Exposed Zipper Leather Pocket- In Seam Pocket

 

I have had a really challenging time figuring out how to put together my Ziggi jacket.  I had to figure out my own way to add the exposed zipper inseam pockets.  I have broken several needles by going over too many layers of leather. When sewing thick leather you need to figure out ways to keep the bulk to a minimum. Here is a way to sew inseam exposed zipper pockets in leather. I’m sure there are other ways , maybe even better ones,  but this way worked for me.

Draw an opening as wide as the metal parts of your zipper. Mine was 7 inches so I made a seven inch opening. I wanted a half inch opening. So I added that to the seam allowance  of3/8 of an inch, 7/8 of an inch overall, and drew a line which would be my fold line. Then I drew an identical width line above that line, so I would know exactly wear to fold down mt leather. I clipped into the seam allowance.

Using rubber cement, I folded up the seam allowances.You could also use leather rubber cement. Both glues dry flexible and can be sewn through.

I used these quilting clips to hold the leather down to help secure it.

This is how the glued down pocket opening looked in front. Insn’t his leather pretty? It’s from The Leather Hide Store.

I then sewed together my two jacket pattern pieces. I folded down the seam allowance of the other jacket piece the same way I did for the previous piece.

I cut out two pocket pieces as long as the total zipper length. One pocket piece is one inch wider than the other because the longer piece will be folded over the zipper and sewed to the shorter piece. I made my own pocket pattern to match my zipper length.

The less wide piece faces to the right. The pockets face toward the center front. The wider piece will be folded over the zipper and sewn to the less wide piece.

I use painters tape to secure the pockets to the jacket so they don’t flop around. I then flipped over the jacket and topsticthed around the exposed zipper.Here is the pocket halfway topstitched. This is why you need to tape the pocket pieces. So they don’t get caught in your needle while doing this. I also topsticthed all my jacket seams.After top stitching, I flipped over the jacket again and sewed the pocket pieces together. All of this will be hidden by my lining.

Hope this helps you!