So I’ve finally finished my zipper pouch tutorial for those of you who would like to make your own!
The great thing about these little zipper pouches is that you can quite often use left over fabrics from other projects (and if you’ve made a handbag you can make a matching pouch using the left over fabrics, threads and interfacing with only the cost of the zipper!)
Now the fabric dimensions in this tutorial are specifically for a 5” x 5” zipper pouch but you can make yours any size that suits you (the best thing about sewing is being able to make things that are the perfect size for your needs). So I really recommend doing your own measurements but remember to add your seam allowance and to adjust the zipper size.
Step 1: Gather your materials
- 1/2 Fat Quarter (fat eighth) of exterior fabric (canvas or cotton)
- 1/2 Fat Quarter (fat eighth) of lining fabric (cotton)
- 1 Fat Quarter of fusible woven interfacing (I used Pellon SF101)
- 5” Zipper
- Matching threads
Cut out all your pattern pieces (and remember if you are using a directional fabric to cut it in the correct direction):
Note: Dimensions are listed width by height
- Cut 2x exterior fabric – main – 6” x 5 & 1/2”
- Cut 2x lining fabric – main – 6” x 5 & 1/2”
- Cut 1x exterior fabric – tab – 2 & 1/2” x 2
- Cut 4x fusible interfacing – main – 6” x 5 & 1/2”
- Cut 1x fusible interfacing – tab – 2 & 1/2” x 2”
I find using a cutting mat, quilters ruler and rotary cutter a great help for getting these pieces measured and cut quickly and accurately. Other tools I find great to have next to my machine are sewing clips, sewing pins, spare sewing machine needles, small thread cutting scissors, seam ripper and masking tape (for my seam allowance guide on my sewing machine).
Fuse the interfacing to all your fabric pieces.
Note: All seam allowances are 1/2” unless stated otherwise.
Step 2: Sew Exterior and lining main pieces to zipper
Place 1 exterior main piece facing right side up on your work surface. Place the zipper on top with zipper slider facing down (and on the left hand side if the zipper is closed). Centre the zipper along the top edge (there should be just over 1/2” between the edge of the fabric and the silver zipper stoppers). Make sure if you have directional fabric it is facing in the correct direction (I know I’ve mentioned this a few times but after a few years of sewing I still occasionally make this mistake and have to unpick the work because the fabric is upside down!). Pin or clip.
I like to baste the zipper in place (about 1/8″ from the edge) before adding the lining piece but it’s up to you. I find it easier to get a neater stitch along the zip but you can skip this step if you want.
Place one of the lining main pieces right side down on top of the exterior (right sides together) with the zipper sandwiched in between.
Pin and sew – I use a 1/4” seam allowance for attaching the zipper – but basically you want to be close to the zipper teeth. I recommend using the zipper foot on your machine. To get a nice straight line use a reference point or a sewing guide and keep the outer edge of the fabric against that as you sew (below I’ve used the outer edge of the feeding teeth). Backstitch at both ends.
Flip the fabrics so that the wrong sides are facing. Give it a press with your iron (iron the fabric away from the zipper).
Top-stitch about 1/8” along the side of the zipper, using a slightly longer stitch length to help keep the stitches straight (I usually use a size 3 length stitch for top stitching). You will be sewing through the exterior and lining so you might want to change the colour on your bobbin to match your lining and keep the top thread the same colour as the exterior.
Place the second main exterior piece right side up on your work surface. Place the zipper right side down on top (the zip should be on the right side in the closed position). Pin and baste in place.
Place the second lining main piece on top, right sides together. Pin and sew.
Flip the two fabrics so that the wrong sides are facing each other and iron. Top stitch along the second zipper edge.
Step 3: Make side tab
Fold the side tab in half (along the 2 & 1/2” sides), with wrong sides together and iron. Unfold and fold both sides in so that the edges are meeting in the middle. Iron again.
Fold the tab in the middle again and iron. The side tab should now be 1/2” in size.
Top stitch along both long sides of the tab. Fold the tab in half so the two short ends match and iron.
Attach the tab to the exterior main fabric about 1/2” down from the zipper on the side. Match the raw ends of the main pouch with the raw edges of the tab. I always baste the tab on the same side as the zipper (when it’s in the closed position) but you can attach it somewhere else on the pouch if you like.
Step 4: Assemble Pouch
Flip the exterior fabrics so that they are right sides together and do the same with the two lining pieces. Make sure that the zip is opened half way. This is very important because if it isn’t open you won’t be able to turn the pouch the right side out.
Also make sure that the zipper teeth are pushed towards the lining side and the zipper seam allowance is sandwiched towards the exterior fabric side. This step is important if you want square corners where the zipper ends.
Pin and sew around the outside leaving a 3” gap at the bottom of the lining for turning right way out. Make sure you back stitch at the start and end. I tend to use my zipper foot here as it makes it easier to get past the zipper’s metal ends (be careful not to hit the metal zipper ends with your sewing machine needle).
Clip the corners and trim the seam allowance at the zipper – as close to the stitching as possible but not through it (this will help with neater corners). Clip the remaining side seam allowances to a 1/4” (except for the lining side with the gap for turning right way out).
Turn pouch right way out through the hole in the lining. Use a pointy tool (I use a chop stick) to push the corners out.
Iron the seam allowance and the gap in the lining fabric and pin them together.
Stitch very close to the edge to close the gap in the lining (or you could hand stitch it closed with a slip stitch).
Push lining into the pouch and give it a press with the iron.
And you’ve finished! Now time to start filling it up with lip stick, tissues, headphones and any other daily necessities!
