sewVery: Kangaroo Pouch Pocket Tutorial for Skirting the Issue

I'm excited to be participating in this year's Skirting the Issue Series hosted by my friends at Simple Simon & Co. Today, I'll show you how to add a Kangaroo Pouch Pocket to the Tilly Skirt Pattern by Sewing Mama RaeAnna. This tutorial would work on any basic skirt pattern that has two individual front hip pockets.

Skirting the Issue is all about making skirts to donate to girls in foster care. All July long, Simple Simon & Co. will introduce you to a blogger who will either share a skirt tutorial or skirt round-up with you in hopes that you will feel the need to sew up a skirt or two for a girl in need in foster care.

Since my own daughter will be starting school this year, I know how excited she is to get her school clothes in order and to buy new school supplies. We don't think anything about going to the store and stocking up on everything we need, but the Skirting the Issue series reminds me that there are little girls living in foster care who don't have the luxury of shopping for new school clothes with their mom. I hope that the few skirts I can sew up and donate will help make those girls feel special and excited about starting school.

Pockets on skirts and dresses are always requested in our house, and what's more fun than a Kangaroo Pouch Pocket?! A Kangaroo Pouch Pocket can hold more stuff and is just plain fun since you can reach your hand all the way through from one side to the other. Plus, it's really faster to sew one up than two individual front hip pockets!

My favorite skirt pattern this summer has been the Tilly Skirt by Sewing Mama RaeAnna. The Tilly Skirt actually has an additional pleated panel across the front, but I've sewn it at least three times now without that part. This style is so classic and simply perfect as a school skirt. My daughter's school requires Standard School Attire which can be pretty much any skirt style in solid khaki, navy, or black. For this particular skirt, I've used a khaki tan linen fabric.

First, cut out the front, back, and waistband pieces of your Tilly Skirt according to the pattern. Next, instead of cutting out two pocket linings and two pocket facings, cut out one pocket lining and one pocket facing as shown. These pieces should be the width of the skirt front.

Place the Pocket Lining and the Skirt Front right sides together making sure to match the pocket cutouts. Pin together and sew along the pocket cutouts as shown. I used a 1/4" seam allowance. Clip the curves.

Turn the Pocket Lining to the Wrong Side of the Skirt Front so that wrong sides are together. Press the pocket seams and topstitch if desired.

Place the Pocket Facing on top of the Pocket Lining with right sides together. Line up the top, bottom, and sides of these pieces and pin in place. Sew the bottom of the Pocket Facing and Pocket Lining together and finish the raw edge with a serger or zig zag stitch. Baste the top of these pieces together between the pocket openings.

Turn the front of the skirt over to the right side and press the bottom up at the bottom of the pocket. This is simply to give you a guide line for sewing the Kangaroo Pouch Pocket bottom to the front of the skirt.

Topstitch across the skirt front by using the press line as a guide. Sew another line 1/4" away from the first. Use a spritz of water from the iron to press out the fold line.