Full description

This is a tie-on pocket that I’ve designed and sewn myself, based on the tie-on pockets worn by our ancestors.

I made the patchwork front using unbleached vintage linen with a red stripe, plus some lovely red linen remnants. The full bagged-out lining and back are unbleached cotton. It's strong! The unbleached linen tapes are 2m long.

Tie-on pockets were a staple of western women’s clothing until the late 19th century. They were tied around the waist using linen or cotton tapes, usually worn under the skirts, and were accessed via an opening in the side seam of the skirt.

Unlike most of the pockets in modern clothes, they were roomy, practical, and designed to hold more than the bottom half of a mobile phone and some seething frustration.

How do you wear a modern tie-on pocket? The quick answer is: any way you please! I usually wear my pocket tied around my hips under whatever top I’m wearing that day, and I feel underdressed without it. It always holds my phone and sometimes contains money, my glasses, tissues, face mask, keys, pen or other random but useful objects. You could also wear your pocket tied across your body, messenger-bag style.

Your pocket will arrive beautifully packaged in a reusable box, along with a Mini History of Pockets booklet.