So many women’s garments are designed without pockets that it feels like a conspiracy. For makers, adding a patch pocket is an easy modification, but most makers never do it.
The main thing that keeps makers from adding a simple, rectangular patch pocket to their sweaters is the confusion about where to place the pocket.
No one tells makers exactly where a pocket should go on a garment! If there was a rule that would guide makers to the right spot, I think there’d be pockets in everything.
Even knit and crochet designers seldom offer patterns that include pockets. This may be because they take their cues from ready-to-wear designers who nearly always omit pockets. There may also be a desire, on the designer’s part, to reduce the amount of finishing work associated with hand-knit and crocheted garments.
I envision a world where makers have a pocket to hold their phones on every garment. I suggest two simple methods for placing pockets. One is for the maker who wants an informal process. The other is for a maker that prefers precision.
The Reach For It Method
The most informal, yet most customized way to locate a pocket is to stand up and move your hands as though you were going to put an object in your pocket. Mark the spot where your fingertips landed. That location is where the bottom of your pocket should sit.
Reaching for the spot will leave you with pocket placements that are comfortable and suitable for your body proportions.
The Copy and Paste Method
The second method for placing pockets is to choose a favorite garment from your wardrobe and copy the location of the pockets. An advantage to this way of doing things is that you already have proof of concept in the original garment.
Measure vertically from the shoulder to the bottom edge of the pocket. Find the horizontal placement by measuring from the center of the garment (fold the garment in half to create a “center seam”) to the edge of the pocket. Then measure from the other edge of the pocket to the side seam of the garment.
Don’t let the idea that the pattern was designed without pockets stop you from adding pockets to your project. Pockets are an easy modification. Now that you know how to place them, you’ll never have to think “I love this design, but I wish it had a pocket.”
If you enjoyed learning how to place a patch pocket, I’d love to invite you to join me for my upcoming class, Picking Pockets: Choosing the Perfect Pocket Style for Your Knitted Garment, at Vogue Knitting Live in New York City on January 16, 2025!
In this fun and supportive class, we’ll dive into both patch pockets and inset pockets—learning how to make and install them seamlessly into your knitted garments. Whether you’re looking to add a functional detail or a stylish accent, you’ll leave with new skills and confidence.
Three of Skeins Knit and Crochet Podcast 
Leave a comment