Pockets Sewn Shut In New Garments - What should you do? When you need pockets, how to unpick or add pockets.
Pockets sewn shut are not a new idea. Whenever I look at pockets sewn shut, I think of the way they were sewn shut at the turn of the century - not this century, the last one, the year 1900. Pockets were sewn shut on the uniforms given for free to the children at the Jewish Free school in the East End of London. That school, which most of us have now forgotten, was then not only the largest school in London, but also in the UK, and the largest school in Europe, with more than a thousand pupils.
Why were the pockets sewn shut? The whole of London had been shocked by Dickens story of Oliver Twist and the child pickpockets. So the sewn pockets had a dual purpose. Not so much that nobody had pockets which could be picked, More that the Jewish children would not slouch. The Rothschilds funded the school to give all the poor Jewish children an education, leading to gainful employment and respectability. (I discovered this when researching my novel.)
Nowadays there are other reasons for leaving pockets sewn shut, or sewing them up.
1 To keep the garment in shape before it is bought.
2 To save the cost of the fabric and time of the seamstress or tailor in making the pocket - and unpicking it.
2 The clothes when worn look streamlined, no bulk from the pocket itself on tight clothes. No lumps from good inserted in pockets. Modern stretch fabrics eventually stretch if you put things in pockets.
Women were supposed to carry things in handbags. Except in the office you want a phone handy. If you leave for the toilet nowadays you want your phone in case reception locks you out, plus the toilet key, handy, and spare toilet paper.
Checking Pockets Are I Place
I wondered whether the pockets in my H & M jacket were false pockets. Before opening the pockets, I held it up to the light. I could see the outline of a pocket in the seam.
Slitting Thread
One of the websites I read suggested that you should slit open the stitching, rather than pulling it open. The reason given is that this minimizes the risk of pulling the fabric out of shape.
I had always thought that slitting open the thread was the lazy way. By preserving the cotton you also had a tiny piece of matching cotton to sew on a button or repair a seam.
Success
Now that I have slit open the seams, I feel quite differently about the jacket. It feels like it is mine. I have a place to hide my hands and hug the jacket to my body. I feel much happier about myself and my jacket.
If you have a fake pocket, put there just for style, for decoration, you might consider adding a real pocket behind it.
Travel Pockets
Sometimes you have a pocket but it is too short for your phone, or even your hands. Or there's no zip and items fall out.
The most secure pockets are on pickpocket proof clothing which have a pocket inside a pocket, so you keep your valuables inside the rear pocket.
Ski jackets have some pockets on the outside for accessibility without having to undo your jacket in the snow, plus loops and D rings for lanyards for identity cards and lift passes and locker keys, without exposing your body to cold or rain or snow. Inside pockets are for extra security for credit cards and so on.
You can save pockets from discarded garments and sew them into new garments. Also save zips from pockets to sew in new garments. Buying pockets is expensive. Making your own is cheaper.
You can dye the garment and the new pocket so they co-ordinate.
If you want a ready-made jacket with lots of pockets, look for:
Ski jackets
Golf Jackets
Fishing jackets
Photographer Jackets
Restaurant staff jackets
Aprons
Gardening clothes
Work clothes
Sports wear
Hats with pockets
Belts with pockets
Shorts with pockets
Hiking clothes
Camping shops
Useful Websites
https://www.studiosuits.com/blog/why-are-suit-pockets-sewn-shut/
BIOGRAPHY
Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5
The Author of several books including Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.
Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com
dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com
Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President
Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time
Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;
Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;
Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.
More details from Toastmasters International find a club.
Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.
Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.
Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.
Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.
Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.
Language and speech workshops in Singapore.
Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.
Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.
Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.
Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.
Books by Angela Lansbury
How to be the best man. (Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Wedding Speeches and Toasts.(Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Unforgettable British Weekends.
Poetry Workshop Workbook.
The Tailor and the Spy. (Lulu.)
Larry The Talking Labrador. (Lulu.)
Writing Poetry for fun.
Quick Quotations
Who Said What When
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