I made my first ever pocket hoops!
A while back I decided to make a black robe a l’anglaise for winter and bought some fabric for it but it took me months to start this project.
At first I wanted to make an anglaise with one of my patterns but in the meantime I decided to sew this dress as a test for my dress I want to take to venice next year.
Of course, like every time, we have to start with underpinnings.
I already have a chemise, stays, stockings and shoes. I also have a bumpad but I wanted to try pocket hoops because they take less space in a suitcase and I want to know what shape they give!
I was thinking a lot about the pattern. There are so many patterns online for free but I decided to test out the pocket hoop pattern from Patterns of Fashion 5. I didn’t make the mini bag but used the general shape of the hoop.
I also joined together the inner and bottom pieces because I had enough leftover linen to do this and I’m lazy 😀
I started with sewing together the rounded seam on both sides and added boning tape. I never used it before and since this pocket hoop is a test project I decided to also test boning tape. And spoiler alert: I love it so much!
But back to sewing. After adding the boning channels and of course the bones (I used 7mm flat steel), I sewed on the joined pieces to the boned fabric. Be careful to add the tapes BEFORE sewing those seams…I forgot to and had to rip the seams open to add them.
Next I was thinking about pocket slits. I wanted them because I really want to use the pocket hoops to carry around my money and my phone in venice and a small sewing kit if a seam breaks.
I decided for a round shape and finished it by hand. Then I added the waisband which consists of linen and tape.
And then I was finished!
As you can see on the pictures the tapes are veeeeery long but I didn’t want to make them to short. I want to experiment with them to see how I like my pocket hoops best. And If I found a perfect length I’m going to shorten them!
It was a pretty easy and fast project to sew but since I’m very busy with fashion school and the big project we work on there it took me almost three weeks from start to finish. I still would say, that you can start and finish those pocket hoops within a day or maybe two if you take a lot of coffee breaks.
