So I’m at the point where I’m adding the zipper and looking to the future steps I’m considering adding a front pocket. I’ve got one on a currrent pullover I have and I really like it for sitting around camp and also sleeing when it’s really cold. they don’t add a lot of weight and work well at keeping your hands warm.

So if one were to add it. I’m thinking I could make the shell liner the color of the shell. Then combine the shell/liner by sewing it right side to right side leaving the top open. Now attaching it I’m not so sure about. I was thinking I could sew the bottom first so you wouldn’t see the seam, right side to right side pointing down then flip it up and sew the unfinished top edge into the seam for the Lower front. 

The problem I worried about is I would be sewing it through the unached liner, Shell lower front BEFORE the lower hem is done. Do you think this will effect final fit of the shell and lining at the bottom? Sine the liner and shell lower fronts will not be sewn together yet. I could pin it around all seam allowencess?

Joe F

Hi Joe-

Take a look at the Maxima Jacket instructions for the best way to put in pockets on an insulated shell/insulation/liner top.  You’ll avoid the raw seam problems associated with the way you describe in your post.

AYCE

I hadn’t thought about adding inside pockets. I’ll review the directions and see how hard it looks.

thanks

JFF

Ok so looking over the directions, keeping in mind I’ve already cut out all the pieces for the Kinsman,  I’m going to need some help aplying the directions from the Maxima So I’ve already got the lower front shell cut out and liner/insulation together.  What I don’t get is how to join the inner pockets to the rest of the pullover and finish off the bottom seam.

The problem is I’m not getting how they all seam together from the directions without seeing a better picture of the pieces.  I’m thinking I could cut another set of liner/shell with insulation for the front. This set would have the “C” cut in the side and would be the outer lower font. The one I already have would be the inner. I would just need to cut another shell piece that would be the inner pocket outter Shell (the piece you see from the pocket)

So now I’d need to connect the two inner pocket and outter pockets. Since I’m not putting a front zipper all the way down I was thinking I could just have one pocket that goes from one side to other. So once you’ve got the two pieces would I need to sew them together then to the rest of the pullover. I’m not sure the best way to do it? so I dont end up with a top, bottom and side seam extra thick or wouldn’t it matter. I could make the inner pocket shorter on top and bottom by sewing but you’d still have twice the thickness on the sides.

JFF

Use the lower front pattern piece as your pocket template.  You’ll need to cut it in half so that it looks more or less like the pocket pattern piece you can see in the Maxima instructions.

The liner/insulation pieces are used as is.

Using the pocket pattern you made from half of the lower front, make left and right pocket inserts like on the Maxima instructions.

What the instructions call the ‘outer’ pocket pieces are the ones with the hand scoop cut out: usually made from liner material and a half layer thickness of insulation.  Your shell piece also has the hand scoop cut out.

The ‘inner’ pocket piece is the one without the hand scoop cut out.  It is usually made from the shell material so that when you’re looking at the pocket where the hand scoop is it’s the same color as the shell.

Mull over the instructions and then make a scale model of the pieces.  Actually sew these small scale pieces together and manipulate them so that you get a really clear idea of how things are supposed to work. 

The problem I worried about is I would be sewing it through the unached liner, Shell lower front BEFORE the lower hem is done. Do you think this will effect final fit of the shell and lining at the bottom? Sine the liner and shell lower fronts will not be sewn together yet. I could pin it around all seam allowencess?

You’re going to end up installing the pockets only on the lower front shell piece.  The liner/insulation pieces are completely unchanged.  If you use the Maxima process, none of the measurements like hem are affected by the pocket process.  Nor would you have to change the way the drawcord is installed per the Kinsman instructions.  The only thing you have to do is cut a hand scoop in the lower front shell, and then assemble/install the pocket stack per the Maxima instructions.

It’ll be more clear to you when you muck around with scrap.  Feel free to call if you need help.

AYCE

You could always just sew a tunnel pocket on the front of everything. Ghetto, I know, but that’s how I roll.

-Johnny Swank

Jonny-

If you read my first post you’ll see I was thinking the same way as you.  Just a single front pocket on the outside.

But after reading the directions for the pockets used on the jacket it’s kind of the same thing but your putting the roll on the inside. I’m considering just having one inner pocket rather then one for each hand.

I made one from some scraps last night and still need to figure how to add the joined pieces to the main body of the pull-over but I think a talk with AYCE will solve it.

JFF

Ok-

So I should be spending time packing up for a backpack this weekend, but wanted to play around with some idea’s for the front pocket. I started my making a paper pattern of the lower front then adding the hand cut outs. I then went and found a ready to wear pull over I had and taped it and tried it on. What I found was side pockets just weren’t the fit I was looking for. I’m not looking to add packets to store gloves and such in I wanted something to warm my hands and just let them rest in there wile sitting around camp. I noticed when trying on a front pouch type pocket that the angle of the pocket is different putting no pressure on your rist. Anyway I think you get what I’m saying. Hand poackets found on zip ups, your hands come in from the side. Front pouch pockets your hands come in more from the top.

So with that in mind I played around with doing one. My only question has to do with the style or the pull over and the fit. Looking at the picture will the pocket end up being to low on the front. Since I haven’t tried one of these on I’m not sure low on the body the pulluver will sit. I’m figurering around my hips. The front tops are longer I’m guess to allow for a longer front zipper and now I’m wondering if this type of pocket doesn’t really work with the style.

What do you think?

JFF

It looks functional; hard to know with it being flat right now what it will look like when it’s curved around your torso.  I think a straight line slash between the two end points of the curve that you made would look better.  Or if you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to go out and buy a french curve tool, here it is.

You can figure out where it will sit by throwing a few pins into it and trying it on.

AYCE

I like the idea of the slash, I bet that will be a hell of alot easier. . .we can say hell on the borard right. ;-)

I added a front pocket to my Kinsman. Not fancy, just a thin layer of insulation between two pieces of the shell fabric.
Here’s a link to a picture (scroll down to the bottom of the page):

http://freeside.primelogic.com/gallery/incompletewalker?page=4

Looks really good to me. Now that you’ve had the chance to use it how do you like ? My patter looks about the same as yours but it’s a little lower on the front.

I noticed you added a piece behind the zipper. Did you sew it inbetween the shell and liner when you sewed in the zipper?

JFF

I answered your email, but I’ll answer here, too, in case anyone else is interested.

If I remember correctly, I attached the flap to the zipper, and then installed it as a unit.  The flap has a piece of grosgrain ribbon in it, an a very thin piece of insulation, split from a thicker piece. The flap is definitely worth having.

I’m pleased with the Kinsman jacket overall. It fits well, but is a little snug putting it on or taking it off. The next size up might have been better.

OK got all my modifications done and finally starting to sew the shell and liner together.

AYCE: in the process of putting the zipper into the shell liner, the liner is slightly longer, larger (from top to bottom) along the zipper point. Say ¼” if I pin at top of collar to where lower front seams in. I’m figuring when I serged liner/insulation I lost a very slight amount although I made sure to not trim as I sergerd.

So I can easily fix this by triming off when I sew shell/liner together but I wasn’t sure how important it is to match up the shell/liner seams togehter at the neck line or sleeves later on. I wasn’t sure if pulling them to tight would effect loft on a 6oz insulation.

JFF

Do your best to make sure that the neckline seams line up and everything else will take care of itself during the final assembly.

Your problem was probably caused when you installed the collar onto the neckline.  A 1/8” divergence from seam allowance (which isn’t much) produces a 1/4” change in zipper edge length.

AYCE

Could be but I double and tripple checked the seam allowences due to the “heads up” you put in the directions. That said with the insulation and liner thickness getting the excat seam allowence is a bit tricker then the shell since it’s so thin. I’ll start with a pin at the neck seam work out from there just to be safe.

Hopefully should get the zipper in with the draft piece. I did a few test pieces just to make sure I had it work out. It’s going to be a bit tricker with the tube. I want to line up the top edge of the collar with the draft tube so the edges of the collar and tube line up. To do this will require getting the top edge of the tube and the top collar seam just next to each other but makeing sure not to stitch into it. trick, ticky. ;-)

JFF