Pondering Adding a Front Apron Pocket: Contemporary Canvas

[James Hood]

Cabela's has the answer!

Safari shirts in 2 styles, one with two simple button pockets, the slightly more expensive with same plus zipper pockets behind them (but wait, there's more!) a button pocket on the left sleeve.

Got a bunch of them; one does not need kilt pockets.

[Bugbear]

Ok, I guess a Safari shirt would work for a lot of things.
A few D-rings and pouches could also go a long way; that was discussed in my other thread.
I still kind of like the apron-corner pocket and watch pocket ideas, though.
But... the less I have to do, probably the better.

[The Wizard of BC]

Bugbear,

As you know I have put pockets of almost every desription in about every place imaginable on a kilt.

Kilts with pockets are what have kept me in business for all these years.

If I can caution about putting a pocket near the bottom of the aprons. Aprons tend to flap around as you walk and anything you have in them slaps on your thigh with every step.

To the others with ideas for pockets. What you call a "piped" or "double piped' is also called 'welted' or 'double welted'. The piping or welt is the small fold of fabric that covers the cut edges where you insert the pocket. These can look very nice on a kilt. If made well and placed properly they can be almost invisible and whatever is in them will not leave 'wallet bulge'. I have been doing this type of pocket for many years now.

I tried one in the outer apron postioned both just under the waistband and also under where the sporran is. Both positions were less than successful due to the stress of moving in the kilt. They tended to distort and sag after a very short time. Any thing in them also tends to get in the way when you sit.

The thing you have to take into account with any pocket where you cut through the fabric is that you may have just cut through a stress point.


The handiest pocket I have found for small items that you want safe, unubtrusive, and easily accessable is the under-apron pocket. Normally nothing more than a rectangle of fabric, sewn to the under apron just below where your sporran sits. (The cell phone on vibrate is one of my favorite jokes when I show these pockets to customers.)
These under-apron pockets have been around for as long as there have been kilt wearers who needed a place for small items and who were handy with a needle and thread. I have seen many old military kilts with under-apron pockets obviously added by the owner

If anyone has any questions about pockets I would be more than happy to help.

Pockets in a near Traditional, Wool Tartan, Kilt? Yep, it can be done. And is done in my shop almst every day.

[Bugbear]

Thanks Wizard. I will consider adding an under apron pocket, perhaps with an additional, smaller watch pocket.

I understand what you are saying about something heavier than a kilt pin being on the apron corner and causing problems.

[Emmet]

Wizard,

What do you think of putting a double piping pocket in the front apron but not letting the bag hang freely but attaching it to the waistband with bias tape so the stress is not on the fabric?

[The Wizard of BC]

Emmet,

What is normally done is to make the back of your actual pocketing longer than the front.

When you insert your pocketing (the piece of fabric that forms the actual pocket) you sew the front or outer part directly to the outer layer of fabric. Then you create and sew on your welts or piping to cover the raw fabric edges, top and bottom.

Then there is a longer, back side to your pocket which you bring up, inside the garment, all the way to the waistband. You anchor the back of the pocketing when you sew on your waistband.

This supports the entire pocket from the waistband. The opening of the pocket should now not gape open when full.

Take a look inside a pair of good trousers that have double welt back pockets to get an idea of how this is done.

[Bugbear]

Ah, I looked at a welt pocket, and I think I understand now.
* Edit: there seems to be slack sewn into one side of the pocketing, but I can't describe it very well.

[Bugbear]

Ok, I think what I might do is try to come up with a worn out pair of khaki pants (my kilt is khaki), then remove the back patch-pocket to put it on the under apron a little ways in from the edge of the top apron. I should be able to do that; I only handsew.

The other pocket on the top apron corner seems like too much trouble, and I like the under apron idea the more I think about it.

[vorpallemur]

Ah, I looked at a welt pocket, and I think I understand now.
* Edit: there seems to be slack sewn into one side of the pocketing, but I can't describe it very well.

Pocket bags for trousers often have a pleat in one or both sides. It's easier to do just one, but if your making for yourself the extra work to have a doubly pleated bag might be worth it.

[Bugbear]

I think I know what you're talking about, Vorpallemur, and have seen that. This was more like the back side of the pocketing materiel had been pulled up very slightly when making a line of stitching across the top of the pocket opening and top welt. I'm still having trouble describing it...

Also the sides of the pocketing or bag inside of the trousers extended passed the width of the opening on each side, and those sides were not sewn to the top welt. They were free of the trouser materiel.

I'm guessing that is so the sides of the pocket carry some of the stress all the way to the waistband?