Easy Fix for Horizontal IPhone Pocket Syndrome

According to a very scientific poll at everythingicafe, 41% of people put their iPhone in their right front pocket and 34% in their left front pocket. (http://www.everythingicafe.com/forum/threads/which-pocket-do-you-put-your-iphone-in.57830/).

I'm a right-front-pocket type but I hate it when my iPhone slips down to the bottom of my pocket and sits horizontally across my leg and it's worse (all bunched up) when I sit down.

I know, it's not the end of the world, but I decided to do something about it.

Step 1: Where the IPhone Wants to Go

Here's the shape of the front pocket and it is no surprise that the iPhone wants to slide down to the bottom.

Step 2: Where I Want the IPhone to Go

I'd like the iPhone to sit next to the side seam and you can see the pencil lines I've drawn in my plan to split the bottom of the pocket and square off the bottom of the "iPhone" side.  I want to make the divider just over halfway up the iPhone (to the bottom of the Apple logo).  That should be enough to keep it vertical and still make it easy to get the phone in and out of the pocket.

Step 3: All Sewn Up

That took about 2 minutes and you can see I went a bit bigger than my pencil lines to be safe and in the next photo you can see how the divider looks inside the pocket.

Step 4: That Works for Me...

So when standing up, the iPhone is hard to see and it is much more comfortable when sitting down.  Also if your sewing machine is set up, it will probably take you less time to do this than it took to load and read this instructable.

Please comment and rate.

Step 5: Variations on a Pocket Theme

I started through my wardrobe and found that pocket shapes vary quite a bit.  Here are some pics of various pocket shapes and where I put in the dividers.

I also discovered a secret iPhone pocket in a pair of Carhartt dungarees, but that's another Instructable...

If you put photos of your iPhone pockets or before/after shots in the comments below, I'll post them here.

Comments

[MiltReynolds]

Quintessential 'ible! Identify a problem or need, put together a simple yet effective solution, and document the experience in a way that is easy to understand and repeatable. I like it. I've got several pockets that need this! Thanks for sharing it.

[tewharau]

Thanks Milt. Of course, if you get a bigger phone, you might have to re-do all your pockets...

[namrepusmt]

i didnt think that before, i'll try that..

[stevenj59866]

i think this will work for most phones

[Javin007]

iPants.

[Knight27]

Cover your rivets with sugru?

[tewharau]

I've done this to most of my jeans now and some shorts as well. So far, the stitching alone has been fine. If you wanted to reinforce it, I'd probably use a bit of fabric before I got out the rivets...

I guess the two rivets on the watch pocket could scratch it when you put it in or take it out. If you were worried, you could do the mod in your left pocket (no watch pocket on that side).

[klaurson]

Awesome, so simple, so smart. The perfect instructable, makes you think: why haven't I thought of that before!?

[p2man]

I might try this, thanks!

[GadgetmanKen]

Great, simple Instructable. I always use my left pocket for my phone because I'm deaf in my right ear. I keep the same stuff in my pocket beside my phone to keep in propped upright. Such as a small pill case, a dental brush and eyeglass cleaning rag. But it still drops occasionally. Sewing a seam down the middle makes the pocket useless for anything else you might want to put in your pocket, even your hand to get something else in your pocket.
Perhaps a pocket in your pocket, or a thin velcro strip sewn, or stuck down the middle would be even better.
What I hate the most is when you are driving and you can't get to it because its in your pocket with your seat belt over that. Perhaps a pocket sewn mid thigh to the side would work even better. Let us know how that goes?

[tewharau]

Good ideas. Have a go & post pics!

You'd be surprised how short a seam is necessary to keep the phone upright. I reckon an inch might do it, which would make the rest of the pocket usable for all but those with severely webbed digits.

[agdollison]

I wonder if Steve Jobs has seen this yet

[Instructerbls]

Only thing I would change is stitching the whole thing. A small stitch at the top and maybe the bottom would stabilize the phone while leaving your pocket open when empty.

[CazzPhoenix]

If so you can be on the lookout for the iPocket.. in fact, I vote for the title of this instructable to be changed to "The iPocket"

P.S. I have a blackberry

[tewharau]

Hey, I didn't realize it until your comment, but in the second photo, i'm actually wearing a Steve Jobs costume!

[MyMenagerie]

This is a fantastic idea! Thanks! I can also make pockets for other things that need to be carried away from all the normal pocket stuff. Thanks again!

[Kaelessin]

This is brilliant! It's one of those things that's so simple and obvious even the shrewdest of us can't think of it :D

I carry quite a lot in my pockets and am rather annoyed when all the articles bunch up at the bottom (quite unsightly and uncomfortable) this should fix the issue nicely!

[tewharau]

Thanks for the comment. I hadn't thought of it, but you could use the other side of the pocket for something else...earphones? sync cable? credit card?

[MyMenagerie]

Money... though I doubt very many of us have any. :(

[Kaelessin]

pocket knife!