Three Ways to Add a Pocket
Pockets are one of the most practical additions to a knitted sweater, and they're entirely achievable regardless of whether your sweater is finished or still on the needle. The method you choose depends on where you are in the construction process, how visible you want the pocket to be, and how much you enjoy finishing work.
Method 1: The Patch Pocket
The patch pocket is the simplest approach and can be added to any sweater, finished or unfinished. You knit the pocket as a separate flat rectangle, then attach it to the sweater body. It sits on the outside of the sweater, visible as a distinct element, which can be either a design feature or a tell-tale sign of a shortcut, depending on how well it's executed.
Knitting the Pocket
Cast on the number of stitches that gives you your desired pocket width at your sweater gauge. A standard hand-sized pocket is about 12–14 cm wide and 13–15 cm tall. If your gauge is 20 stitches per 10 cm, cast on 24–28 stitches for a 12–14 cm pocket.
Work in your chosen stitch — stockinette, seed stitch, or matching the sweater's main stitch. Add 2–3 cm of ribbing or garter stitch at the top as the pocket opening border. Cast off loosely (a stretchy bind-off prevents the top edge from pulling in).
Block the pocket before attaching it. A blocked pocket lies flat and attaches neatly; an unblocked one will pucker.
Attaching the Patch Pocket
Pin the pocket in position on the sweater body. Place it where your hand naturally falls when your arm is relaxed at your side — typically 4–6 cm above the hem and centred on the front panel. Use blocking pins, not safety pins, to hold it without stretching.
Thread a tapestry needle with a length of matching yarn. Working from the back of the pocket, use mattress stitch along the three sides (left, bottom, right) that you're closing. Insert the needle one stitch in from the pocket edge and one row in from the sweater edge to keep the join invisible. Take your time at the corners — a loose corner will catch on things and eventually tear.
Yarn needed: approximately 50 m for a standard patch pocket in worsted weight yarn.
Method 2: The Side Seam Pocket
A side seam pocket is hidden inside the sweater, sitting between the front and back panels at the side seam. From the outside, you see only a small pocket opening — a horizontal slit at the seam. This is the most elegant option and the one used in tailored garments.
Working a Side Seam Pocket During Construction
Plan the pocket opening location before you begin the body. The opening sits at a comfortable height — usually 15–20 cm above the hem, in the middle of the side seam.
When you reach the bottom of the planned opening, work to the seam position, place the next section of stitches on a holder (these are the body stitches you'll return to later), and cast on the same number of stitches in their place. These cast-on stitches become the front face of the pocket opening. Continue knitting the body as normal.
When you reach the top of the opening, the two sides reunite — the original body stitches come off the holder and rejoin. The gap between the held stitches and the cast-on stitches is the pocket opening.
Later, pick up the held stitches, work downward for 15 cm to create the pocket lining, and graft (Kitchener stitch) or seam the lining closed. The lining hangs invisibly inside the sweater.
Adding a Side Seam Pocket to a Finished Sweater
This requires more courage but is entirely possible. Identify the side seam. Using sharp scissors, carefully cut 2–3 stitches at the seam at the top and bottom of your planned opening. Pick up the live stitches on each side of the cut onto needles. Work the pocket lining from these picked-up stitches. Seam the lining sides together and to the sweater body. Reinforce the pocket opening edges with a row of single crochet or a sewn running stitch in matching yarn.
Method 3: The Kangaroo (Front Pouch) Pocket
A kangaroo pocket runs across the full front of the sweater as a single large pouch — both hands slide in from the side openings. It's worked during construction by creating a separate pocket fabric that is knitted simultaneously with, then attached to, the sweater front.
Cast on the pocket pouch separately (usually the full width of the sweater front minus a few centimetres on each side for seams). Work it in matching yarn for approximately 18–20 cm. Place it on a holder.
When you reach the planned pocket height on the sweater body, work across the sweater front to the first opening edge, work the pocket stitches and body stitches together (knitting one from each needle together, joining the pocket to the body), and continue across. The pocket pouch now hangs in front of the sweater front, attached at the bottom edge. Seam the pocket sides to the sweater at the side edges of the pouch, leaving the top open as the hand openings.
Tips That Apply to All Pocket Types
Always match your pocket yarn to the sweater body yarn from the same dye lot — even small dye lot variations are visible in a pocket. If you've run out, use the most similar yarn from the same fibre family and check the tension carefully.
Reinforce the corners of any pocket opening. These are high-stress points. A small bar tack (several tight stitches worked in place) at each corner prevents tearing after repeated use.
Consider the weight of what you'll carry. A patch pocket in a lacy or delicate stitch will sag and distort. For pockets that will hold keys or a phone, use a denser stitch and double the pocket lining fabric.