Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Zippy Pouch Tutorial {and Giveaway!!!!} {Giveaway CLOSED}

Remember the Zippy Pouch I showed off a few posts ago? How about a tutorial? Okay, great! Here are the instructions with pictures.



To make the Zippy Pouch, you will need:

*Scraps of two different fabrics (about 1/4 yard of each)
*Scissors or a Rotary Cutter
* Cutting Board or Ruler
*Sewing Machine
*Pins
*9-inch zipper
*Fusible interfacing

Fabric cuts:
*Outside of bag: Two 8-inch by 10-inch pieces of fabric
*Lining: Two 8 x 10 pieces
* Strap: One 2.5-inch by 6 inch piece (longer (9-12 inches) if you want a wristlet handle, shorter (3-5 inches) if you just want to clip a key ring to it)
*Zipper End covers: Two 1.5x2.5 pieces in the contrasting fabric
*Interfacing: two 8x10 pieces, and one to fit the strap piece



1. Fuse the interfacing into the main fabric. Go ahead and fuse the strap piece too, and set it aside.



2. Fold the zipper end covers in half lengthwise (bring the short ends together) and press. The photo below shows the full size piece on top, and the folded piece on bottom.



Now, open it up and fold the ends in to the fold and press. (Basically, you are making a very short piece of binding/bias tape).


Insert the end of the zipper into the piece all the way to the fold. You may need to trim the end of the zipper some. Be sure to cover the little metal piece up enough that when you stitch over it you won't break your needle on it.


See? Nice and snug in there. Now, stitch very close to the edge of the cover, being careful not to hit that metal piece.


For the other end, repeat the process with the pressing and folding, but this time open the zipper (to get the zipper pull out of the way) and pin the zipper closed. Stitch the same way as before, very close to the edge, being careful to avoid the metal piece.


Here is your zipper after the ends are sewn on.


Now, take your main fabric and lay it on your surface. Place the zipper on it, right side down with the zipper pull on the left.


Then place your lining fabric on top, right side down, lining up the top edges neatly. Pin in place.


Stitch the entire length of the fabric, through the zipper ends, on the outside edge of the zipper. Turn the whole thing so the wrong sides of the fabrics are together, and press.


Next, lay your second main fabric piece on your surface, right side up. Lay the pressed piece we've been working on on top, main fabric down. Then lay your last peice of lining fabric on top, right side down. Pin all pieces together. Be sure your like fabrics are together-- lining to lining and main to main. Stitch in the same way as before - close to the zipper but not too close, on the outside edge. Hopefully this picture shows the stack well.


Once you stitch, you will have this:


Now it's time to make the handle. Fold your fabric lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch with a small seam allowance.


Turn the tube to the outside using a safety pin, loop turner, or this simple but ingenious trick.


Press the strap flat with the seam in the middle. Topstitch close to both edges if desired. (I did.)


Arrange the fabrics to that the like pieces are together now. Pin your strap near the zipper, in between the main fabric layers. Be sure the raw end of fabric match up and the strap goes toward the inside.


Also, pull the zipper end covers toward the lining fabric, which make the zipper itself fold toward the main fabric. Be sure to sew it like that. Stitch around the entire rectangle of fabric, leaving a 3-4 inch gap in the bottom of the lining for turning. Also, when sewing over the zipper ends, try to sew right next the them, and not through them. If you have to sew through them, it's okay too.


Almost finished! Clip the corners and turn the bag right side out. Press the lining, and sew the hole closed, stitching very close the the edge.



Stuff the lining inside the bag, and press the entire bag.. And there you go! Stuff some stuff inside and go show it off!


p.s. This is what your zipper ends should look like:




Nifty, huh?


{GIVEAWAY CLOSED}
Now, for my surprise! One lucky reader is going to WIN this bag! To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post, telling me if you understood the instructions well enough to make a bag yourself! If there is anything I left out, feel free to tell me. I'm still working on my tutorials, and want to know if they are any good :-)

Also, for additional entries you can:
*become a follower of my blog
*become a fan on Facebook (or "like" me)
*post a blog post about the giveaway/tutorial on your blog and leave me the link in a comment
*post about the giveaway/tutorial on your Facebook status and tell me about it

Remember, leave a separate comment for every entry. Which means you can have up to five comments! If you are already a follower or fan, I still need you to leave a comment for each.

I'll randomly pick a winner on Monday, November 1st.. so you have until then to enter!

Go get busy!

30 comments:

Puddles and Bugs said...

I love that you include lots of pictures! It makes things a lot easier to understand for beginners.

Michelle said...

Looks awesome!

Jill said...

Love it! I think I'd be able to do that, although zippers intimidate me a little! Very easy to understand, though!

Jill said...

I follow your blog!

Jill said...

I'm one of your biggest facebook fans ;)

Andy said...

Great directions...I may even brave a zip :) and super cute fabric!

almpk said...

looks like fun! wish I had a sewing machine and an extra few hours in the day!!

almpk said...

I became a follower of your blog! Maybe you'll convince me to buy a sewing machine :)

almpk said...

I like you on facebook too !!!

almpk said...

last one!!! I posted the link about the giveaway on my facebook page !! But I hope no one else enters :)

Maria D. said...

It's really cute! The instructions were very clear and the pictures really helped too!

Maria D. said...

I like your facebook page too!!!

Kathryn said...

I think the tutorial was great! I even bought a zipper to try it out! Thanks for taking the time to do it!

Kathryn said...

I follow the blog now (I thought I was a follower...but now I really am!).

Kathryn said...

I am a facebook fan!

Michelle said...

I'm a facebook fan too!

Anonymous said...

Great Tut! I found the last part the most helpful (where you posted how the zipper ends should look). That was the only part that I was slightly confused...then I saw the pictures and it all made sense!

Heidi Grohs said...

Just skimmed because I have to run...but I love it! Bookmarking it now!!!

Anonymous said...

I think I could make the bag, but I can't attest to how straight my stitching lines would be. Zippers scare me a bit. Last time I used one I sewed it on by hand (it was a wearable blanket for a baby) because I was afraid of using the sewing machine with it.

Jenny Pierson said...

I am a Facebook fan too! You are so creative Lexi!!

said...

looks like a perfect tute! I like how you did the zipper ends too!

said...

Fanned on FB (Andrea Harrison)

said...

Following with Google.

Anonymous said...

Just came over from BabyCenter - I think your tute is great. I have loads of fabric lying around in pieces too small for more clothes...this will be a perfect gift for my friends, my daughter, and my daughter's friends! Thanks! --Sarah (sfess on Crafty Sewing Mamas)

Kwizsica said...

I think this tutorial is very easy to follow. I could certainly follow it, and I have trouble with a lot of tutorials! =)

Anonymous said...

Love the bag! Great contest!

Gigi

Anonymous said...

Follower of blog!

Suzanne L.

Granola with Nuts said...

Great instructions - a few of the pics weren't working, but even without them - still very easy to follow - and cute!

Anonymous said...

Enter me! I love the purse/wallet and want to try my hand at making some for Christmas.

Suzanne Loudamy

Anonymous said...

I love the fabric! I liked the close-up of the zipper and the material covering it, really helped the understanding! Nice job Lexi!

Also, I posted about the giveaway on Facebook.

Gigi

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