Fun New Zipper Pouches

Well hello everyone!  I have a couple of fun zipper pouches to share with you today but I also wanted to let you know that I've been busy working behind the scenes on some other things, including some new quilt tutorials.  They'll be heading your way soon!

These two pretty zipper pouches were made using the Open Wide Zippered Pouch tutorial from Noodlehead.  There are three sizes available with the tutorial - I made the medium and large sizes.  

I wanted to make these pouches for my mom's birthday and I had a few prints from the new fabric line by Sedef Imer (Down Grapevine Lane) called Summer Blush.  They were perfect! You can find Summer Blush fabrics here from the Fat Quarter Shop.  Such pretty prints! 

I've used the Open Wide pouch tutorial before and it's one of my favorites. The tutorial is easy to follow - even for someone like me who only sews zippers a few times each year.  

I like to customize my pouches  - you can do pretty much anything to the outside of the pouch. Just make sure the outer bag piece measures what the tutorial asks for! You can make them as scrappy as you'd like, or use a favorite small quilt block on one side.  

I did a thin flange (a thin strip folded in half and sewn between the top and bottom halves) for the small pouch and it added a nice separation between the two green prints.  

For more information about my source for zippers and what interfacing I recommend, check out this post about my favorite zipper pouch tutorials!

You can also find more zipper pouch tutorials here on my Bags & Pouches Pinterest Board:

Happy sewing everyone!

--Andy

Favorite Pouch Tutorials

I’ve been having fun making a variety of zipper pouches lately and I thought I would share with you a few of my most favorite zipper pouch tutorials!



First of all, I have to talk about the one common element in all zipper pouch tutorials – the zipper!  In almost all tutorials I’ve used, it is okay to use a zipper that is longer than needed.  At some point in the tutorial the zipper is trimmed down anyway – so if the pattern calls for a 8” zipper and all you have is a 12” zipper then use it! 

I like to keep a variety of zippers on hand.  My favorite source for zippers is an etsy shop called Zipit*  They have such a fantastic variety, the prices are great and the shipping is fast.  It’s my go-to shop for zippers.  And with such pretty colors, it’s actually FUN to shop for zippers!  I must warn you though, it’s hard to choose just a few!

*this post contains affiliate links



The second thing I’d like to mention is what kind of interfacing I use.  In the past I’ve used a variety of interfacings and I really didn’t love any of them.  Well I now have a new favorite.  I now use Heat n Bond Craft Extra Firm fusible interfacing (or Pellon 809 is the equivalent).  I love that it gives so much structure, and helps the zipper pouch stand up on it’s own- even in the larger size pouches.  I have to thank Emily (Simple Girl Simple Life) and Marion (My Quilt Diet) for encouraging me to try a stiffer interfacing in my zipper bags – I’m converted!  

Alright – now to show you my favorite tutorials!

These two pouches were made using a tutorial from Jedi Craft Girl called the “Favorite Zipper Pouch.”  The tutorial is easy to follow with plenty of photos.  I made one of these pouches for a swap and I loved it so much I made a twin sister pouch to keep. 



Another favorite pouch tutorial is the Open Wide Zippered Pouch Tutorial (by Noodlehead).  She provides measurements for three different sizes of pouch – this one below is the small size.



I love the Open Wide Pouch just because it does exactly that – opens wide!  So even in the smaller size you can fit a lot in it because you can pull that zipper all the way open.  And it’s easier to see those smaller items that float to the bottom. 


And to show you the scale, here is the medium sized “Open Wide Pouch” next to the “Favorite Zipper Pouch” with a bottle of my favorite lotion (yum!)  You can see here that the medium sized pouch is a pretty generous “medium.” It would be perfect for your larger sewing notions (cones of thread, bottles of Flatter or Best Press, machine oil, rotary cutter, etc.)  Or a pound of M&Ms and a bag of Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups.  Because you know, snacks. 



Another pouch that I’ve made and love are the little Dumpling Pouches.  I first blogged about them last February. 



These are all the larger size dumpling – which still is quite small.  I use one of my dumpling pouches to carry cotton balls, q-tips and make up sponges when we travel.  A dumpling pouch would also be a cute way to carry those Clover Wonder Clips that we all love. 

Don’t be afraid of the curves in this pouch.  They’re not bad!  If you read my first post, you can see how I used my Clover Wonder Clips to hold the zipper in place as I sewed it. 



So there you go – my three favorite zipper pouch tutorials! 
Open Wide Zippered Pouch (Noodlehead)
My Favorite Zipper Pouch (Jedi Craft Girl)
Dumpling Zip Pouch (Michelle Patterns)

I also just ordered a new batch of zippers so I see many, many more zipper pouches in my future!  Do you have a favorite pouch tutorial?  I know there are so many that I still haven’t tried!  What's your favorite??