I feel like it’s time for another tutorial, and this one is great for beginners and experienced sewers alike.
I asked a friend who likes crafting to make a zipped pocket that I could photograph for this blog. I wanted to show that it could be used as a pencil case or a make up bag, and she made loads! I just wanted photos of one so that I could write a quick tutorial but she’s gone bananas and produced at least four… proof that it’s an addictive pass-time!
Customers regularly ask me to suggest crafting projects and this one is good for beginners who have a little experience with a sewing machine.
You’ll need a zipper foot (which most sewing machines have), some fabric and a zip. It can be made any size to fit toiletries, pencils, hair slides or you could make a little one for coins. You could also hand sew this and it would probably be really neat as your fingers can sew around a zip with more dexterity and precision than a machine.
I have written a downloadable PDF with pictures, but if you prefer a video I have found a couple of good ones on YouTube. The first one is a lady that uses the same method as me, and the second one is a lovely man who I follow on Facebook and his method is slightly different but just as good and a little bit quicker. I love his video’s because he’s so jolly! He’s got lots of great crafting videos on his YouTube account that I highly recommend, so take a browse around his channel while you are there.
VIDEO 1 – https://youtu.be/H0lI2-l93Rg?t=21
VIDEO 2 – How to Sew an Easy 20-minute Zipper Pouch with Mister Domestic – YouTube
PDF – Pocket with Zip – tutorial (click to view)
This is such an easy and satisfying project. Just mastering the zip feels great, and the finished article looks very accomplished. It makes a wonderful gift too. If you look at Etsy, sellers charge anything from £10 to £50 for bags like this and a high street store will ask £5 for a simple make up bag.
You could make a bag of equivalent quality at home for much less money. Actually, if you had two fat quarters and two zips you could make TWO bags for under £5. If you already have the fabric then a zip will cost around 75p. What a money saver! You could give it as a gift on it’s own or put some lovely toiletry items inside as a surprise.
This project is also great for adding embellishments that make it individual. Just a piece of lace or ribbon across the front or a bit of embroidery will make your bag extra special. If you are making it especially for a friend you could appliqué the initial of their name to the side. Gosh, the possibilities are endless!
Happy crafting!
Jan
