Zippered Pouch...

I wanted to give a present to a friend I've know for a long time and I don't think you can go past a zippered pouch. A girl can never have too many!!!

Choosing the fabric was easy. Last year for the Triple Zip Pouch Swap, I used a fabric combo that I love... black and white, with red. I knew the same colours and fabrics would work well with my friend's red handbag that she so often carries, if she chooses to pop the pouch inside her handbag.

• Geo Master - Timeless Treasures... the geometric print at the bottom of the bag.
• Palette Treasure... the black and white polka dot.
• Red and white polka dot for the lining

And of course, a red zipper.

I'm determined to make more use of the sewing books that gather dust on my shelves, so that was the first place I looked for a zippered pouch pattern. I rather liked the look of the Bluebird Chic Wristy, from the book Pieces of Me, by Janelle Wind. As you can see, mine has neither a wrist strap nor a bluebird appliqué.

I chose to quilt vertical lines in red, instead of the diagonal cross hatch in the pattern. I just eyeballed the lines and knew they would be easier than the cross hatch pattern... easier in the sense that there could have been puckering where the lines intersect with the cross hatch, due to my lack of experience quilting. The fusible wadding I've used is Vilene H640.

The construction of the pouch is different to any I've sewn before. The zip is sewn onto the exterior fabric only, not the lining. I found it harder to centre the zip between the front and back, so my stitching is not quite equidistant from the zip, but it's not anything I think anyone else would notice. 

After the exterior is made, the lining is attached by hand. I find hand stitching quite therapeutic, so quite liked this idea. However, I was a little apprehensive when I realised the seams from the exterior extended right to the top of the pouch and the lining was to be sewn just below the zipper. I wondered whether I would be able to cover the seams adequately. I also used a zip that had to be cut to size and I think this caused the cut end to stick out, making it hard to sew the lining around the zipper end.

With hand sewing you can make tiny adjustments that can't be done with a sewing machine. On the end with the zipper pull, this was relatively easy and I could see it would work. The opposite end didn't look as neat. However, when the pouch was turned right side out, it all came together and I was very pleased with how the zipper ends looked.

So, would I make a zippered pouch using this method again? Yes! In fact I already have. The pouch ends up at 7" x 9"... a very handy size and I do like the shape. Purchasing the book was worth it just for learning a new method of making zippered pouches. All up there are 16 projects in Pieces of Me,to explore.

My friend was thrilled with her present, which she's going to use for a makeup bag. I'll have to make one for me!!!

This little makeup bag is going to join the 160+ projects in the Purses, Clutches and Pouches collection here at Threading My Way.

... Pam

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