During my sewing course I got to try a free-motion foot. I was really impressed by it as it allows you to easily sew in any direction! I decided to buy my own and got mine from singermachines.co.uk.
To try it out, I decided to make a piece of applique that I would then use to replace an existing jeans pocket. For this, I used calico as a base (as it does not stretch and is not too thick). I then used several pieces of material (fabric, lace, organza), which I attached using different colours of denim thread for the stitching:
I decided to use a pair of Dr Denim jeans (shown with small scissors and a seam ripper):
After removing the pocket (I ensured I removed all pieces of cut thread):
I pinned the old pocket to my applique piece and trimmed the latter to match the pocket (including about 1.5 cm allowance):
I used a zig-zag stitch to finish the sides (if you don’t have a machine, skip this step but ensure you use at least two rows of stitching to attach the pocket to your jeans):
I used my iron on a medium setting to attempt to flatten the edges after having folded them inwards:
I used pins to fix the new pocket into place:
I used very dark blue denim thread to attach the pocket (using my sewing machine; you can do this by hand if you do not have a machine):
This was a fun, small project that is totally suitable for beginners! All you need is some calico or other non-stretch fabric, several kinds of scraps, and some differently-coloured threads (that’s kind of optional).
This is easiest to do on a machine, but can also be done by hand if you have the time. I’m planning to make some more applique pieces that I will offer on Depop so all you need to do is trim and attach to your garment (jeans, trousers, jacket, or even a fabric bag).
