Frugality: Pockets in a Jacket.

The goal: to cover the prongs on the inner side of this denim jacket with something to keep them from catching in my hair. The other notion, as long as I’m adding a piece of fabric to the front corner you see here, is to turn that fabric patch into a pocket. This jacket has no pockets, so annoying. And covering the inner side of the two studwork panels in front will get me two sturdy pockets, big enough to hold a cell phone and keys.

But, once I contemplate the cell phone, it’s obvious that it too should not be scratched. A lined pocket, then, not very difficult. A dive into my ample stash turns up the ideal fabric, too. This is indigo-dyed cotton from southern India, where my mother, also an inveterate fibrist, bought it fifty years ago. She passed it to me and I’ve held onto it ever since. I have yards of it, in different patterns, and I really should make myself another dress. But these scraps from a previous dress will do fine in this jacket.

The other thing to consider is the shape of the proposed inserts. It’s easiest to cut out a paper pattern first:

Then I can be confident about cutting the insert out of cloth:

Here’s the center back insert pinned into place on the inside of the jacket:

Once I’m satisfied it’s placed properly I’ll sew it down on all edges with a needle and thread. This is easy — essentially a patch. The pocket will be a little more tricky!