Planning a night out ? or maybe you have a special occasion to celebrate ? This super cute pouch ticks all the boxes. Its just the right size for a phone, cards, money and your lipstick. You can use this pattern and grade it up and down to suit your personal requirements, add embellishment or not, and a pom pom to the zip or not. When you are adjusting the pouch to your own measurements, the length of the bag MUST be the length of the zip. This project is suitable for sewers with some previous sewing experience. If you are new to sewing, for your first pouch I suggest you omit lining it.
Free tutorial -Suitable for sewers with some experience _ learn to sew and make a lined pouch bag.
Materials and Equipment
30cm of velvet fabric or firm cotton fabric, I used some from my scrap bag but similar fabric is sold here
30cm of lining fabric I used some left over from a project by you can find a similar fabric here
Interfacing I got mine here
zip I got mine here
Motif I got mine here
A few wool scraps for the pom pom
Matching thread or contrast thread, pins, tape measure, chalk and scissors, pom pom maker or card board to make the pom pom, bodkin needle.
Tips for beginners
Seam allowance 1 cm this is the distance between the edge of the fabric and the stitch line. You will find a series of parallel lines engraved on the needle plate of your sewing machine pick the one marked with the measurement you need and keep the edge of the fabric to this guide
RS = right side of fabric WS = wrong side of fabric.
Cut out the fabric for the pouch bag using the instructions above.
*Using a hand sewing needle and slip stitch sew the ends of the zip together.
Iron on the interfacing to the WS of the main fabric and the tabs for the end of the zip.
Fold the tab in half , and on the fold line as shown ,pin it onto the end of the zip, or as near to the metal bar as you can get and machine stitch across the fold line as shown with the pin.
Machine stitch across the fold line, repeat on the remaining end of the zip.
Fold the tab back as show.
With the RS of the zip facing the RS of your main fabric pin the zip to the fabric as shown.
Some of the tab will hang over the main fabric, this will be trimmed later. It is important that the length of the zip is positioned evenly over the bag as shown.
Change to the zipper foot on your sewing machine. As shown machine stitch (getting close to the teeth on the zip) the zip to the fabric. The metal part of the zipper foot rests on the zip, allowing you to stitch close to the teeth. You will have to start after the zip head, (the part of the zip that opens and closes the zip) machine to end of the zip .
Take your sewing off the sewing machine and
undo the zip. Pin the loose section of the zip to the fabric, machine stitch from the end of the zip to the section you have already sewn. Repeat on the remaining side.
Trim the ends of the tabs as shown, so they are in line with the main fabric.*
Position your motif (if you are using one) on the bag and following the manufactures instructions iron into place. Even if I am using an iron on motif I still stitch the motif to the bag as I find they can start to "peel" off. Change to matching thread in my case white, and using the zipper foot carefully stitch around the edge of the motif.
**Attach the lining to the zip (skip this stage if you are not attaching a lining, instead using a zig zag stitch neaten your raw edges) skip to here *
Pin the RS of the lining to the WS of the zip, machine stitch into place using the same method as attaching the zip. Repeat on the remaining side.Pin the lining to the lining leaving a gap to turn the bag to the RS, and the main fabric to the main fabric.
* ( unlined bag only pin the RS's together and machine stitch into place, turn the bag to the RS)
now jump to **
Machine stitch around the pouch leaving the gap, If your zip is metal you will have to stitch the main fabric to the main fabric getting as close to the zip as possible, take your sewing off the machine and repeat on the lining section leaving a gap as shown.
Clip your corners, and turn the bag to the RS.Push the lining into the pouch.
Iron the lining to prevent it getting caught in the zip.
Pull the lining out, pin the gap together as shown. machine stitch close to the edge.
** unlined and lined bags - Nearly done !
Using a pom pom maker or the method shown here make a pom pom
Cut the wool around the pom pom maker or the card, and tie firmly with a long thread, cut another long thread and tie again firming around the pom pom, you should have 4 threads .
Release the pom pom from the maker or card.
trim one of the 4 threads leaving you 3 threads.
Plait the three treads of yarn until you have enough to make a loop to attach to the zip.
Thread the ends onto a bodkin as shown.
make and loop as shown and neaten the loose ends by stitching back into the pom pom.
Cut yarn.
give your pom pom a hair cut.
Thread the loop through the gap in the zip . Congratulations you have just made a Sew Retro Date Night Pouch - Get your self to the party
