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Embroidered Pockets, In-the-Hoop

Embroidered Pockets, In-the-Hoop

Add a charming pocket to the front of your apron, tote bag, or jacket with these in-the-hoop embroidery designs! Perfect for keeping your essentials close at hand, and adding a colorful look to any project.

Supplies & Materials:

Supplies

  • 1/4 yard quilter's cotton
  • Tear-away stabilizer
  • Temporary spray adhesive (such as Gunold's KK100)
  • Medium-weight cutaway stabilizer
  • Air-erase pen for marking

The designs used in this tutorial include: 

- X13189, Geometric Pocket (In-the-Hoop)

- X13195, Floral Pocket (In-the-Hoop)

Gather Materials:

Each pocket design has four files. Two are the embroidery files and the other two are dieline files. File "a" is the embroidery file that creates the pocket, and file "b" is what attaches it to your project. The dieline files are marked with the letters DL. Dielines are used to cut the fabric to the right shape and size.


Open and print each dieline file using an embroidery software. If you do not have an embroidery software, take a look at our helpful video on using dielines.

We also recommend Wilcom's Hatch software which comes in different levels depending on what you'd like to use the software for. Hatch Organizer works well to view your designs, print dielines and templates, change design colors, and create basic design layouts. (This is an affiliate link. We may earn commission on purchases made with this link.)

Two yellow fabric squares each layered with white paper templates showing quarter-circle shapes with grid lines, all placed on a white surface.

To prepare the fabric piece for the front of the pocket, spray a piece of cutaway stabilizer with temporary stabilizer. Smooth the fabric on top.

A hand with light skin rests on a yellow rectangular piece of fabric placed on top of a white piece of fabric or paper on a white surface.

Cut around the paper dieline and spray the back of it with temporary spray adhesive. Smooth it onto the fabric and stabilizer.

Two fabric pieces with pale yellow borders are hooped with white paper templates showing pocket shapes and guide lines for embroidery on a light background.

Cut out both shapes, and remove the paper.

Orange-handled scissors lie partially open on a white surface next to two yellow fabric pieces cut into rounded shapes.

Start Embroidering:

Now that the fabric pieces are cut to the proper shape and size, it's time to embroider the design. Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer. Madeira E-Zee Tear 1.5 oz. or Floriani Tearaway Medium are good choices. Those brands are more fibrous, less paper-like, and will tear more cleanly.

Embroidery hoop holding white fabric and stabilizer, with a plastic clamp on a white surface, used for in-the-hoop embroidery projects.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load the full embroidery design labeled with an "a" (not the dieline files). Use a size 11 or 75/11 sharp sewing needle, rather than an embroidery needle. A sharp sewing needle has a smaller, finer point than an embroidery needle, so that will make smaller perforations in the stabilizer. Embroider the design. The first thing to embroider will be a dieline or outline. This marks the area for the front fabric piece.

Embroidery hoop holding white fabric with an orange semicircle outline stitched on it, placed on a white surface with small gray plastic part nearby.

Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Spray the back of the front fabric piece with a small amount of temporary adhesive. Place the fabric right inside the sewn outline.

Hand holding a yellow fabric piece positioned inside a rectangular embroidery hoop with white fabric underneath, preparing for embroidery.

Attach the hoop back onto the machine and continue with the design. A running stitch tack down will sew next. This holds the front fabric in place for the remainder of the design. Next all of the inside elements will be embroidered.

Embroidery machine in action stitching a semicircular yellow fabric piece with an orange border inside a white hoop, against a neutral background.

On the color change sheet, look for the note that says "back piece tack down." When you get to this section, stop the machine and remove the hoop from the machine but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Spray the backside of the back fabric piece with adhesive. Turn the hoop over and place the back fabric inside the shape on the backside of the embroidery.

Hand lifting yellow fabric pocket applique partially sewn onto white fabric within an embroidery hoop on an embroidery machine.

Since both sides of the pocket with be seen, wind a bobbin with the same thread used in the needle. 


Close-up of a sewing machine bobbin loaded with golden yellow thread, placed in the bobbin case area of a white sewing machine.

Attach the hoop back to the machine and continue embroidering the design. A tack down stitch will sew around the outer edge of the pocket, binding the layers together, and a finished edge will sew along the top opening of the pocket.

Yellow fabric pocket with pink and green floral embroidery being stitched by an embroidery machine on a white hoop and base.

Once the embroidery is finished, remove the hoop from the machine. Unhoop the stabilizer, and carefully tear it away (the dieline will be removed with the stabilizer).

Hand holding a yellow fabric pocket with green and pink floral embroidery, partially removed from clear stabilizer inside an embroidery hoop on white fabric.

Print a template of your design from an embroidery software. Place the template where you would like the pocket to go on your project. Using an air-erase pen, mark the center point and the vertical and horizontal axis lines for the pocket.

Blue apron with a yellow half-circle embroidered pocket featuring floral and vine patterns, next to a paper template with the same floral design outline.

Spray a piece of medium-weight cutaway stabilizer and smooth it on the back of where you will be embroidering. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together, aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric.


Blue fabric hooped in an embroidery frame with white tape over edges; fabric is secured and smooth, surrounding straps visible at the top and bottom edges.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load the full embroidery design labeled with a "b" (not the dieline files). Embroider the design. The first thing to embroider will be a dieline or outline. This marks the area for the pocket to go.

Close-up of a blue fabric hooped in an embroidery frame with a partial curved stitch line in yellow thread on the fabric.

Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Spray the back edges of the pocket with temporary adhesive, and carefully place the fabric right inside the sewn outline. Be sure that the edges of the pocket line right up to the dieline stitches to be sure the pocket will get properly sewn into place.

Blue fabric with a yellow pocket embroidered with green stems, pink flowers, and a light yellow sun, secured in a rectangular embroidery hoop.

Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Spray the back edges of the pocket with temporary adhesive, and carefully place the fabric right inside the sewn outline. Be sure that the edges of the pocket line right up to the dieline stitches to be sure the pocket will get properly sewn into place.

Close-up of a sewing machine embroidering a yellow fabric pocket with floral and vine designs in green, pink, and orange thread on a blue fabric background.

Once finished embroidering, trim away the excess stabilizer on the back, leaving about 1/2" around the embroidery.


Close-up of a blue apron with a white fabric pocket piece pinned or fused to it. Orange-handled scissors rest on the apron near the pocket piece, which has a double orange stitched outline.

Get Inspired:

Slip cooking utensils (or the recipe you're working with!) into the pocket of your apron with this tasty embroidery idea.

Blue apron displayed on a dress form features a half-circle yellow embroidered pocket with floral and vine designs, holding metal kitchen whisks.

Corral all your crafting gear in one place with a fabulous pocket added to the front of your tote. 

Canvas tote bag with a bright blue embroidered pocket featuring a geometric pattern in orange, yellow, and brown stitching, holding crochet hooks. Balls of yarn beside it.