Can You Remove a Pocket From a Shirt? Remove Pocket Stitching
Some people like the streamlined look. They feel that the pocket on a man’s shirt ruins their lines and makes them look average. While pockets on shirts serve a good purpose, they are not always necessary. Not when you have a suit jacket that has enough pockets to handle the same duties.
Can you remove a pocket from a shirt? It is possible to remove a pocket but it may not work for every type of shirt. Some pocket removal will leave marks. The best way to remove pocket stitching is to start with a seam ripper then move on to removing the stitches one at a time.
To learn more about removing pockets from shirts just continue to read our article. It gets the best information so you know what to expect when you make your attempt. patience and being careful are the watchwords in this sewing action.
Removing a Pocket 101
Can You Remove a Pocket From a Shirt?
Yes, you can but this is not something that will work for every shirt. When you see a hideous pocket on a rather nice looking t-shirt, your first inclination would be to try and get rid of that pocket.
The key to pocket removal and keeping the shirt looking good is you have to know if the shirt is an iron-on or a non-iron one. The former style allows you to remove the pocket with ease and not ruin the look of the shirt.
The latter style will leave a mark where the pocket used to be. According to some people, this happens every time and you can’t avoid it. They also say you should do the removal before washing the shirt for the first time.
If you do not have experience in this sewing action, you can always ask a dry cleaner or a seamstress to handle the job. Wear the shirt once and then take it to the professionals. They may charge you a small fee but that small fee is better than ruining the shirt.
How do You Remove a Pocket From a Dress?
The principle for removing pockets from dresses may be the same as the one for doing the same task for dress shirts. Check to see if the dress can be ironed or not. if it can’t then you may not want to remove the pocket. or you may want to experiment and see if it is possible.
To remove the pocket you should use a seam ripper to get the stitches. You should only cut about every fifth stitch, give or take one or two. Then once you have the stitches lose, start removing them one by one.
When you are done, you need to brush away all loose threads and give the dress a good washing. This should help close up those tiny little needle holes and make the evidence of a pocket disappear.
It will take some time, depending on the size of the pocket and how many stitches went into creating it. Make sure you do not rush this task as you may end up making a horrible mistake. repeated washing may help hide the holes and marks on a non-iron dress.
Find an old dress to test this method on first before doing it to that good one you want to wear in public.
Remove Pocket From Hoodie
The same concept of removing a pocket from a shirt or dress will apply to a hoodie. There are no magic formulas that spare you the time nor the painstaking effort to get that unwanted pocket off your clothing.
All you need is a good seam ripper and a lot of patience. Cutting the threads as you go around the pocket is the smart move. This action makes removing the threads a lot easier even if you have to brush off loose threads when you are done.
Don’t be surprised if there is a mark or holes left behind. Needles make holes and once they are in they are hard to remove. Also, the marks may show evidence that a pocket was once in that spot and you may not be able to get rid of those marks. Try several wash loads with the hoodie to see if that helps.
One washing may not be enough. Again we will stress that you use a lot of patience and go slowly. Or use a professional if you do not feel like you have the self-confidence to do the job. But if you take this latter step, don’t be angry if the marks and holes remain. Blame the manufacturer.
How to Remove Pockets From Pants
The first step is to find a pair of dress pants that do not come with pockets. The reason for saying that is if you find one that you like, you spare yourself the time and the frustration of trying to remove the pockets.
Actually, removing pockets from a dress or other styles of pants is not a difficult task to perform. The good news is that you should not see any marks or holes as you can always fold the seam allowance under again to hide them.
Plus, the interior pocket lining is often sewn to the seam allowance and remains hidden even if you remove the pocket. it is possible to do the painstaking stitch by stitch removal method but in doing that you may have to sew up the seam allowance again.
One sewer simply leaves the pocket in place and top stitches the opening closed. That is the simplest way to handle this issue. Just make sure to use a matching thread. it is possible to cut away the interior pocket lining but you may have ragged edges left that may tickle your thigh as you walk.
Of course, once you do that you still have to top stitch the opening closed. Leaving the pocket in place and simply closing the opening is the best way to go. That way when you change your mind, you just have one line of stitches to remove and the pocket is ready for action.
Remove Pockets From Cargo Shorts
Pockets on cargo shorts or similar shorts styles are made about the same way as pockets are on many dresses and shirts. They are placed over the fabric and stitched into place.
Again we suggest that you do a test on an old pair of shorts first before trying it on the pair that makes your legs stand out. The bad news about this style of pocket is that you need a seam ripper and you need to go one stitch at a time.
While the experienced sewer can do this fairly quickly, the size of the pocket may be too large for any quick finishes. Patience is a virtue and that virtue is seen more often in sewing tasks than any other task.
make sure to wash the shorts after removing the pocket. That will help hide any holes and get rid of any loose threads you could not brush off.
Taking Pocket Off T-Shirt
The key to this process is to remove the stitches from the pocket side of the shirt and not the shirt side of the material. If by chance you slip and cause a little damage, then the pocket will get that instead of the shirt.
Then you have to be extra careful around the corners of the pocket where the two lines of stitching meet, as well as where there is a knot in the thread. This applies to all pockets you want to remove no matter where they are found.
Also, when you are doing this job, make sure there is a lot of light in the room. Good light helps you see the thread better especially when it is a similar color to the shirt fabric.
Once you have met these criteria get your seam ripper out and go to work. Don’t be in a hurry or have a lot of distractions around you as one mistake can ruin a good t-shirt. No matter what you do this task will take some time so block out enough to do the job right. And make sure the kids are at school when you do this.
How to Remove Pocket Stitching
There is no magic tool that turns this boring, tedious task into an adventure filled with wonder and excitement. If you take it on, be prepared to get a little bored and a little annoyed at how long it takes to remove pocket stitches.
One sewer remarked that her sewing room is like her husband’s workbench. She has 5 seam rippers like he has 5 of the same style of screwdrivers. That is not a bad habit to get into as one seam ripper may not handle every pocket even though it looks the same as all the rest.
That is the tool to use when you want to remove pocket stitches. You can go one at a time, skip a stitch or two but you have no other option if you want to preserve the shirt, dress or pants, etc.
Once you have cut the thread, you need your fingers to pull that loose thread out of its place and toss it in the garbage or onto the floor to be dealt with later. If you are dealing with tack stitching then all you may need is a pair of scissors and cut the thread.
Once cut, just use your fingers to pull that loose thread away from the pocket.
How to Remove Embroidered Logos, etc.
Some people were very loyal to their places of employment and bought the company uniform with the logo embroidered onto it Or they had to buy the shirt, etc., with the logo on it. In either case, you left the company and want to stop promoting it.
Removing the embroidered logo is the same as trying to remove a pocket. You need a good seam ripper, lots of patience, and a lot of time. For embroidery work, you have to go one stitch at a time in most cases.
The seam ripper makes the job safer and easier than using scissors or a knife. If the logo is on a pocket, the best way to get rid of it is to remove the pocket following the instructions given above.
If you like the pocket, find the same material and place a new one where the old one sat.
Removing Stitches From Levi’s Back Pockets
There is a long and storied history to those unique stitch styles Levis places on their jeans. While you may think that they are a nuisance and frivolous they are a Levi trademark since 1942.
But there is no law stating you have to keep them once you purchase that brand’s jeans. You are free to remove them and all it will take is a seam ripper and a little time.
The good part is that the arcuate style of stitching is not attached to anything but loose fabric. Taking them out should not be risky nor cause you to make a mistake. A sharp seam ripper will make short work of those stitches and you should have the task done in no time.
Those stitches do not have any practical use so removing them will not harm your jeans nor ruin your look. It may enhance it as those distracting stitches will be gone.
Some Final Words
Time and patience. Those two elements seem to be in every sewing task you do. They are very important when you need to remove the pocket from that shirt or dress, etc., you think ruins the look.
It is possible to remove the pocket and you can do it to all clothing items if you can handle the marks left behind by some materials. But pick and choose which fabrics you remove the pockets from to keep the clothing looking good.
