Zipper Pouch Tutorial: quick and easy sewing project
A zipper pouch is such a useful sewing project. 10 years ago, I sewed a zipper pouch for my husband’s cycling emergency repair kit. After countless bike rides, the pouch has started falling apart, so it’s time to sew a new one and time to update the tutorial with a video.
I still had the leftover fabric (yes, I’m a craft supplies hoarder), so it looks remarkably similar to the last one!
The emergency kit has spare tyre tubes, emergency lights, a tube patching kit and other bibs and bobs for quick bike repairs. Originallt, the zipper was sticking on his old one, and it was looking worse for wear. He wanted one the same size, it fits perfectly in the pocket of his cycling jersey, and it needed to be waterproof (or sweat-proof – eeeww!).
Since cycling is an excuse for him to go out for coffee with his mates, this coffee-themed vinyl table cover was perfect. It’s easy to sew, no worries that it doesn’t seem like a traditional fabric with my normal sewing machine and a regular needle!
The zip pouch has squared corners, to make it easier to stuff it full and it stands up on it’s own.
Supplies
- 19cm x 26.5cm (7.5” x 10.5”) piece of vinyl table cover
- 15cm (6”) dress zipper
- 6cm (2.5″) piece of twill tape or ribbon
- Coordinating thread
- Sewing machine with zipper foot
- General sewing supplies (scissors, pins, thread etc)
Instructions
Watch the video or scroll down for the photo tutorial:
Step 1: Cut a 19cm x 26.5cm (7.5” x 10.5”) rectangle from the vinyl table cover.
Quick Tip: If you are using a fabric that frays, sew around the edges with a serger or zigzag stitch.
Step 2: Fold over a 1cm (3/8″) seam allowance on the two shorter sides.
Quick tip: Don’t pins as this will leave holes in the vinyl, and it won’t be waterproof. I used alligator hair clips to hold the fabric in place. You could use bulldog clips, paper clips or Wonder-clips instead.
Step 3: Place one of the folded edges against the teeth of the zip and hold in place with clips.
Step 4: Using a zipper foot, sew the zip in place approximately 3mm (1/8″) from the folded edge.
Quick Tip: About half way along, lower your needle down into the fabric, lift the presser foot up and slide open the zip. This will give you a nice straight seam.
Here’s what it looks like when it’s sewn:
Step 5: Wrap the fabric around and line up the other folded edge against the other side of the zipper teeth.
You’ll need to open the zip to sew this section.
Step 6: Start from the open end and sew across, once again 3mm (1/8″) from the folded edge. It gets a bit fiddly towards the closed end. Try your best to keep the fabric flat and the other layers out of the way!
Step 7: Fold the fabric so that the zip is at the top, and sew the two side seams, making sure to back-stitch (or lock-stitch) at the two ends.
Step 8: To make a box pouch, fold the bottom corners to make a triangle. Make sure the fabric is flat and side seam runs down the centre of the triangle:
Mark a line where you want to sew the box corner. The further down you put the line, the larger the base of the pouch will be. My line is 15mm (5/8″) below the top point of the triangle.
Step 9: Sew across the line you just marked, back-stitching at the start and end of the seam:
Step 10: Repeat for the other corner:
Step 11: To create the box at the top (zip side), first sew a seam from the bottom of the silver zip stopper to the seam allowance:
Step 12: Then fold the corner into a triangle, like you did for the base, and hold in position with a clip. For the “open” end of the zip, add a small loop of twill tape or ribbon, sandwiching the raw ends of the ribbon into the folded triangle:
Step 13: Sew across the triangle, back-stitching at both ends:
Step 14: Close the zipper an inch or two, and repeat for the other end of the zipper.
Step 15: Clip the corners of the four triangle sections. If using a fabric that frays sew with a serger or zigzag stitch over the raw edges.
Step 16: Turn the pouch to the right side out, gently pushing out the corners of the box.
And that’s how you sew a zip pouch – a very manly box zip pouch for Father’s Day (or use it as toiletries bag, pencil case or any other reason).