This month's issue of Love Sewing magazine comes with one of our favourite patterns of all time - McCall's 8312, featuring a V-neck dress in two lengths that has three-quarter sleeve variations with or without cuffs.. Oh - and it has pockets!

To celebrate, we're rounding up our top tips for sewing perfect in-seam pockets. This could be the first step towards your new favourite dress!

Order your copy of Love Sewing now - Issue 120 not only includes this beautiful dress pattern and M7354 back-wrap dress, you'll also find expert tutorials, must-read articles and endless inspiration from our team!

PREPARATION

As inside dress pockets tend to get lots of use, it’s well worth reinforcing the dress side seams where the pockets will go to prevent them from stretching. It’s easy to do with woven seam tape. Measure the length of the pocket opening and add 5cm, then cut your tape to this measurement. On the wrong side of the skirt pieces, place the tape centred to the marks for the pocket placement so that you have 2.5cm of tape past each pocket marking, with one edge of the tape positioned on the seamline. Stitch or fuse (depending on your tape type) in place.

STITCHING

Once you have stitched the four pocket pieces to the skirt pieces, trim the seam allowance on the pocket layer on the front dress pieces to reduce bulk.

With the pockets extended, pin skirt front to skirt back RST along the pocket openings, matching markings and tack in place.

Stitch the side seams RST above and below the pocket openings, making sure to reinforce your stitching with backstitches at the pocket markings.

Press the front pocket seams towards the pockets, and the back pocket seams open. Pin pocket pieces together, matching raw edges, and stitch around pocket. Backstitch at pocket markings, catching the front seam in your stitching.

Finish pocket seam edges in the same way as your side seams. Press the pockets toward the dress front and remove tacking stitches. Reduce bulk and enable the pocket to lie flatter by carefully trimming off the point of the pocket at the pocket top.

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