Pockets are among the most quietly technical details in garment design, ranging from a square of fabric stitched to the surface to a precisely bound slit cut into the body of a jacket. Structurally they fall into three families defined by how they meet the garment: applied to the surface, set into a seam, or inset through a cut opening.
This reference sorts pockets by that construction logic and notes where each type belongs. Understanding the family a pocket comes from tells you how much precision its pattern and marking will demand.
Patch pockets: applied to the surface
A patch pocket is a shaped piece of fabric stitched onto the outside of the garment, the simplest pocket to construct because it needs no cut opening. It ranges from the plain square pocket of a shirt to the bellows or cargo pocket, which adds pleated sides and a flap for expandable volume.
Because it sits on the surface, a patch pocket is also a visible design element, and its placement must be marked precisely and symmetrically. A patch pocket a few millimeters off-level is immediately obvious on a finished garment.
Pockets set into a seam
An in-seam pocket hides in a garment's existing seam, most often the side seam of a skirt, dress or trousers. A pocket bag is sewn into the seam so the opening disappears into the seam line, giving a discreet, comfortable pocket with no visible detail on the outside.
The slant or front hip pocket of trousers is a seam-set relative, where the opening is a shaped edge of the front panel rather than a straight side seam. Both rely on a sturdy pocket bag and reinforcement at the opening so the mouth does not gape or tear.
Inset pockets cut into the garment
- Welt: a single bound lip finishes a cut opening, as on a jacket breast pocket.
- Jetted or double-welt: two narrow lips frame the opening for a clean, tailored slit.
- Flap: a jetted or welt pocket with a flap covering the opening.
- Besom: a bound pocket, often on the back of trousers, sometimes with a button.
- Zip: a cut opening finished with a zipper for a secure closure.
Pro tip
Inset pockets require cutting into the garment body, so they must be interfaced and marked exactly; there is no undoing a slit cut in the wrong place.
Matching the pocket to the garment
Pocket choice follows the garment's formality and function. Tailored jackets and trousers use welt and jetted pockets for their clean, minimal line; casual and workwear garments use patch and cargo pockets for capacity and visible utility; dresses and skirts favor the invisible in-seam pocket that adds function without disturbing the silhouette.
The pocket is a signal of the garment's register as much as a place to put your hands, which is why a formal coat rarely carries a patch pocket and a work jacket rarely carries a jetted one.
Placement, marking and the pattern
Every pocket depends on accurate placement, which the pattern carries as drill holes or placement lines marking the corners and the opening. For inset pockets especially, the welt length, the opening position and the corner points must transfer exactly to the fabric, because the construction cuts into the garment and cannot be repositioned.
Made-to-measure patterns from Minerva Patterns include pocket placement points in the DXF AAMA, PLT and PDF files, so welt lengths and pocket positions sit correctly on the individual garment rather than on a standard size.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a welt and a jetted pocket?
A welt pocket finishes its cut opening with a single bound lip, while a jetted or double-welt pocket frames the opening with two narrow lips for an even cleaner, more tailored slit.
Why are in-seam pockets so popular on dresses and skirts?
They hide in an existing seam, adding a functional pocket without any visible detail on the outside, so they preserve the garment's silhouette while giving somewhere to put your hands.
Why do inset pockets need such precise marking?
Inset pockets are cut into the garment body, so the opening cannot be repositioned once cut. Accurate placement points and interfacing are essential to get the slit in the right place.
Minerva Patterns
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Every pattern is graded to your measurements and delivered as DXF AAMA, PLT and PDF files for cutting, plotting and 3D workflows.
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