These triangular pouches are great for storing sewing supplies. The small one is ideal for holding a pack of our sewing clips, or other little things like safety pins. The larger can fit rotary cutters, seam rippers, snips and other sewing tools or several packs of our sewing clips.
| Supplies needed for the large pouch | Supplies needed for the small pouch |
| 2 x 8 by 8 inch squares for lining
2 x 8 by 8 squares for the exterior fabric 2 x 8 by 8 square of either medium interfacing or fusible fleece 3 x 7 inches strip of fabric for the handle 9 inch zip (or longer - you can trim it down) 1 pack of sewing clips |
2 x 5 by 5 inch squares for lining
2 x 5 by 5 squares for the exterior fabric 2 x 5 by 5 square of either medium interfacing or fusible fleece 3 x 6 inches strip of fabric for the handle 6 inch zip (or longer - you can trim it down) 1 pack of sewing clips |
We used fabrics from Art Gallery Fabrics Foresta Fusion range, and the lining on the green pouch is from their Oh Meow collection. Find UK stockists here.
Preparation
Cut your fabrics to the sizes detailed above, and iron your interfacing or fusible fleece onto the back of the exterior panels ( I used fusible fleece in mine). If you prefer you could use wadding and quilt the layers together instead.
Seam allowance
Use a quarter of an inch seam allowance throughout.
Handle
Fold your strip in half lengthways. Press. Open up and fold the 2 raw edges into the centre fold, press again. Then fold it in half again with the raw edges hidden on the inside, sew along either edge.
Zip
Place an exterior panel right side up. Put the zip on top aligned with one edge, have the zip facing right sides down. Put a lining fabric on top, with the right side facing down (so the right sides of both fabrics are facing).
Hold the fabric in place with a few of your sewing clips, then sew along the edge using your zipper foot. Your zip should be longer than your fabric so you can keep the zip pull out of the way whilst you sew.
Open it up so the lining fabric is behind your exterior fabric, finger press it into place then top stitch along the edge by the zip.
Place it so your exterior fabric is right sides up. Place your other exterior fabric right sides down and lined up with the other edge of the zip. Flip it over, place the other lining fabric right sides together lined up with the other side of the zip. Clip into place and stitch. Open it up, fold the lining fabric back behind the exterior fabric and top stitch the other side of the zip.
Pull the zip pull so it's between the 2 sides of fabric and stitch across the open end of the zip just past the fabric to keep the zip tails in place.
Adding the handle
Fold your handle in half. Aligning it with the edge of the fabric next to your zip pull, about quarter an inch in from the zip. Clip it into place, then sew into place (attaching it to the exterior fabric only, not the lining). Sew over it 2 or 3 times to ensure it's well secured.
Assembly
IMPORTANT - Unzip the zip before you do this the next stage. Stop around an inch before the end of the fabric.
Open it up and place the 2 right sides of your exterior fabric together, clip into place. Repeat with the 2 lining fabrics on the other side of the zip.
Sew along the long edge which is on the opposite side of the fabric to your zip on both the lining and exterior fabrics.
On the end of your zip stop, open the fabrics up and line it so the seam where your 2 exterior panels join is touching the zip. Repeat with the seam where your 2 lining panels join. So half the exterior fabric is on one side of the zip, and half on the other (folded in half with right sides touching), same with the lining.
Clip into place then sew into place, go over the zip 2 or 3 times. Trim off any excess zip tape from that end and trim the corners to make them easier to turn out at the end. The picture above shows what it will look like after you have sewn that end.
On the other end pull the seam where your 2 exterior panels join away from the zip - so you end up with both pieces of exterior fabric touching right sides together on one side of the zip. Repeat for the lining. I think it looks a little like a fortune cookie at this point!
So unlike the previous step all your exterior fabric is on one side of the zip, and all the lining fabric is on the other side of the zip. Clip, then sew into place making sure the zip teeth are on the lining fabric side of the zip.
Leave a 2 inch gap when sewing along the lining side of the fabric. You need this for turning through. Sew over the zip 2 or three times like you did on the other end of the zip. Trim your corners and the end of the zip.
Use the hole in the lining to turn the pouch right sides out. Use a point turner to poke the corners out through the gap in the lining.
Sew the gap in the lining closed. Fill your pouch with your sewing clips and it's ready to use.
