Rustybobn Sews an Easy Welt Pocket

I first tried this style pocket on my Kwik Sew 2262 jacket. It's really easy and makes a nice pocket which I've used on several garments since.

This is my rendition of the instructions. The drawing shows the wrong side of your fashion fabric, cut to about 13.5" x 7" with interfacing applied and the welt-stitching drawn in.

The blue-gray lines indicate the approximate center of the pocket piece. These dimensions produce a skimpy pocket, to my way of thinking, but make a test one this size before you adjust. After you've ironed on the interfacing and drawn the welt box, place the pocket onto the garment in the desired position, right sides together. To decide where to put your pocket, you can drape the vest (or whatever) over your shoulders and decide where your hands want a pocket. How's that for scientific? Pin the pocket carefully in the desired position. If there are to be two pockets, measure from the bottom of the garment and from the side to be certain you've got both pockets in the same position. (Need I explain why I'm so cautious??) With pocket on top, stitch around the welt box, through all thicknesses, using small stitches--about 12-14 per inch. Start and end your stitching in the center of a long side--NOT at a corner. Make sure to follow the lines precisely.

Cut a slit down the middle of the box, stopping about 1/2" from the ends. Clip from the end of the slit to each corner--carefully. Don't cut the stitching, but be sure to go all the way to it. The corners will pucker if you don't. Here's a picture of my last one--there's no interfacing so don't get confused.
Turn the pocket to the inside through the slit that you cut. Make a window. Press neatly.

Now for the cool part. There's no picture, but I'll try to explain in 500 words or less:

We aren't doing anything with the top portion of the pocket yet--don't move it. Pin it out of the way, if necessary, so you won't sew it yet.

Draw a removable (chalk, disappearing marker, etc.) line 1/2" from the bottom edge of and parallel to the window. Fold the lower part of the pocket, along this chalk line, wrong sides together.

Flip the fold up to meet the top of the window. Pin securely in place and look at it from the outside. Does it look like a welt? It should. Adjust it if necessary to make it perfectly straight and even.

Sew along the lower edge of the window through both thicknesses. Don't catch the top part of the pocket in the stitching!

Welt done. Easy!!

Now, fold the top part of the pocket down. It should come close to meeting the bottom edge. You'll probably have to press to make it lay flat.

Without catching the garment front, stitch around the outer edges of the pocket to make the pocket bag.

On the outside of your garment, stitch around the window, from one short side, across the top, and down the other short side. You'll stitch through all layers here. Be careful that you don't go across the bottom again or you'll sew the pocket shut.

Here's my first finished one. If you're using a print fabric, you'll want to think about the print placement. It didn't occur to me to try to cut the pocket on the solid area of the fabric, which would have looked much better.