How To Knit A Pocket
THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS THAT SUPPORT HANDY LITTLE ME CONTENT AND FREE PATTERNS.In this post, you will see how to knit a pocket.
There are quite a few ways of creating a pocket in a garment and this tutorial will show you an easy way to create an inline pocket.
In this tutorial, I will be working on the Outlander Claire’s Blue Cardigan Knitting Pattern.
This cardigan is knit in Irish moss stitch (double moss) and the pocket lining is also in this stitch pattern.
This is a really simple knits and purls stitch pattern, which is easily worked and in the pattern it tells you which row you need to finish on for the front and the pocket so that they match up when you come to create the pocket.
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Take a look at the tutorial below and if you need help, head on over to the Handy Little Me Outlander Facebook group where the rest of the group will help you or you can leave a comment below.
- This tutorial is shown on the left front of the cardigan.
- When you see the instructions refer to the stitch pattern – this is the 4-row repeat of the Irish moss (double moss) stitch pattern.
- The WS is the wrong side of the work.
- The RS is the right side of the work.
- A spare needle or DPN – a double-pointed needle is needed for the pocket lining stitches.
How To Knit A Pocket
- Knit Up To Where The Pocket Is Joined In The Pattern.
Knit your front to where the pattern instructs you to join in the pocket lining.
For the left front, this will ask you to work row 1 of the stitch pattern (on the RS) ready to begin the pocket on row 2 (the WS).
You can mark out where the stitches are that you are going to cast off with stitch markers if you need to.
You should have your left front on the needles and the pocket lining on a spare needle or DPN (double pointed needle).
I knit the pocket lining in the same stitch pattern as the cardigan but you can knit this in another stitch – like garter stitch or stockinette stitch if you want to.
- Create The Pocket Edge
You need to follow the pattern to create the pocket edge and this will ask you to do the following:
Next row: Work the 6 (7, 8, 8, 9, 10) sts in row 2 of patt, then cast off 22 (22, 22, 24, 24, 24) sts in patt, cont in patt to marker, sm, K1, P1 to end.
The stitches that you cast off become the pocket edge.
You will cast off those stitches on the RS row (this is for the left front/on the right front you will cast off on the WS row.)
Next, you will turn the front section so that you will be working across the WS – wrong side row. - Join The Pocket Lining
On the WS – wrong side row you will now knit across the pocket lining stitches that are on the spare needle.
This is row 3 of the stitch pattern.
Next row: You will work across the first 14 (15, 16, 16, 17, 18) sts in patt on the working needle, then across the 22 (22, 22, 24, 24, 24) sts on the spare needle (the pocket lining sts), then across the second set of sts on the working needle 6 (7, 8, 8, 9, 10) sts all in the patt.
You should be looking at the wrong side of both pieces.
Take care to pull those stitches tight when you’re jumping from the main needle to the spare needle, and back. - Now Your Pocket Lining Is Attached
Now you will see that your pocket lining is attached.
- Turn The Work To Continue
Now turn the work to continue working from row 4 of the stitch pattern.
Now you will cont to work on the left front in the patt (you are now on row 4 of patt) until you have worked 17 inches from the CO edge, ending with row 4 of patt.
Place a closed st marker on the side seam edge of the last row worked. - Creating The Pocket Tops
The pockets will need ribbed tops as seen on the cardigan that Claire wears in season 5 of Outlander.
These ribbed tops are knitted and stitched on top of the pocket that you have just created.
See the pattern for the instructions.
- Sewing The Pocket Down
The pocket needs to be sewn down on the wrong side to make it a proper pocket and not just a flap.
You can attach it if you want to now or you can wait and do it after blocking.
The pieces of the cardigan may need blocking depending on the type of yarn you use.
To stitch the pocket down, you can whipstitch one stitch at the edge of the pocket where you can see a purl bump.
Then you can continue to do that on every purl stitch bump on every other row.
You can do that on all of the three pocket edges you can see on the wrong side.
Creating A Pocket On The Right Front
Creating the pocket on the right front is done in the same way but opposite. You can see the instructions for this below.
When working the pocket on the right front you will be asked in the pattern to work row 3 of the pattern on the RS then work row 4 of the patt as follows:
Next row: Work 14 (15, 16, 16, 17, 18) sts in row 4 of patt, then cast off 22 (22, 22, 24, 24, 24) sts in patt, cont in patt across the second set of sts on the working needle 6 (7, 8, 8, 9, 10) sts all in the patt.
Then you will work the following on row 1 of patt :
Next row: You will work across the first 6 (7, 8, 8, 9, 10) sts in patt on the working needle, then across the 22 (22, 22, 24, 24, 24) sts on the spare needle (the pocket lining sts), then across the second set of sts on the working needle 14 (15, 16, 16, 17, 18) sts all in the patt.
Finally you will continue on in the established pattern once the pocket lining has been joined:
Now you will cont to work in the patt (you are now on row 2 of patt) until you have worked 17 inches from the CO edge, ending with row 4 of patt.
Place a closed st marker on the side seam edge of the last row worked.
