Plackets & Pockets
A placket is a finished opening, like the slit at the wrist of a shirt sleeve or the button stand on a henley. A pocket is a small bag for your hands and your things. Both look simple, and both are mostly decided at the drafting table: the widths you give a placket and the size and position you give a pocket.
Plackets
Every placket has two parts. The overlap is the visible part. The underlap is hidden underneath it.
Sleeve Plackets
The slit at the wrist lets your hand through the cuff. A typical slit is 4" to 4 1/2" (10 to 11 cm) long. The finished overlap is usually 3/4" to 1" (20 to 25 mm), and a separate underlap is about 1/2" (13 mm).
A placket can also be made from one strip folded in half, so the underlap is simply the other half of the same strip. Cut it about 1 1/4" (3 cm) longer than the slit so the top has room to be shaped. The end can be pointed, rounded or square.
- Sleeve Plackets: A standard shirt sleeve placket commonly pairs a 1" (2.5 cm) overlap with a 1/2" (1.2 cm) underlap and a 1" to 1 1/4" (2.5 to 3.2 cm) pointed extension.
- Neckline Plackets: For a henley or casual tunic neck placket, set both Overlap Width and Underlap Width to equal values if you are drafting a balanced, symmetrical buttoned front. Set the Extension Length to match the reinforced square or triangular box finish you want.
Remember that the overlap adds about 1" (25 mm) to the sleeve at the wrist. The cuff underlap makes that up, but the placket and the cuff are not sewn to each other.
Pockets
There are three basic kinds. Choose by the look you want and how much sewing you want to take on.
| What It Is | Drafting Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Patch | A shaped piece sewn to the outside of the garment | Usually one piece, plus a facing if the shape is unusual. |
| In-Seam | A bag hidden in a side or front seam | Often cut from lining fabric. Needs a stay along the opening. |
| Welt or Slash | A bound slit with a bag inside | Crisp and tailored, and the hardest to sew. |
Patch Pockets
Rectangles, squares and chevrons are the usual shapes, sometimes with rounded corners. Decide before you add seam allowance where the topstitching will go:
- Stitching close to the edge: 1/4" (6 mm) is enough.
- Stitching further in: 1/2" to 3/4" (13 to 19 mm), depending on the style and the fabric.
- The top edge: a hem of at least 1" (25 mm), whether you stitch it or only press it.
Size and placement are the design. Judge them by eye, not by a set rule, because pocket sizes change with fashion. Cut a paper or muslin pocket and pin it on the garment before you commit.
In-Seam Pockets
An in-seam pocket is hidden in a seam, so it does not spoil the line. For a hand to pass through easily, the opening needs to be about 6" (15 cm). A common start is about 4" (10 cm) below the waistline, with the pocket 4" to 4 3/4" (10 to 12 cm) wide at the hip. Because the opening can stretch, stay the seamline with a strip of ribbon seam binding about 2" (5 cm) longer than the opening.
Welt and Slash Pockets
A welt pocket is built like a bound buttonhole. Mark it precisely, stitch accurately, and press after every step. Beginners are better off with patch or in-seam pockets.
Put notches or marks on the pattern at the top and bottom of every pocket opening, and at the corners of a patch pocket. The sewer should never have to guess where the pocket goes.