Fat Quarter Project 3: The Open Wide Pouch

 

Here we are at Project 3!  

If you have been following my blog, you know that I have made 3 projects from one fat quarter. 

You can find project 1 here: https://kristensewkrafty.blogspot.com/2021/04/fat-quarter-project-one-headband.html

and project 2 here: https://kristensewkrafty.blogspot.com/2021/05/fat-quarter-project-2-sunglasses-pouch.html

Now we move on to project 3:  The wide open pouch.  This is a cute little pouch that I found on Pinterest and just HAD to make!  When my daughter asked for a pouch to hold her Garmin watch along with an extra band and charger, I knew this was the perfect project!  I used this tutorial here - https://sewingtimes.net/diy-mini-pouch-bag/ - to make the pouch, but modified the size in order that I could use a smaller zipper that I already had on hand.  I cannot improve on the original tutorial.  The link above is so awesome and thorough.  I will post pics of what I did and the measurements that I changed, but you really should watch the video in the link to learn how to make this pouch.  It looks complicated, but when you follow her directions, she simplifies it so much!!

I used a 7" zipper, because that is what I had on hand.  I changed the measurements from the origianl tutrial to match the zipper.  

Start by cutting 2 pieces of outer fabric, 2 pieces of lining fabric and 2 pieces of interfacing (I used Shape Flex) 7.5" x 3.5".  For this project, I used the same fabric for the outside and the lining.

Iron the Shape Flex onto your outside pieces

Next, fold each piece in half and mark 1" in from the fold and 1.25" up from  the bottom

cut out the rectangle.  Your pieces should look like the next picture

this is what it looks like unfolded

cut the same rectangle out of the lining pieces

Add a zipper by placing one outside piece face up and the zipper face down on top of that, being sure to line up the top edge, as below

place a lining piece on top of that face down and pin or use wonder clips to secure

open up the fabric and fold each piece back onto itself.  the iron and topstitch

do the same thing for the second side

iron and topstitch on the second piece as well

fold the outside pieces together, right sides facing each other

and the lining pieces together, right sides facing each other, so it looks like this:

stitch across the shorter sides, making sure to line up the zippers with each other

this is where it gets a little tricky.  I took pics, but they are very confusing.  I will put them below, but in order to really understand what to do, you should refer to this link https://sewingtimes.net/diy-mini-pouch-bag/.  She mkes it so much clearer than I can!!

After sewing the sides, unzip the zipper all the way.  Open the pouch and pinch together the zipper on one end to the zipper on the other end.

Sew across each side where the clips are - making sure to leave on opening on the lining side for turning later

now we are going to box the corners.  pinch the corners together on one side of the lining and one side of the outside and clip together

stitch across, and repeat for the other side

turn the pouch right side out

stitch the opening closed

push the lining inside the pouch and you are done

 Such a cute little pouch!  I love how the shape is different from what you usually see!  I made another one out of floral fabrics and filled it with candy for my purse.  These little pouches are so versatile!

Let me know if you make one.  Leave any questions or comments below!

Happy Sewing :-)