A Simple Lined Zipper Pouch – Tutorial

Sara from Made by Sara here with a sewing project you can make as a gift for a friend or Mother’s Day. It is a simple lined zipper pouch with a twist – some patchwork as an added lovely detail!

Every woman can find a use for another zipper pouch, right? I know I can! I have them in all colors and shapes and I find them very useful. As moms we appreciate useful gifts (although all those sweet postcards and crafts from our kids are so priceless!) so I thought this would be a good project to share as a tutorial.

Supplies

-2 fat quarters (quilting cotton or linen) and a few scraps of quilting cotton

– fusible interfacing

– 11” zipper

– matching thread

– about 10” of ribbon and a charm (or a tassel)

How to make a simple lined zipper pouch:

Seam allowance is 1/4”. 

1- Cut all the fabric as follows:

For the front piece: 2” x 12” rectangle and 4” x 12” of main fabric, plus six 1/2” x 3 1/2” rectangles of different quilting cotton prints

For the back piece: 9”x12” rectangle of main fabric

For the zipper tabs: cut two 2” squares

For the lining: two 12” x 9” rectangles of fabric of choice

Interfacing: two 12” x 9” rectangles of fusible interfacing

2- Let’s start with the front side piece.

Grab all six  2 1/2” x 3 1/2” rectangles. Sew them together, side by side, right sides together (1/4” S.A.). Press open seams.

Place the 4” x 12” rectangle right sides together (RST) with the patchwork piece you have just sewn, aligning long edges. Stitch. Press seam open.

Place the 2” x 12” rectangle RST with the patchwork piece, aligning long edges. Stitch. Press seam open.

3- Iron the two interfacing pieces to the front side piece and to the back side piece of main fabric.

4- Sewing the zipper and attaching the lining.

Grab the 2” squares. Fold them in half and then fold the edges towards the center (just like bias tape), with an iron. Place one open square right side with the bottom side of the zipper on one of its edges. Stitch at 1/4”. Fold up and over the edge of the zipper, towards the upper/right side. Edge stitch close to the zipper. Repeat for the other zipper edge. Trim tab excess on the sides (along the zipper sides).

Place zipper face down along the right side of the upper edge of front side piece, aligning edges. Stitch at 1/4”.

Place one of the lining pieces RST with the front side piece, aligning upper raw edges. Note: the zipper is sandwiched in between the two fabric layers. Stitch at 1/4”.

Turn lining over and press. Edgestitch along the seam, next to the zipper.

Repeat these steps to sew the zipper to the back side (and back lining).

5- Sewing sides and bottom to close the pouch.

Fold the pieces so you have both linings on one side of the zipper and both main sides on the other. Make sure you leave the zipper a few inches open.

Sew along the sides and bottom edges of main pieces. Note: Leave about 3 inches open on the lining bottom seam (to turn right sides out later on) . Be careful not to catch the zipper tabs. Stitch as close to them as you can.

Grab and hold one of the corner so that the side seam matches the bottom seam and raw edges form a straight line. Cut the triangle tip (about 1”). Stitch.

6- Finishing touches.

Turn pouch right side out through the opening you left at the bottom edge of lining. Hand stitch the opening with a slip stitch for a clean finish. Note: If you don’t know how to hand stitch, just press the seam allowance of the opening and stitch it on the outside. The stitching will be visible inside the pouch.

Give it a good press, tie the ribbon and charm to the zipper pull and you’re done!

Happy sewing!

s