BERNINA Corporate Blog -In this blogpost, I show you how to draft a kangaroo pocket for a sweater. It’s not difficult at all, just look at the seam allowance at the pocket opening.
You can add it as an extra pocket in a sweater without pockets, or a casual blouse or caftan.
Supplies to draft the pattern.
- A standard printer sheet A4 (29,7 x 21 cm)
- Drafting supplies: ruler, pencil, scissors (eventually rotary cutter and mat),
- I sew the kangaroo pocket on the BERNINA 710 with a braiding foot 21.
- Mettler sewing thread Seralon
- A patch of fusible interlining 30 cm x 4 cm
Draft the pattern for the kangaroo pocket
Take the sheet of printerpaper
Draw lines on 3 sides, parallel to the edges. Draw a line at 4,5 cm from the short sides and 4 cm from one long side. In my patternpart, the left side will be the fabric fold.
Mark the middle of one short side and one long side of your lines. Connect the marks. Check if this wider than your hand. Take a 3 cm extra for the volume of the hand and to have extra space for a double stitching on the seams.
Fold along the entrance line, as shown on this picture:
Cut the seam allowances on top, bottom and the long side to 1,5 cm. Now fold the corner back.
Cut the seam allowance on the oblique line to 1,5 or to 2 cm for thick fabric. You can see the essential corners in the seam allowance. You will need them to fold over and topstitch.
Sew the pocket on a sweater.
Cut the pattern part out of double folded fabric. Mark the middle on top and bottom of your pattern part.
Iron the fusible interlining the fabric.
Overlock the raw edge of the entrance. Fold over the seam allowances of the pocket entrance and topstitch on the right side. Then fold over the other seams (first bottom, than sides).
Sew the kangaroo pocket to the garment. Because the fleece is quite thick, I used Braiding foot # 21. It has a difference in level on the bottom. It helps to sew over thick fabric. I set the needle position to -2.
I stitched a double line along bottom and side seams. At the pocket entrance, I sewed a zigzag stitch with these settings:
And it’s ready!
My sweater was finished for 3 monthes, and at first I did not add a pocket. Now I thought I missed it.
Do you sometimes change a garments, months after finishing it?
I hope this ‘How to draft a kangaroo pocket for a sweater’ was a help for you.
That’s very helpful…I’m going to cut off the hood off a Borg fleece sweatshirt..bought for a tenner..and add a kangaroo pocket made from the hood. It’s so helpful to have the dimensions as a guide before cutting. Cheers Carol
Hi Carol, thanks for your comment. It’s always nice to hear when sewists can use the information of our blogposts. It’s a great idea to reuse the fabric of the hood. Success!