A preparation station including a fabric support plate, a folding plate and a positioning support for a flap of a flap pocket. The fabric part to which the pocket is to be connected, is supported by the fabric support plate. The flap, and possibly the pocket cut are lined at the preparation station. The pocket cut can also be placed into its folded position by the preparation station. The fabric part, with the pocket cut, if present, and the pocket flap are then moved by a fabric holder to a sewing machine with a sewing position. There, the pocket cut can be sewn onto the fabric part if desired. The pocket flap is in a rotated position, which is angularly spaced by approximately 180.degree. from a final position of the pocket flap. The pocket flap can then be connected to the fabric part by a fastening seam. A turning strip turns over the flap, in cooperation with a folding strip, and another seam connects the flap to the fabric part in its final position. In another embodiment, the folding strip can hold the rough cut end of the pocket flap against the fabric part, and the turning strip turns the remainder of the flap into the final position, where the flap is connected to the fabric part by one or two seams.