This is the full you tube link How to Sew a Slip Pocket | Easy Sewing Projects for Beginners https://youtu.be/C862Znm-fQs?si=xBjEqiKV7RXeLqxj
Cassie Cartmell – Faodail Creation
Table of Contents
How to sew a slip pocket is a useful skill to have when making handbags, totes, pouches, and other fabric bags. A simple slip pocket gives you an easy place to keep your phone, keys, cards, or other small items organized inside your bag.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to sew a slip pocket and attach it neatly to the lining of a bag. This pocket is reinforced with light interfacing for a little extra stability, finished with a fabric binding along the opening, and securely sewn to the lining.
The finished pocket is a great size for a cell phone. I made mine to fit my Pixel 8 Pro, but you can easily adjust the measurements to suit your own phone or whatever you want to store inside your bag.
Whether you are making your first bag or have been sewing bags for years, learning how to sew a slip pocket is a simple technique that can make your finished project much more practical.
How to Sew a Slip Pocket: Materials You Will Need
Before learning how to sew a slip pocket, gather all of your fabric and sewing supplies. Having everything prepared before you begin will make the process much easier.
Fabric and Interfacing – How to Sew a Slip Pocket
For this slip pocket, you will need:
- One rectangle of fabric measuring 13 inches × 6 inches
- One piece of lightweight interfacing
- One piece of binding measuring 2½ inches × 7 inches
- The prepared bag lining
- Matching or coordinating sewing thread
You will also need:
- Sewing machine
- Iron and ironing board
- Fabric ruler
- Fabric scissors or rotary cutter
- Clips or sewing pins
- Friction pen or fabric marking pen
How to Sew a Slip Pocket – Why Use Interfacing?
The slip pocket will be used frequently, especially if you are using it for your cell phone. Adding a lightweight interfacing gives the fabric additional body and stability.
You don’t necessarily need a heavy interfacing. A light interfacing works well because you want the pocket to have some structure while still being flexible enough to use comfortably.
How to Sew a Slip Pocket: Prepare the Pocket Fabric
The first part of learning how to sew a slip pocket is preparing the pocket fabric and adding the interfacing.
Take your 13-inch × 6-inch rectangle of fabric.
Place the interfacing onto the wrong side of the fabric. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your particular interfacing and press it into place with your iron.
Make sure the interfacing is securely attached before continuing.
Step 1: How to Sew a Slip Pocket – Fold the Pocket Fabric
Fold the pocket fabric in on itself so that the right sides are together.
Take the folded pocket over to your ironing board and press the fold.
Pressing at this stage helps create a crisp, neat pocket and makes it easier to sew the sides accurately.
Step 2: How to Sew a Slip Pocket – Sew the Sides of the Pocket
Take the folded pocket to your sewing machine.
Sew down both sides of the pocket, but leave the top open.
Remember to reverse stitch at the beginning and end of your seams. This helps secure the stitching and prevents the seams from pulling apart when you turn the pocket right side out.
If your sewing machine has a reverse button, use it for a few stitches at the beginning and end of each side seam.
Step 3: How to Sew a Slip Pocket – Turn the Pocket Right Side Out
Once both sides have been sewn, carefully turn the pocket right side out.
Use your fingers or a suitable blunt tool to gently push out the corners.
Be careful not to push too hard, as you don’t want to damage the fabric or stitching.
Take the pocket back to your ironing board and press it.
Press the Corners Carefully
Pay particular attention to the corners.
Use your fingers to gently push the corners into shape and then press them flat. A well-pressed pocket will be much easier to attach to your bag lining.
How to Sew a Slip Pocket Binding
The next part of learning how to sew a slip pocket is finishing the open edge with binding.
The binding creates a clean finished edge around the opening of the pocket.
Step 4: How to Sew a Slip Pocket – Prepare the Binding
Take your 2½-inch × 7-inch piece of binding.
The binding should already be folded and pressed, as shown in the tutorial.
Position the binding along the open edge of the pocket.
You should have a small amount of fabric extending beyond each side of the pocket.
Fold those ends over so that the raw edges are enclosed.
Use clips to hold everything securely in place.
Step 5: How to Sew a Slip Pocket – Sew the Binding to the Pocket
Take the pocket and binding to your sewing machine.
Sew the binding into place along the open edge.
Remember to reverse stitch at the beginning and end to secure your seam.
Take your time around the corners and make sure the binding remains evenly positioned.
Step 6: How to Sew a Slip Pocket – Fold the Binding Over
Once the first side of the binding has been sewn, flip the binding over.
Turn it over onto itself so that the raw edge is enclosed.
Keep the small corner pieces folded neatly and out of the way while you position the binding.
Clip the binding in place if necessary.
Take the pocket back to your sewing machine and sew the folded binding into place.
You should now have a neatly finished opening at the top of your slip pocket.
How to Sew a Slip Pocket to the Bag Lining
Now that the pocket itself is finished, it is time to learn how to sew a slip pocket directly onto your bag lining.
This is an important part of the process because accurate placement will make your finished bag look much more professional.
Step 7: How to Sew a Slip Pocket – Find the Center of the Bag Lining
Take your prepared bag lining.
Fold the lining in half and press it gently.
This pressed fold will give you a clear center point for positioning your pocket.
You can use this center line to make sure your pocket is sitting directly in the middle of the lining.
Why Find the Center First?
Taking a few minutes to find the center of the lining makes positioning the pocket much easier.
Rather than guessing where the pocket should go, you have a clear reference point to work from.
This is especially helpful when making a bag where you want everything to look symmetrical.
Step 8: How to Sew a Slip Pocket – Mark the Pocket Position
You don’t want the top of the slip pocket sitting directly at the top edge of the lining.
Remember that the top of the bag will have a seam allowance, so placing the pocket too high could cause problems when the bag is assembled.
For this project, I like to position the top of the pocket approximately 2 inches down from the top of the lining.
Use your ruler and a friction pen or other suitable fabric marking tool to mark the 2-inch position.
Then find the center of your pocket by folding it in half.
Line the center of the pocket up with the center marking on your bag lining.
Check the position at the bottom as well.
Fold the lining or pocket as needed to make sure everything is straight.
Step 9: How to Sew a Slip Pocket – Pin the Slip Pocket in Place
Once you are happy with the position, pin or clip the slip pocket onto the bag lining.
Before sewing, take a moment to check:
- The pocket is centered.
- The top is approximately 2 inches from the top of the lining.
- The pocket is straight.
- The bottom edge is positioned evenly.
- The pocket opening is facing upward.
- You have not accidentally pinned the pocket closed.
A quick check now can save you from having to remove stitching later.
How to Sew a Slip Pocket Securely to the Lining
Step 10: How to Sew a Slip Pocket – Sew the Pocket to the Lining
Take the lining and pocket back to your sewing machine.
Sew down one side of the pocket, across the bottom, and back up the other side.
You are attaching the pocket to the lining along three sides.
Do not sew across the top opening.
The top needs to remain open so you can place your phone or other items inside the pocket.
Remember to reverse stitch at the beginning and end of your stitching.
Because this pocket is likely to be used frequently, I recommend reinforcing the stitching.
You can sew over the side seams more than once, or add a small diagonal reinforcement at the upper corners.
These areas can receive additional stress every time you put your phone into the pocket or remove it.
Reinforce the Pocket Corners
For extra security, sew a small diagonal line at the upper corners of the pocket.
This creates additional reinforcement where the pocket is attached to the lining.
A cell phone can be surprisingly heavy, especially when it is being pulled in and out of the pocket repeatedly. Reinforcing the corners helps the pocket withstand everyday use.
Check the Finished Slip Pocket
Once you have finished sewing, take a moment to inspect your work.
Your pocket should be securely attached to the bag lining on both sides and across the bottom.
The top should remain completely open.
Place your phone into the pocket to check the fit.
For this tutorial, I used a Pixel 8 Pro, and it fits comfortably inside the finished slip pocket.
If your phone is a different size, you can adjust the dimensions of the pocket before starting.
How to Sew a Slip Pocket for Different-Sized Phones
One of the great things about learning how to sew a slip pocket is that you can easily customize the measurements.
If you have a larger phone, you may want to make the pocket wider.
If you want to use the pocket for credit cards, a smaller notebook, sewing tools, or other accessories, you can make a smaller version.
When deciding on your pocket size, remember to allow enough room for the item to slide comfortably into the pocket.
You don’t want the pocket to be so tight that it is difficult to remove your phone.
At the same time, you don’t want it so loose that the phone can easily fall out.
Tips for How to Sew a Slip Pocket
Learning how to sew a slip pocket is relatively simple, but a few small details can make a big difference in the finished result.
Press as You Sew
Don’t skip the ironing steps.
Pressing the fabric after folding, turning, and binding helps create clean edges and sharper corners.
A well-pressed pocket will also be easier to position accurately on the lining.
Use Lightweight Interfacing
Lightweight interfacing provides stability without making the pocket unnecessarily stiff.
If you are making a larger pocket or using a particularly lightweight fabric, you may want to experiment with a slightly more substantial interfacing.
Always test your interfacing on a scrap of fabric first.
Mark the Center – How to Sew a Slip Pocket
Finding the center of both the lining and pocket is one of the easiest ways to make sure your pocket is straight.
A small amount of preparation can make the final sewing much easier.
Reinforce High-Stress Areas
The upper corners of the pocket receive a lot of wear.
Adding a few extra stitches or diagonal reinforcement can help prevent the pocket from pulling away from the lining over time.
Keep the Opening Clear
When attaching the pocket, double-check that you are only sewing the sides and bottom.
It is surprisingly easy to accidentally stitch across the opening when you are concentrating on keeping everything straight!
Why Add a Slip Pocket to a Handmade Bag?
A slip pocket is one of those small details that can make a handmade bag much more useful.
Instead of having to search through the main compartment for your phone, you have a dedicated place to keep it.
You can also use a slip pocket for:
- Keys
- Sunglasses
- Credit cards
- Lip balm
- Small sewing tools
- Earbuds
- Receipts
- Small notebooks
- Other everyday essentials
Once you know how to sew a slip pocket, you can add this feature to many different bag patterns and sewing projects.
Final Thoughts on How to Sew a Slip Pocket
Learning how to sew a slip pocket is a straightforward sewing technique that can add both functionality and a professional finish to your handmade bags.
The process involves preparing your pocket fabric, adding lightweight interfacing, folding and pressing the fabric, sewing the sides, finishing the opening with binding, and then carefully positioning and attaching the pocket to your bag lining.
The most important things to remember are to keep your pocket centered, position it far enough away from the top seam allowance, press your fabric carefully, and reinforce the areas that will receive the most use.
Once you have made one slip pocket, you’ll find that the technique is easy to repeat. You can also change the dimensions to create pockets for different phones, accessories, or other items.
I hope this tutorial has helped you learn how to sew a slip pocket and given you another useful technique to add to your bag-making projects.
If you enjoyed this tutorial, don’t forget to leave a comment and subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss next week’s sewing tutorial!
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