RTW rework

 

I've now changed over to navy thread. I took a RTW half zip fleece and removed the short zip, cut down the centre front and added a longer open ended one, then tried to get the binding to cover the top of the zip neatly. Its not perfect but its OK.
Then added zipped pockets into the front of the same fleece jacket. Hopefully I will wear it more now.

I was hugely pleased with myself at getting the zipped pockets to work. Pockets in everything going forwards!

For the zipped pockets I followed a method from Barbara Emodi's book "Sew...The Garment-Making Book of Knowledge" its on page 56 "Easy Zippered pockets".

Here's what I did
1. On the wrong side of the jacket lightly iron some rectangles of interfacing (cool iron).
2. On the right side lay a piece of fabric which becomes the pocket (rights sides together). Over this pin a piece of tissue paper marked with a long thin rectangle. In this case the box was 6" long by 1/4" wide. This matches with the interfacing on the other side.
3. Stitch round the box with short stitches. Cut the box open as normal (long slit down the middle and into the 4 corners).
4. Pull the pocket fabric through the box, they say to press with an iron but on fleece I prefer to hand tack the box opening.
5. Place the zipper behind the rectangular opening, pin or tack in place, stitch round box to attach the zip (being careful not to catch any of the pocket fabric).
6. Fold the fabric round to form the pocket, trim as required, then stitch round the edge of the pocket. I like to hand stitch it to the front zipper tape to stop the pocket drooping.