[dubhels2003]

Hello, I’m wanting to sew a narrow piece of cotton lace across the pocket. My initial thought was to sew it on top of where the top stitching will be, or to baste the pocket and sew on the lace at the same time as sewing that line of top stitching.

I really want to do french seams for this dress, and I am worried that adding the lace where I plan to will create too much bulk. I plan on using chambray for the top part of the dress. I wonder if I would be better putting the lace further down the pocket, but am concerned that this would look silly. Any thoughts or ideas? Am I worrying unduly?

I really want to use this specific piece of lace, as it will tie in to a co-ordinating layette set. I only have a very small bit of the lace left, pretty much enough to go across the two pockets.

[Nicole]

I am very fond of the detail being sewn on the pocket approximately 3/4 up from the bottom.
It makes more of a statement to me.

[Nicole]

PS Definitely not being silly, I agonise over details.

[NanaMar]

I had a look at the pattern instructions at HEM AND ATTACH THE POCKETS. If your fabric is the same on the outside as the inside, i.e. chambray, consider turning the pocket hem to the outside with the lace edge tucked in before topstitching then continue with step two as written. If your fabric has a right and wrong side you could create a separate facing for the pocket top by splitting the pattern along the notch line, adding seam allowances to both pieces and sewing the two pieces together – facing right side to the wrong side of the pocket, so the facing when turned will show the right side on the pocket front then proceed to tuck the lace under the facing before top-stitching and continuing with step two.

[mkhs]

Fray-check can be really helpful with cotton lace, I find. I haven’t made up this pattern yet, but thinking about thick lace and bulk and French seams, I might try catching it just in the second part of the seam. So, stitch the lace to the pocket, sew the first seam, trim down the seam then cut the lace to just inside the stitching line and pull out leftover lace bits from the stitching line, use a little fray-check, let dry, then sew the second part of the French seam. Does that make sense? Then you’d only have one layer of lace inside the seam.

[dubhels2003]

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply. The baby unexpectedly sleep better last night so I just carried on sewing without doing any adjustments and it worked. The seem is slightly bulky but ok. I’m going to use some scraps to try the techniques above to make sure I understand all the great advice and to learn learn learn!