the studio, we don’t finalize that decision until we have basted or pinned the garment together for the first fitting because pocket location will vary according to each wearer’s figure and preference.

Cut a strip of painter’s tape the width and length of your pocket welt, and locate the best location for it on your body. You may want your pockets closer together, further away, more slanted, or more level than the pattern markings. Choose the position that best flatters your figure. Mark the position with pins; this will indicate where you need to interface. You can finalize the exact location of your pockets after interfacing.

Prepare the pocket opening

Interface the pocket opening

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The Mystery of the “Pocket Ear”

Whether you call them slash pockets, slant pockets, or Tasche all’Americana (Italian for “American-style pockets”), these diagonal openings appear in everything we wear: jeans, chinos, casual skirts, and tailored pants. But despite being a wardrobe workhorse, this pocket is notoriously temperamental. You’ve seen it: linings that peek out, the corners that are too tight on the hip, and gaping openings. These last two are so common that they have a name: “pocket ears.”

There is a name for this phenomenon because it happens so often in both home sewing and ready-to-wear. In fact, I first discovered the term while scouring forums for a fix to my own frustrations. What I found was that there isn’t a single magic fix; instead, perfect pockets result from a specific sequence of professional habits. Today, I’m sharing the step-by-step workflow I use to tame the slant and achieve perfectly flat, crisp pockets that lay smooth against the body.

How to Prepare Slant Pockets

A little note on terminology: slant front pockets are created from three pieces, which, like the pockets themselves, can have a variety of names that can be sources for confusion:

Front - this piece is the front or side front of the garment and has either an angle or curve cut out for the pocket opening. In this post, I will use the term “front”.

Pocket facing or pocket lining or under pocket - which is attached to the front along the angle or curve and forms the part of the pocket bag which touches the front of the garment. In this post, I will use the term “pocket lining” even when it is not cut from lining fabric.

Side front, pocket back, pocket facing, or top pocket which forms the back part of the pocket bag and touches the wearer. In this post, I will use the term “pocket back”.

The Secret to Fit: Increasing Side Seam Allowances for “Turn of the Cloth”

When you lay your pattern pieces on top of each other, your pocket lining, pocket back, and front pieces match perfectly along the side seam line, but in fabric, they don’t.

Why not?

Fabric is thicker than paper, so the “turn of the cloth” requires extra room. Consequently, your front piece will be “shorter” than your pocket back piece at your side seam. Because each fabric you use with your pattern can vary significantly in thickness, I recommend adding 1-2” to your side seam allowance on your pocket lining, side pocket, and garment front pieces. This extra insurance provides enough fabric in all layers to curve over the hip.

Blocking Pocket Pieces to Prevent Distortion

Pocket pieces are curved, which means they can easily distort. After you cut your fabric, mark your seamlines with tracing paper, and baste along each seamline, use your pattern or your muslin to “block” the fashion fabric pieces back into their appropriate shapes, using the heat and steam from your iron.

How to Stabilize Slant Pockets

Whether your pocket is a diagonal slant or a cut-in curve*, a portion of your pocket opening will fall on the bias, and will be prone to distortion. To prevent this, stabilize the opening. You can accomplish this in one of two ways:

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When you sew couture-inspired skirts or sleek trousers, sometimes the best waistband is no waistband at all. In the professional sewing world, we call this a waistline facing or a faced waistline. It allows the garment to sit perfectly flat against the body, creating a seamless transition from your blouse to your hips.

Most sewing patterns instruct sewists to create self-fabric facings with side seams; these can be bulky and uncomfortable to wear. Today, I will share two ways to achieve this professional finish: the classic petersham facing (the couture standard) and my “secret weapon” for comfort: the elastic facing, using lingerie elastic or stretch petersham.

Common Questions about Petersham Waistline Facings

Why use a Petersham facing instead of a standard waistband?

Standard rectangular waistbands and contour waistbands are made of garment fabric and interfacing. This construction can result in four or more layers of structured bulk around your midsection. A petersham facing is a single layer of specialized ribbon that:

• Reduces bulk for a “flat” stomach look.

• Conforms to the curves of your body better than straight-grain fabric.

• Doesn’t emphasize the abdomen like a contour waistband.

• Provides a high-end, designer finish inside the garment.

What is the difference between Petersham and Grosgrain ribbon?

This is a common mistake! While they look similar, polyester grosgrain is stiff and has a straight edge; it cannot be shaped around your waist. Petersham, which is usually made of rayon or cotton, has a scalloped or “picot” edge. This unique edge allows you to steam the ribbon into a curve to match your body’s shape.

Can I make an invisible waistband comfortable for all-day wear?

The classic petersham method is elegant but has minimal “give.” If you want that couture look but need to breathe after a large dinner, I recommend an elastic facing. By using stretch petersham or 1” plush-backed lingerie elastic, you get the same invisible look on the outside with a hidden “expanding” feature on the inside.

What width should I use for my waist facing?

• 3/4” or 1” petersham: Standard for most skirts and pants.

• Wider widths: Best for high-waisted styles or those with a long waist and a flat midsection.

👉 Pro-Tip: If you have a curved abdomen, stick to narrower widths (1” or less) to prevent the facing from “digging in” when you sit.

Step-by-Step Tutorial: How to Sew a Faced Waistline

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Why aren’t there more pockets in women’s clothing? In-seam pockets take more time, fabric, and skill to install, and–if they are large enough to be functional–they eliminate the wearer’s need to purchase a purse or other carrying accessory. Overall, inseam pockets are a loss of income for fashion manufacturers. All is not lost, however, because you are a clever sewist who can not only install pockets on your own creations, but also can add them to thrifted clothing.

Today, we’ll explore the two types of in-seam pockets, learn how to install them, and see if today’s ready-to-wear can be retrofitted with pockets.

What is the difference between cut-on side seam pockets and side seam pockets with separate bags?

The earliest form of side-seam pockets was actually slits in the side seams of skirts, through which the wearer could access bags tied to her waist. (Modesty was maintained by numerous petticoats between the pockets and the wearer’s body.) As skirt silhouettes became narrower, pocket bags were either cut on to the garment or sewn on.

Cut-on Side Seam Pockets (also known as Grown-on Pockets)

Definition of a cut-on pocket:

A cut-on pocket is one in which the pocket bag and the garment are a single pattern piece.

Disadvantages of cut-on pockets

These pockets seamlessly transition from the garment to the pocket, which makes them easy to cut and sew. They aren’t seen often in sewing patterns anymore, in part because of their many disadvantages:

• They require an inefficient fabric layout. Cut-on pockets increase the distance between major pattern pieces and waste precious fabric.

• They tend to rip at the pivot points. The pivot point or turning point of the stitching, where the seam begins to sew the pocket bag, is a weak point with these pockets.

• The leading edge of the pocket is undefined, so it often collapses after repeated washings, making it difficult to use.

• Cut-on pockets are constructed of garment fabric. The pocket can become very bulky, even when using medium-weight fabrics.

Best fabrics for a cut-on pocket:

These pockets are best suited to light- to medium-weight fabrics that tend not to wrinkle. Very lightweight materials tend to collapse, becoming wrinkled bulges in the garment’s side seams: equally unusable and unsightly. At the other extreme, cut-on pockets made from very heavy materials will be overly bulky and disrupt the garment’s drape.

Side Seam Pockets with Separate Bags

Definition of a side seam pocket with a separate bag

A side seam pocket with a separate bag is constructed from independent bag pieces that are sewn into the side seams. The pocket bag can be cut from fashion fabric or from a lighter-weight fabric, such as lining fabric. This pocket is the one most often included in sewing patterns, and it is the one you can use to retrofit pockets into ready-to-wear garments.

Advantages of Side Seam Pockets with a Separate Bag

While these pockets can be slightly more challenging to position, they have several advantages over cut-on pockets:

• The seam that attaches the pocket bag to the garment creates its own reinforced opening, stiffened by the seam itself, for ease of use.

• The pocket bag can be made from lightweight lining fabric (for reduced bulk), fuzzy flannel (for warm fingers), or any other fabric that the sewist desires.

• Offsetting the pocket slightly from the garment’s side seam means the pocket bag is never visible.

III. Step-by-Step Instructions: How to sew a separate pocket bag into a side seam

Before you cut your fabric:

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Patch pockets are most often flat pieces sewn to the surface of the garment. The capacity of these pockets is limited by the flat piece and the tightness of the clothing to which the pocket is sewn. If you are searching for more and bigger pockets, there are many ways to add depth to patch pockets. In this post, we will explore patch pockets that can expand: gathered pockets, pleated pockets, and bellows pockets. The sheer variety of expandable patch pockets means you can always have a pocket for your cell phone!

👉Pro Tip: While you can always draft your own pockets, the ones pictured in this article are from the Pocket Pack 1 Sewing Pattern - Kea Collection and Pocket Pack 2 Sewing Pattern - Tui Collection, available at Twig & Tale. Twig & Tale provides full instructions and video tutorials for their pocket patterns.

I. The Search for More Storage: Choosing Between Gathers, Pleats, or Bellows Pockets

A pocket is both a container and a structural addition to a garment. When deciding which type of pocket to use, you should consider:

• How do I want this pocket to expand?

• Do I want it to grow from the center, the sides, or the bottom?”

• Does the pocket’s “expansion style” match the specific objects I am likely to carry?

• Is my garment fabric strong enough to support a full pocket?

• Does the pocket style match the style of my garment?

II. Gathered Patch Pockets: Adding Soft, Fluid Volume

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In Part 1 of this pocket series, I deconstruct the patch pocket. Together, we’ll explore the different types of patch pockets, and I’ll provide step-by-step instructions for your own unlined and lined patch pockets. In future posts, I’ll show you bellows pockets and accordion pockets, side-seam pockets, and welt pockets.

What is a Patch Pocket? Anatomy and Uses

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a patch as “a small area of something, especially one which is different from the area around it.” A patch pocket is a pocket sewn onto the surface of a garment; the term "patch pocket" shares its name with patches, which are applied to repair garments.

Like the patches after which they were named, patch pockets come in a variety of colors, shapes, and materials. They can vary in shape: rectangular, triangular, or square, with rounded or pointed corners. They can even be circular! While they are often made from the same material as the garment, patch pockets can also be made from other materials to provide contrast. This variety makes them a great choice for covering stains, rips, or flaws in ready-to-wear and thrifted clothing, where matching fabric is unavailable.

Different shapes, fabrics, and embellishments make patch pockets a major focal point, and an opportunity for your creativity to run wild!

Lined vs. Unlined Patch Pockets: How to Choose the Right Style

Patch pockets can be lined or unlined. Unlined pockets are best for casual garments made from firmly woven materials, such as the back pockets on jeans. Lining is your secret to managing tricky fabrics – like loosely woven boucles – because the lining protects the fashion fabric’s ravelly edges and adds structure without bulk.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Sew an Unlined Patch Pocket

Step 1. Pattern preparation and cutting the pocket.

The first step for creating a beautiful pocket comes before cutting your fabric. Many pocket patterns have tiny ¼” (3mm) or ⅜” (1 cm) seam allowances; these are too small for easy manipulation. If your pattern pieces have small seam allowances, add extra seam allowance to the edges of your pattern pieces: for jeans and other top-stitched pockets, 1” (1.5 cm) is sufficient at the top edge, for shirt breast pockets, 1 ⅜” (1 cm) at the top edge will give you enough to turn under and still leave a standard 1” (2.5 cm) top hem. Your pocket side seams should be ⅝” (1.5 cm) to give you enough room to manipulate the fabric without excess bulk.

Once you have cut your pockets, place a 1 ½” (4 cm) wide strip of stabilizer along the top edge of your pocket, where your pocket opening will be. The strip should overlap the fold line to reinforce the opening during use. I prefer a lightweight fusible, such as Palmer/Pletsch’s Perfect Fuse Sheer or Perfect Fuse Light. If you prefer an unfused alternative, you can baste an (on-grain) strip of silk organza along the fold line.

The inner edges of many ready-to-wear pockets are unfinished. However, if your fabric is prone to raveling, you can pink, serge, or otherwise finish the sides and bottom of your pocket.

Step 2. Prepare the pocket for attachment.

Whether you choose to finish the edges or not, you should stay-stitch the sides and bottom of your pocket along the fold lines with a 2.5 straight stitch.

Press the top edge along the foldline, using a clapper to make a sharp fold. Turn the raw edge up, and topstitch in place.

Next, fold the side seam allowance, folding the stay stitching towards the back of the pocket. Fold the bottom next and then the other side, working your way around the edge of the pocket.

👉Pro Tip: For jeans pockets, fold up half of the pocket hem and topstitch; this will create a strong ½” (1.3cm) wide edge. For a shirt breast pocket, fold up ⅜” (1 cm), leaving a 1” (2.5 cm) hem which can be top-stitched by machine or slip-stitched by hand.

Step 3. Prepare the garment

The corners at your pocket opening will experience significant stress when you use your pocket. In addition to stabilizing the top edge of the pocket, you will also need to stabilize the inside of the garment.

👉Pro Tip: Interior interfacing is less critical for decorative pockets on underlined garments, as the underlining will help stabilize the pocket corners. However, when it is likely that your pockets will experience heavy use, such as large pockets on a jacket, you should either fuse interfacing to the fashion fabric or add additional patches of underlining at the pocket attachment points.

Step 4. Place the pocket and topstitch.

Pin your pockets to your garment and try it on; if you are checking patch pockets on pants, you will need to pin or baste your pants together. Your pattern may suggest pocket locations, but this is your opportunity to place them in the most flattering position for your body.

When you are satisfied with your pocket position, topstitch the pocket in place. Use a narrow edge foot or a zipper foot to sew precisely on the edge of your pocket.

👉Pro Tip: If you want your topstitching to be more visible, try lengthening your stitches and putting contrasting thread in only your needle; your bobbin thread should match your garment. This makes those stitches “pop”!

For added strength, sew a small triangle or a bar tack at the corners of the pocket opening.

Unlined vs. Lined Patch Pockets: Which Should You Choose?

While unlined pockets are best for casual garments made from firmly woven materials, there will be times when you prefer a lined pocket:

• Loosely woven fabrics

• Decorative fabrics which are prone to pulls

• One-sided fabrics, when you want to hide the wrong side from view.

• Delicate fabrics, which require extra reinforcement

• Patch pockets on lined jackets, for professional polish

How to Sew a Self-Lined Pocket (The Cut-On Method)

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A Common Misconception: Muslin vs. Test Garment

It is a frequent, though irritating, misconception that a muslin is simply a “test garment” or a disposable mock-up. Not so. A muslin is a working pattern. Unlike a test garment, a muslin is a technical tool. It is fit directly to your body, adjusted until perfect, and then deconstructed to serve as the precise pattern for your underlining, fashion fabric, or lining.

Why You Should Use a Working Pattern:

• True Accuracy: A muslin accounts for your three-dimensional curves and fabric drape in a way that a paper draft cannot.

• Identify Asymmetries: A muslin address left-right body differences before you touch your “good” fabric.

• Refine the Style: A muslin allows you to experiment with proportions, necklines, or hem lengths without risking expensive fabrics.

• Create a Permanent Template: Your deconstructed muslin becomes a durable, custom-fit pattern that you can use over and over without wearing it out.

What You’ll Need to Create Your Muslin

Before you begin, gather the following supplies:

• Muslin fabric (or a similar weight fabric appropriate for your project)

• Iron and ironing board

• Paper pattern

• Seam gauge

• Fine marker or pencil (for marking seam allowances)

• Pins

• Fabric shears

• Tracing paper and tracing wheel (wax tracing paper is best)

• Sewing machine and thread (in a contrasting color)

• Sharpie markers (for marking alterations)

Step-by-Step: Creating Your Working Pattern

Step 1: Prepare Your Pattern

1. Measure for size: Download our Fitting Guide to determine your starting pattern size.

2. Prepare your pattern: Rough-cut the pieces from the tissue and press (on the back side) to remove wrinkles. Trim to your size—just outside the cutting line. Most importantly, mark your seam lines. Check your instructions for the correct allowance; the seam line is your true guide.

3. Tissue-Fit: If you are trying to fit a muslin on yourself, save time and frustration by tissue-fitting your paper pattern using the Fitting Order in our Fitting Guide. Tissue-fitting addresses major fit issues so you can focus on perfecting your fit with muslin.

Step 2: Prepare Your Muslin Fabric

1. Shrink and Press: Wash, dry, and iron your muslin fabric to pre-shrink it.

2. Square the Grain: Rip a straight line along the cut edge. Straighten and square the fabric by pulling it diagonally until the torn ends are perfectly square to the selvages.

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Invisible zippers are specially molded so that the zipper coils inward, pulling folds of fabric toward the coil as it closes. These fabric folds overlap the zipper, obscuring it and leaving it almost entirely hidden on the right side of the garment.

Below are images contrasting a standard zipper and an invisible one. Note how the standard zipper’s coil and tape lie flat, while the invisible zipper tape curves inward, hiding the coil.

Invisible zippers are ubiquitous in ready-to-wear tops, skirts, and dresses not only because invisible zippers are cheap and can be quickly installed by machine, saving manufacturing time and money, but also because invisible zippers break easily, ensuring a demand for new clothing.

When Should I Use an Invisible Zipper?

Technically? Never. An invisible zipper can almost always be replaced with a hand-picked standard zipper, which is more durable and longer-lasting. However, if you choose to use one, avoid these specific scenarios:

🚫Heavy Fabrics - the heavier the fabric, the harder it is for the zipper to pull that fold inward, leading to snags and breakage.

🚫Crossing seams - When a zipper crosses a bulky waist seam or neckline, it places immense strain on the coils. This is why you’ll often see broken zippers on sample dresses in bridal shops!

🚫Underlined garments - Fashion fabrics that have been underlined are generally too bulky for an invisible zipper. Even when they are light-weight – like a silk dupioni with silk organza underlining – the sewist needs to take special care that the two layers don’t shift during installation.

Invisible zippers perform best with thin fabrics and designs that do not cross seamlines, such as skirts or pants with faced waistlines and unlined princess-seamed dresses.

What Tools and Materials Do You Need to Install an Invisible Zipper?

✅ Invisible zipper - Choose one that coordinates with your fabric. If you need a reliable source, search my resource list for “zippers”.

✅Sewing machine - While it is possible to hand-pick an invisible zipper (see Threads Magazine, Issue 210, August/September 2020), the results are better with a sewing machine and invisible zipper foot OR a hand-picked standard zipper.

✅ Invisible zipper foot - This foot has angled grooves that simultaneously uncoil the zipper while stitching close to the teeth. A standard zipper foot cannot “unfold” the coil, often leaving the zipper visible.

✅ Thread - standard weight, high-quality, 100% cotton or 100% polyester sewing thread that matches your garment.

✅ Sewing machine needles - Match your needle to the fabric weight. Use Jersey/Ballpoint for knits and Microtex/Sharp for wovens.

👉 Pro tip: If you used a size 10 for the garment, bump up to a size 14 for the zipper area to accommodate the extra bulk.

✅ Lightweight fusible stabilizer - I recommend Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Fuse Medium or Perfect Fuse Light Interfacing for interfacing the zipper opening.

How Do I Prepare the Garment Before Sewing?

✅ Widen Your Seam Allowances: Cut your pieces with at least 1” (2.5 cm) from your seam line. You should make your seam allowances even wider if your fabric is bottom-weight. Standard ⅜” or ⅝” (1 or 2 cm) seam allowances are insufficient for clean installation, and they leave no room at all for fitting adjustments.

✅ Transfer markings: Use tracing paper and a wheel to mark seamlines and notches. Hand-baste over these lines so they are visible from the right side. Use uneven basting, which is easier to remove after the seamline has been fused. For a review of the uneven basting stitch, see the tutorial HERE.

✅ Stabilize your fabric. Apply a 1.5” to 2” strip of lightweight fusible interfacing down each seamline. This prevents the fabric from stretching or distorting. This is particularly crucial for side seam zippers, where the curve of the seamline can easily be distorted as the straight zipper tape is applied.

✅ Finish Edges: Finish your seam allowances after applying interfacing to “lock” the stabilizer into the edge treatment. This will extend your garment’s lifespan.

Step-by-Step: How to Sew an Invisible Zipper

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Lapped zippers play an important role in fashion construction. Zippers placed at the front or back of a garment are typically centered, with equal amounts of fabric either curling inward (invisible zippers) or lapping over (standard zippers) to conceal the zipper teeth. This is true whether the zipper is standard or invisible; the objective in both cases is to achieve a visually balanced look.

Sometimes a garment’s design lines won’t accommodate a front or back zipper. For those situations, we locate the zipper in a side seam or side back seam. Side-seam zippers are often lapped so the overlap conceals the zipper—much like a fly-front zipper.

In this step-by-step tutorial, I’ll show you how to sew a lapped zipper, using skills you’ve built in the previous zipper tutorials on hand-picked and fly-front zippers. This hybrid method involves both machine and hand picking, offering the speed and convenience of machine sewing with the superior control and invisibility of hand picking.

What Is a Lapped Zipper?

A lapped zipper is a garment-closure method in which one side of the fabric seam overlaps the zipper teeth, concealing them from view. The zipper tape is first attached to the underlap, beyond one side of the seamline, with stitching placed close to the zipper teeth. The fabric on the other side of the seamline folds along the seamline, creating an overlap that conceals the underlap. The overlap is stitched to the other side of the zipper tape using handpicked or machine topstitching.

A well-sewn lapped zipper lies flat and conceals the entire underlap, both zipper and stitches. The overlap is smooth, with no drag lines or other signs of distortion.

Lapped zippers are commonly seen in the side seams of skirts and women’s pants. Less common are lapped zippers in the side seams of sleeveless dresses. In vintage clothing, one can see lapped zippers in the underarm and side seams of sleeved dresses and tops; this is a more vintage touch, as are lapped zippers hidden in back princess seams, so as not to disturb the appearance of the center back or center front princess panels.

When Should You Choose a Lapped Zipper?

• Fabric weight: Lapped zippers can be used with medium-weight woven or knit materials. If the fabric is too lightweight, a zipper might not be the best closure choice, as the zipper tape and stabilizer may show through a sheer, lightweight fabric. Heavyweight fabrics are too thick for small laps but are suitable for deep laps, such as those used for separating zippers in outerwear.

• Design considerations: Lapped zippers are typically placed in side seams or princess seams when a zipper cannot be centered at the front or back. Lapped side zippers may also be desirable to avoid interruptions in large prints or other design elements.

• Accessibility: When sewing for someone with limited mobility, lapped side zippers may be preferable to center-back zippers. Before committing to a particular location, check that the wearer can comfortably reach the zipper and exert the required force to open and close it.

• Fit implications: Side zippers can be tricky to place and use over curvy areas. This is especially true for dresses, where the flat, straight zipper must be molded over the curves of a full bust, narrow waist, and full hip.

Tools and Materials for Sewing a Lapped Zipper

• Zipper - Lapped zipper applications use a standard zipper. The length of the zipper will vary depending on your garment. Generally, your zipper should extend from a small circumference to a large one. For example, a side lapped zipper that extends from a dress’ underarm (bust) should continue to the fullest part of the hip, 18-22” (46-56 cm), where a side lapped zipper in a skirt will extend from the waist to the fullest part of the hip, 7-9” (18-23 cm).

• Thread - standard weight, high-quality, 100% cotton or 100% polyester sewing thread that matches your garment will work for both machine stitching and hand picking. 100% cotton basting thread will make basting removal much easier.

• Lightweight fusible stabilizer - I use Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Fuse Medium or Perfect Fuse Light Interfacing.

• Hand-sewing needles - I prefer John James size 9 sharps for hand picking and Roxanne basting needles for basting.

• Sewing machine needles - Choose needles based on your fabric type and weight. If you are sewing a knit, use “jersey”, “knit” or “ballpoint” needles; if you are sewing a woven fabric, use “Microtex” or “sharp” needles. Match the size of the needle to the weight of the fabric plus the zipper. For example, if you have sewn the rest of the garment with a size 10 needle, the extra bulk of the zipper will probably require a size 14 needle.

• Sewing machine feet - You will need either a standard machine zipper foot or a narrow edge foot.

Preparing the Garment for a Lapped Zipper

Preparation for zippers - lapped or otherwise - comes long before application.

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Fly-front zippers have a reputation for being difficult to install—and the concern is understandable. Because the fly sits at center front, even small errors are highly visible: crooked topstitching, exposed zipper tape, or stitching that looks straight but fails to catch the zipper securely underneath.

The good news? All of these problems are easily avoided when the construction is broken into clear, logical steps. The method outlined below is a reliable, repeatable approach that allows you to install a clean, professional fly-front zipper—every time.

Tools & Materials You’ll Need

• Zipper - I prefer standard zippers with plastic coils. Plastic zippers can be cut to any length and can be stitched through safely when applying topstitching. They are also gentler on other garments during washing and drying; metal zippers can abrade nearby fabrics and create holes over time.

• Thread - Use regular sewing thread for installation. If you want more prominent topstitching, try mounting two spools of thread on your machine and threading them through a single needle. You can also experiment with longer stitch lengths and—if your machine offers it—a triple stitch.

• Needles - Match your needle to both fabric type and weight. Fly-front zippers involve multiple layers of bottom-weight fabric, which often require size 14, 16, or 18 needles. Use sharp/Microtex needles for woven fabrics and stretch/jersey needles for knits. For stretch wovens, test both types; a stretch needle may produce better stitch formation than a Microtex.

• Machine feet: You will need a standard zipper foot. Most machines include one as part of the basic accessories. If yours is missing, replacement feet are available through sewing machine dealers or—especially for vintage machines—online sources such as eBay.

• Interfacing: I use Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Fuse Medium or Perfect Fuse Light Interfacing.

• Basting Thread and Needles - Basting is the most accurate way to mark seamlines and construction details. It works on nearly all fabrics (except leather or vinyl).

👉 Pro Tip: Practice your topstitching on layers of interfaced fabric that mimic your fly area. Test different thread, needle, and stitch combinations to find the best one for your garment.

Perfect Fly-Front Zippers, Step-by-Step

For this tutorial, I will assume that you have marked the seamlines onto all of your pattern pieces and fit your pattern to your body before cutting your garment pieces.

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A hand-picked zipper is one installed in the garment using the prick stitch, a variation of the backstitch that I covered in my post on hand stitches. Most hand-picked zipper applications utilize standard zippers.

While invisible zippers can technically be hand-picked, they are not as strong as standard zippers and are more prone to wear. If you are going to take the time to install a zipper by hand, it makes sense to choose a high-quality standard zipper that will last.

When standard zippers are hand-picked, they are nearly invisible from the outside, yet far stronger and more durable than invisible zippers—especially over bulky areas like waist seams and yokes. Hand-picked zippers also allow for precise matching of seamlines, prints, and design motifs. For all these reasons, they represent couture sewing at its best: fine workmanship for a beautiful, lasting result.

Why Hand-Pick a Zipper?

When I taught zipper classes at a local sewing shop, I always began with a hand-picked standard zipper. The students initially thought I was a little crazy—but after spending several hours struggling with machine-installed fly-front and invisible zippers, they all wanted to return to the hand-picked ones. The results were simply better.

Why? Hand-picking a zipper gives the sewist complete control over the process. This improves accuracy and consistency. For sewists installing a zipper for the first time, hand-picking often produces better results than machine sewing—especially when precision matters.

What You’ll Need (And Why Each Tool Matters)

You will require relatively few – and inexpensive! – tools to hand-pick a zipper. This is a situation when good results come from preparation, practice, and precision, not the cost or quantity of gadgets.

• Standard zipper - Almost always, a standard zipper is used when hand-picking a zipper. While it is possible to hand-pick an invisible zipper, it is usually not worth the effort as standard zippers are stronger and more reliable than invisible ones.

• Quality sewing thread - Use a high-quality sewing thread. I prefer Mettler or Gutermann 100% polyester thread, but 100% cotton thread is fine as well. Poor quality threads will curl, break, and frustrate your hand-sewing experience.

• Hand-sewing needles - For best results, use a relatively narrow, short needle that you can maneuver easily. I prefer size 9 or 10 sharps, but milliner’s needles also work well.

• Beeswax - When melted into your sewing thread, pure beeswax strengthens and conditions the thread in a way that commercial thread conditioners cannot.

• Measuring devices - To create even stitches, you will need a way to measure them. While a seam gauge will do, I really like Tiger Tape, which spaces both the distance from the fold as well as the distance between stitches.

Hand-picking a Zipper, Step-by-Step

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At first, the diagonal basting stitch, the pad stitch, the fell stitch, and the slant hem stitch have little in common. Their names differ, and they’re used for very different sewing and tailoring tasks. Yet these stitches are closely related by the motion of the needle as each stitch is formed.

All four stitches alternate a long diagonal stitch with a short horizontal stitch. This combination creates a strong, stable anchor suitable for both temporary and permanent applications. Once you’ve mastered one of these stitches, the others will come easily—with a bit of practice.

When to Use Diagonal Stitches

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Welcome back to the Handsewing Series! This week, we’ll explore the basting stitch—also known as the running stitch—and three variations you’ll use constantly in couture sewing.

Basting is foundational to couture sewing. We use it to mark seam lines accurately, hold the garment together temporarily for fitting, and control layers of fabric precisely so they can be sewn. Hand basting works beautifully on almost any fabric—unlike machine basting, which lies flat and inflexible—hand basting lets you mold fabric into the curves and contours of the human body.

In this post, I’ll show you how to sew and use these three essential stitches:

• Even Basting (aka the Running Stitch)

• Uneven Basting

• Slip Basting (aka the Slip Stitch)

Once you begin using these stitches consistently, you’ll see an immediate improvement in the accuracy and quality of your sewing.

What Are Basting Stitches?

Basting is a temporary running stitch.

When to Use It

Basting has three basic uses:

1. Basting is used to mark seamlines and hold garment layers in place. In couture sewing, the seamlines from your pattern or muslin are transferred to your fabric and basted so they are visible on both the right and wrong sides. If your garment is underlined, those basting stitches also anchor the underlining to the fashion fabric.

2. After basting the individual sections, coutourieres baste the marked garment pieces together for fitting. The clearly visible seamlines make assembly very precise and accurate.

3. Basting also helps control the fabric while machine sewing:

• Fabrics that slip (silk charmeuse) or creep (velvet) stay aligned.

• Curved seams—especially princess seams and armscyes—can be sewn smoothly, without tucks or puckers.

• Bias edges stay stable.

Recommended tools for basting:

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Some sewists say, “I don’t feel like I’m really sewing unless my machine is running.”

But here’s the truth: every couture garment you admire — historic or modern — includes hand stitching.

Hand sewing is older than metal needles, older than weaving, older than the idea of “thread” as we understand it. Humans sewed clothing long before sewing machines were even a dream. The first home sewing machines arrived in the mid-1800s, and widespread, affordable access didn’t come until the 20th century. For most of human history, all sewing was done by human hands.

And even today, couture houses still rely on hand stitching for control, finesse, and beauty.

I hand sew for three reasons:

• the tactile experience

• the meditative rhythm

• the absolute control over my fabric

Hand stitching allows you to do things a machine simply cannot. It lets you shape, ease, sculpt, stabilize, and finish with intention.

There is peace in hand sewing. There is also power in it. And in this new series — I’ll teach you how to do it.

What kinds of hand stitches do we actually use in garment sewing?

There are dozens of different stitches. The same stitch may have different names. However, most of them fall under a small number of hand motions.

Once you understand the motion, you can produce all of its variants.

Here’s an example of what we’ll explore in this series — organized by the motion of the stitch:

If you’ve ever wanted to become comfortable and confident with hand stitching, this will be the most practical series I’ve ever written. 🧵 Every paid tutorial will include detailed photos, illustrations of the needle path, and troubleshooting tips.

👉 If you’re a free subscriber — this is the perfect time to upgrade.
You’ll unlock every step-by-step tutorial as it’s released.

Tell me below:
What’s your current relationship with hand sewing?
Love it? Avoid it? Nervous about it?
I’d love to hear.

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It may seem unusual to begin a series of hand stitches with the backstitch rather than the basic basting stitch, but there is method to my madness!

The backstitch is the strongest hand stitch in garment sewing—and once you master it, you gain access to an entire family of powerful couture stitches: the prickstitch, pickstitch, and catchstitch. It’s also the stitch you use to secure your thread at the beginning and end of many other hand stitches without needing a knot.

If you only learn one hand stitch from me, learn this one.

Historically, the backstitch was used—alone or combined with running stitches—to sew seams long before sewing machines existed. The structure of the backstitch forms a strong “lock” stitch, giving it exceptional durability.

Variations That Evolve From the Backstitch Motion

Once you learn the basic backstitch motion, several related stitches become easy:

• Prickstitch

• Pickstitch

• Catchstitch (same motion family but worked in a zig-zag)

Each serves a distinct purpose in couture garment construction.

When to Use the Backstitch (and Its Variations)

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So far in the series, we’ve covered three beautiful ways to enclose seam allowances:

1. Nine Professional Seam Finishes – without a Serger

2. French Seams

3. Mock (Faux) French Seams

4. Self-Bound Seams

Today, we’re adding another technique: flat-felled seams.

Flat-felled seams are a beautiful choice when you want a clean, durable finish that looks just as professional on the inside as it does on the outside. You’ve likely seen flat-felled seams on jeans or casual pants (especially the inseam), and on the armscye of classic men’s dress shirts.

What Is a Flat-Felled Seam?

A flat-felled seam is one in which one seam allowance is wrapped around the other and stitched in place, fully enclosing the raw edges.

The result is:

• Exceptionally strong

• Smooth against the skin

• Neat and professional inside and out

• A visible design detail, especially when contrasting topstitching thread is used

This makes flat-felled seams especially useful for unlined garments, children’s wear, and areas of stress like sleeves, pants, and activewear.

Can You Sew Flat-Felled Seams on Curved Seams?

Yes! Many sewists assume flat-felled seams must be straight—but with patience and basting, they can beautifully shape curved princess seams and even armscyes. Although they are most common on straight seams, with a bit of judicious basting, they can also be used on curves—from curved crotch inseams to shoulder-princess bust seams. I’ve flat-felled curved seams with excellent results.

Tip: When felling curves, hand basting is your friend. Pins alone tend to introduce bumps.

How to Make Flat-Felled Seams

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In my previous posts for the “Beautiful Inside and Out” series, I explained how to make French seams and Mock French seams (aka faux French seams). Mock French seams can be used on curves, where traditional French seams cannot. However, both of these seam finishes require fairly wide, even seam allowances.

So what if:

• The seam must be sewn right sides together, eliminating French and flat-felled options.

• One seam allowance has been trimmed or let out and is now too narrow?

• You’re working with a lightweight fabric that needs support—but not bulk?

For these situations, we use self-bound seams.

What Is a Self-Bound Seam?

A self-bound seam is a clean, enclosed finish created by wrapping the wider seam allowance over the narrower one and securing it with a single line of hand- or machine-stitching. No raw edges remain visible, and the inside of your garment looks polished and professional.

When Should I Use a Self-Bound Seam?

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Winter in Southern California is milder than in other parts of the United States. While our friends in the north and the east break out their sweaters, coats, and lined clothes, folks in Southern California continue to wear light fabrics, breezy silhouettes, and—often—unlined garments. Without a lining, the inside of a garment can look unfinished and feel rough against your skin. The solution? Seams that finish themselves.

The French seam is one of the most time-honored couture techniques for creating garments that are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. Instead of leaving raw edges exposed, a French seam wraps raw edges neatly inside two lines of stitching. The result is smooth, comfortable, and tidy—ideal for garments that will brush against your skin.

In this article, I’ll show you how to sew a French seam step-by-step. In later posts, we’ll explore its self-finishing cousins: faux French seams, self-bound seams, and flat-felled seams. These seams provide smooth finishes for a variety of fabrics.

🧵 When to Use a French Seam

Not every project calls for a French seam—but when the occasion is right, this seam is a truly lovely one. These are situations where a French seam adds polish and comfort without bulk:

Best Uses for French Seams

• Lightweight woven fabrics such as cotton voile, rayon challis, China silk, cotton lawn, cotton batiste, and lightweight, plain weave linens.

• Unlined garments—blouses, camisoles, dresses, nightwear, or summer pants.

• Straight or gently curved seams where the enclosed layers can lie flat, and where snipping or notching is not required.

When to Choose Another Finish

French seams are less successful when:

• Your fabric is bulky or loosely woven (e.g. wool suiting, cotton gauze, cotton flannel, linen jacquard), which can make the seam stiff or prone to fraying.

• You’re sewing deeply curved areas such as armscyes, princess seams, or bust curves. Curved seams often need clipping or notching—something you can’t do once the seam is enclosed.

• The seam is in a high wear area. I have seen French seams used in loosely woven cotton gauze pants, and the seams wore out quite quickly.

• Your garment is fully lined. In that case, the lining will already cover raw edges and the French seams will add unnecessary bulk.

If your pattern includes these design features, don’t worry—there are other beautiful ways to finish the inside. (I’ll cover those methods later in this series.)

✂️ How to Sew a French Seam (Step-by-Step Tutorial)

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An interfaced hem is precisely as it sounds: it is a hem that contains interfacing. Couture sewists and tailors use this technique for a number of reasons:

• It cushions the hem from being sharply pressed

• It distributes the weight and bulk of a heavy fabric

• It adds body to the hem

• It maintains the hem’s shape

• It provides a stable foundation for attaching heavy skirts (such as this drindl) or heavy ornamentation.

Often, we choose to interface a hem to serve multiple purposes at once.

When Should You Use an Interfaced Hem?

Interfaced hems are used when you wish to create a soft, rolled hem. Couture construction, particularly for women’s wear, prefers softly rolled hems over crisply pressed ones.

Interfacing is also useful in heavier garments, such as tailored coats or jackets made of wool, brocade, or other structured fabrics, where extra support at the hem improves drape, distributes the weight of the heavy material, and prevents the thick hems from making a visible impression on the exterior of the garment.

What Kind of Interfacing Works Best for Hems?

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A quick note before diving in: for all of the easing methods that follow, you will want to prepare your hem as instructed in Steps 1–5 of last week’s article, How to Sew a Turned-up Hem: Step-by-Step Guide for Lasting Results. The instructions that follow will assume that your hem is already hung, basted, turned, rebasted, and evened.

What Causes Fullness in a Turned-Up Hem?

• Skirts, pants, and sleeves that flare or taper naturally have different circumferences at the hem edge versus the fold.

Diagram of the hem on half of a circle skirt shows that the raw edge of the hem (dark blue) is longer than where it will be attached to the skirt (the hem sewing line, in bright blue) when the hem is folded along the foldline (in green).

• The length of the raw edge has to be reduced to match where it will be sewn — otherwise, there will be puckers and ripples.

• Couture techniques solve this problem by distributing or removing excess material in an invisible, controlled manner.

Method 1: Ease (Gather) Stitching

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