Accordion Pocket Tutorial {Also Known As A Bellows or Cargo Pocket}

We’re continuing with the pocket tutorial series, and today we’re focusing on the accordion pocket, which is also known as a bellows pocket or a cargo pocket.

The tutorial is quite in-depth as this is one of the fiddlier pockets to create so you can either follow along with the photo steps or scroll to the end for the accordion pocket video tutorial!

In this tutorial I will be create a multi-pleat pocket – we will have three pleats to create a nice bellows effect, and the pocket will then be ‘patched on’ to the main garment fabric.

Let’s get started!

What Is An Accordion Pocket?

An accordion pocket is a pocket type which expands, similarly to a bellows. It can be created in several ways, and is actually a favorite pocket type for those who use journals.

It is also often used as a pocket type on cargo pants, because the pocket expands allowing more items to fit within.

How Do You Make An Accordion Pocket?

An accordion pocket is a multi step process, and depending on the type of accordion pocket, can be quite a quick process or have many steps and be more fiddly.

A great example is the simple cargo pant pocket which has a single piece of fabric acting as a gusset between the main garment area and the pocket piece.

Today, I’ll be focussing on the more complex accordion pocket and am providing a free accordion pocket pattern too which you can download from my free sewing patterns library.

What You’ll Need

You’ll need a few things to sew your own accordion pockets:

• A pattern – grab my free accordion pocket mentioned above, or draft your own
• Pins
• Fabric scissors
• Iron
• Sewing machine

Step 1: Prepare The Pocket Pieces

Start by printing and cutting the pattern pieces. Included in my free accordion pocket pattern is not the main pocket piece and a matching flap.

Cut the pieces out in your fabric of choice, taking particular care when cutting the zigzag sections.

You need to sew a double fold hem on the upper part of the pocket piece – I’ve marked the fold lines on the pattern piece, but you can of course do a single fold hem or turn it so that it is deeper, though this will affect the height of your finished pocket.

Next, pin together the zigzags so that the peaks and troughs match. In the below image you can see that I have three ‘peaks’ and a half peak wchihc is in fact my seam allowance for attaching the pocket to the garment.

Step 2: Stitching The Zigzag Section

Next we need to sew the zigzag with a narrow seam allowance. I have included 0.5cm in the pocket pattern provided but you can sew with more if preferred. Just note that the pocket will be smaller if you do so.

You’ll also need to clip the troughs so that when turned through, there is no restriction on the shaping of the fabric.

Turn through making sure your corners on the peaks are nice and crisp.

Viewed from the side we can see that these are great and will make fabulous pleats for our accordion pocket!

Step 3: Preparing The Accordion Pleats

Now we need to create the pleats. Using the pocket pattern as a guide, mark in the locations for where the folds will sit.

Align the pleat positions at the top edges of your accordion pocket with the first peaks at the bottom edge. Pressing them is good practice, and you can also secure with a pin.

Repeat for the two remaining pleats as shown in the photo below.

Step 4: Sewing The Accordion Pleats

You’re now ready to start sewing your accordion pocket. Start with the pleat closest to the fabric edge. Using the edge of your sewing machine presser foot as a guide, edge stitch along the pleat you had prepped.

The pleats can look really nice when a contrasting thread is used for the edge stitching.

Don’t be alarmed by the wider than expected fabric at the edge – we will use this to secure the pocket to the main garment.

Continue with the pleats, making sure to pivot nicely at each of the corner for a nice finish.

When all the pleats are edge stitched they should look like the image below.

Step 5: Preparing The Accordion Pocket For Attaching

Now we need to prepare the pocket piece so that we can attach it to the garment. First of all press the seam allowance so that it is extending outside of he pocket. As shown in the photo below.

Then fold it in on itself, halving the seam allowance amount to create a new pleat and press. If this doesn’t make sense, watch the video tutorial, it will help you to understand what I mean.

To prepare the corners, turn them inwards at an angle so that we have a mitered corner.

Turn the seam allowance back as they previously were and pin the corners to secure. We’re now ready to attach the accordion pocket!

Step 6: Attaching The Main Accordion Pocket

The final step for this tutorial is to attach the accordion pocket to its place on a garment – or in my example, to its sample fabric.

Pin the pocket around the new fold we created on its perimeter to the main garment. Make sure that it is properly places as you want it.

If working on a pair – for cargo pants perhaps – do the two matching pockets at the same time so that they are as close to identical as possible.

Now, very carefully, edge stitch along the final seam allowance pleat we created in step 5.

The finished accordion pocket will look similar to mine in the photos below. Notice how the gusset aspect expands with my hand inserted?

Next Steps

The final step will be to create and attach the flap for your accordion pocket. I haven’t included that in this tutorial, as I think it is a great tutorial in its own right, so I’ll be adding that later in the month.

For anyone needing more help, the accordion pocket video tutorial below will take you closer to the process that I followed to make the one shown in this photo tutorial.

Accordion Pocket Video Tutorial

Do you think you’ll be making an accordion pocket for any upcoming projects? I do love a pocket, and this is a great one to try once you’ve mastered the basic patch pocket.

I also have guide on different pocket types and uses of pockets that you should check out, as well as more pocket tutorials that you may enjoy:

• Welt pocket tutorial
• Jetted / double welt pocket tutorial
• Simple side seam pocket tutorial

Don’t forget you can also grab other patterns from my free sewing patterns library!

Share it out to others!