Recently, my brother asked me to make pocket squares for him and his five groomsmen for his wedding. As it was already costing a fortune, we wanted to save money where possible.
I got to work googling and it turns out… pocket squares are very easy to make! You can make a pocket square in less than 30 minutes.
Think about the possibilities ladies… you can have your man at the races with a perfectly matched fabric pocket square to your race ensemble. The perfect match.
Heck, you might even want to enter the couple’s category!
Perfectly matched green pocket square – Best Dressed Couple – Dubai World Cup 2011. Source: Emirates 247. Photo by Ashok Verma.
All you need is 6 items:
- Fabric- depending on how many you want to make. The size I used is 14x 14 inches. Anywhere between 11×11 and 17×17 inches is acceptable, but it’s usually recommended to stay on the larger side.
- Fabric scissors
- Ruler or measuring tape (some large cardboard if you choose to make a stencil first)
- Erasable marking pen or tailors chalk
- Iron
- Sewing machine
Follow these 5 easy steps:
Step 1: Measure out the square
First, I cut out an old cardboard shopping bag to get a template as I was making 5 pocket squares.
I found it was much easier to trace around the outside of the template rather than trying to measure the fabric.
If you are only making the one, and are handy with a ruler or measuring tape, go ahead and measure onto the fabric. The measurement I used is 14 x 14 inches.
Step 2: Cut out the pocket square
Use sharp scissors and cut around the edge of your stencil.
Step 3: Iron down the edges
Measure a 1cm border around the edges, fold them down, then iron.
Make a second fold and iron it again to hide the frayed edges of the fabric. Do this for all four sides.
Step 4: Sew the edges
With your sewing machine, stitch around all four edges in a neat line.
Step 5: Admire your handy work
Brag to your partner about how good they will look at the race event!
My brother with his five groomsmen. Check out those pocket squares :)
How to Fold your Newly Created Pocket Square
Here are some fun ways to fold your pocket squares from tie-a-tie.net.
Fold #1: The Classic
Fold #2: The One Tip Up
Fold #3: The Unique and Sophisticated
Same fold as above but with opposite side showing.
Fold #4: The Aficionado’s Fold
Fold #5: The Casual Fold
Also the Casual Fold, just with the bottom side up this time.
If you like doing a bit of DIY, next you might like to read about stacking necklaces or using accessories and embellishments to add colour.
Do you enjoy bringing (dragging) your partner to the races? How do you accessorize your partner? I welcome you to come share your tips in the Field Fashion Community Facebook Group.
