Two Important Front-Hip Pocket Components

A front-hip pocket application requires a set of separate sewing patterns that work as an extension of the garment.

Conventionally, the pocket is constructed of a pocket facing and a pocket piece. You need one of each to form a single pocket. Naturally, most front-hip pockets come in a pair so two pieces of each pattern (facing and pocket piece) are cut.

To facilitate its alignment process with the pocket opening edge, the pocket piece should include a notch along both the side seam and waist edge.  

The pocket facing clean-finishes the pocket's opening edge. On the other hand, the pocket piece is half visible on the face of the garment with the other half positioned underneath the facing layer to form the functional pocket bag.

The pocket piece's vertical side edge completes the garment's side seam while its top, horizontal edge completes the waistline edge. This layer is conventionally cut from the same fabric as the garment. Conversely, to minimize bulk, the facing is usually cut from a lighter material (such as lining). ​

It is common for the facing layer to be divided into two parts. Similar to a facing-lining combination, a smaller portion (usually, made of the same fabric as the garment) finishes the pocket opening edge, while the second portion, usually made of lighter material, completes the pocket bag.

In the sewing process, the pocket opening edge is first, clean-finished with the facing. Only after this portion is fully constructed, the garment's finished pocket opening edge is aligned on top of the pocket piece to complete the garment's front portion and respectively, the pocket bag.

Note: To optimize accuracy, it is important that all corresponding notches and pocket bag edges align perfectly.