Want to make a zippered pouch? Even if you’re new to sewing, you can make one in no time at all!
A zipper pouch is perfect for your pencils and markers, art supplies, toiletries, make-up, special things and more! And these make the best little gifts for your loved ones!
So let’s go!
Here’s what you’ll need to make a zippered pouch
Supplies
7” zipper – try to find a cotton one with metal teeth – it’ll breakdown at the very end of its life, but polyester ones with plastic teeth will be on the planet FOREVER!
Fabric- I love organic cotton fabric for my products – easier on the planet and the farmers and on us! You’ll need to cut 4 pieces that measure 8.5”w x 5.5”l. 2 pieces are your outside or outer panels, and 2 pieces are your inside or inner panels.
Matching thread – again, i’m all about the organic cotton!
Plus your iron, some pins/clips, and your sewing machine!
Now that you have your supplies, here are the steps to make your zippered pouch:
Step 1: Attach the fabric to one side of your zipper
Line up your outer layer right side up with the top of the zipper facing down on top of your fabric. So the right sides of the fabric is facing the right side/top side of the zipper. Clip in place. Or pin if you don’t have clips :).
2. Next, place the inner layer on top of the bottom of the zipper. You’re making a zipper sandwich with the zipper in between your inner layer and outer layer of fabric. Make sure that the right side of the inner layer of fabric is facing the right side of the outer layer of fabric. Add this to your clips.
3. Put a zipper foot on your machine and stitch about ¼” from the edge of the fabric/zipper sandwich, removing the clips as you get close to them. When you’re done, make sure you caught all the fabric and zipper tape in your seam.
4. Take your finished side to your iron and press the right sides down. You’re trying to iron the fabric away from the zipper teeth as much as possible. This way they won’t get caught when you’re trying to zip your pouch.
Iron along this seam and make sure the fabric is pressed away from the zipper teeth.Top stitched after ironing.
5. Take it back to your machine and top stitch all along this seam.
Step 2: Attach the fabric to the other side of your zipper
Next, line up the remaining piece of outer layer of fabric on other side of the zipper – the side of the zipper that is still open/unattached. Again make sure that the right side of your outer layer of fabric faces the top of the zipper. Pin/clip in place.
2. Next, place the remaining piece of inner layer of fabric onto the bottom side of the zipper. You’re again making a zipper sandwich. The right sides of the inner and outer layers will be facing one another with the zipper in the middle. Add the inner layer into your pins/clips.
3. Stitch together with the zipper foot close to edge. Make sure you caught all the fabric and zipper in your seam.
4. Like you did for the other side of the zipper, press the right sides down and away from the zipper teeth as much as possible. This helps them not get caught in the zipper teeth.
5. Top stitch all along this seam.
Top stitched after being ironed.
Step 3: Sew the sides of the bag
Lay the bag flat on your surface so that the zipper is in the center, the outer layers are facing each other (right sides facing) and the inner layers are facing eachother (right sides facing). Make sure that the zipper is at least partially open.
Make sure zipper is partially open.Clip along sides, leaving 5″ opening.
2. You’re going to stitch all around the bag, leaving a 5” opening at the bottom, so first pin all around the bag and mark the area that you won’t sew closed. This opening will let you turn the bag right side out later. Make sure that the seams on the zippers are lined up with one another. And have the zipper tape pointing down into the inner layer area of the pouch, rather than pointing up towards the outer layer fabric.
Make sure the seam at the zipper is lined up when you clip it in place.
3. Start at one side of the 5” opening and start sewing all around. Backstitch at the start and stop of the opening.
Step 4: Finish the bag
Turn the bag right side out through the bottom opening.
2. Sew shut the bottom opening. You can iron this opening if it doesn’t fold in neatly before you sew it.
Stitch closed the opening at the bottom. Make sure all the fabric is pressed in and caught in the seam.
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3. Trim any loose threads on the inside and the outside of the bag and you’re done!
Wasn’t that easy? Making a zipper pouch is a great beginner project. Once you make one, you’ll want to make 10 more for everyone you know :).
If you make one, tag @no_trace_shop in Instagram and share your finished bag! I’d love to see it.
Thanks for reading and for all that you do for our planet :).
AKA: How to keep fabric scraps out of the landfill and upcycle fabric scraps.
I love to sew stuff for me, my family, my friends, and my customers! That’s probably obvious. The only bummer of this is that there are almost ALWAYS little scraps and bits leftover from pretty much everything I make. I try my best to design pieces that minimize this, but some of it is inevitable. So I’ve been doing some poking around on the interwebs and testing out different ideas to keep these scraps out of the waste stream. Here is my list of my 10 favorite ways to upcycle fabric scraps.
Pin Cushion
This is just the cutest little pin cushion you ever did see. A square pin cushion is perfect for using up small squares of fabric (or corners if you do any boxed corners on bags like I do). I’ve stuffed it with tiny fabric and thread scraps! No poly-fill necessary!
Tiny pin cushion. The cutest!
Napkin Rings
We use cloth napkins in our house, so it’s lovely to have each one marked whose-is-whose. Each napkin ring is in a different fabric, so we never get them mixed up! Confession: we use our napkins a few times until they need a wash.
Napkin ring made from fabric scraps!
Cord keeper
I was getting so tired of constantly having to untangle my headphones. Ugh. I finally took a minute (no, make that 3) to sew up this cord keeper with a snap closure. Be gone, tangles!Cord keeper from fabric scraps!
Fabric twine.
This stuff just looks so pretty. I used it to wrap Christmas presents this year. Twine is a great way to use up long, thin strips of fabric, like selvage edges. The pieces don’t need to be the same thickness or length, and you can keep adding in more pieces as you go!
Fabric twine from fabric scraps!
Woven Potholder
This is a great craft for a little one. I made this little guy on my daughter’s loom, and now she’s made one too. If you don’t have a loom, they are SUPER easy to make – you can do it out of cardboard! I weaved my long skinny pieces (like a selvage edge or other strips) and just overlapped them a couple of inches, rather than sewing them together. You could also knot them together. Lots of options. If you want to go bigger, make a placemat!Handwoven pot holder. We use it in the kitchen!
Handwoven placemat. So pretty!
Braided bracelet
Also perfect for long thin strips. I made a bunch of these for my kiddos and also gave them out to kids at the farmer’s market. Super easy – another great craft for little ones.
Patches for clothes
I turned an old stained skirt into hearts for my daughter’s leggings. Super fun. Super cute.
Patches for leggings from fabric scraps!
Coin purse
This is great for rectangles of fabric. I modeled them after my snack bags, only much tinier and not always lined. So fun.
Quilted napkins
I love quilts, but let’s be honest – I ain’t got time to make a whole dang quilt. That’s where quilted napkins come in! These are perfect for any shaped scrap. I’ve used squares to make a simple 4-square napkin design. But it works great for rectangles or triangles or strips! The world is your oyster with this one!
Pom poms!
Yes, the world needs more pom poms. Especially upcycled, handmade, biodegradable ones. I made these tiny ones by wrapping long thing strips around a fork. You could use super thin scraps for these. Aren’t they adorable??
Those are my favorite 10 things to do with scraps right now. Do you work with fabric scraps? Do tell! Would you like to learn more about how to make any of these? I’d love to hear that too!
