Jalie’s Rachel has a Secret

Rachel has a Secret (pocket)

I just LOVE this pattern and have now made 4 versions of it.  While wearing my 3rd make (a dress worn with Clara leggings) (to our quilt guild Christmas party with 3 sewing sistas who also made Rachels) I was overheard moaning how I was missing a pocket.  Someone quipped, “I’m sure YOU could add one!”  Of course I could, lol!  So my 4th Jalie’s Rachel has a secret pocket!  Get your pattern by clicking here.

From the left is Lucie, me, Suzanne and Jan, rocking our Rachels!

How to add the pocket:

(I made the top with no ties or sash, lowered the front neck by an inch added 1 1/2 inches to the bodice length, and shortened the sleeves to 3/4 length.)

Tape the bodice style you want to the lower area and lay it out on a flat surface.  The red lines on my diagram indicate where the pocket pieces will be attached.  I measured the straight area on my pattern, starting 3/4 inch from the side seam and stopping before the curve. My lines are 5 1/4 inches long.  That will be the width of the pocket pieces with a length of 6 inches.  Cut 2.

I fused 1 inch wide strips of black “Tricotknit” fusible knit interfacing to the inside (wrong side) along the area where the pocket pieces will be attached to prevent that area from stretching out of shape.

Pin the pocket pieces in place with the edge 3/4 inch from the side seam, and sew them into place along the entire edge of the pocket top.  Open the pocket piece out and press it down over the seam allowance.

Now you’re ready to sew steps 3 and 4 according to the Jalie instructions.  Pin the top comers of the pocket to make sure they are exactly on top of each other, then sew the entire seam, and around the outer edge of the pocket pivoting at the corners.  I drew the sewing path in yellow.  You can see the Tricotknit in this photo.

Finishing:

Turn the “tube” rotating the seam so it’s centered on the back, and press the pocket downward.  I pinned the “tube” to the sideseam with the bottom of the tube level with the pocket seam, then basted it into place.

Proceed with your Rachel, finishing it as desired.  When sewing the side seam on the pocket side, be sure to keep the pocket bag away from the seam.  I sewed with the pocket bag facing up so I could keep an eye on it. Now Jalie’s Rachel has a secret pocket!

Sew, are you ready for a secret?  A secret pocket?  What do you think?

I first wrote about this pattern in this post:  Click here to read it.