Cotton Zipper Pouches

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• 1/4 yd Cotton Fabric
• 1/4 yd Cotton Fabric (for lining)
• 9" Zipper
• Tape
• Basic Sewing Supplies
• Zipper Foot

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut two 8" x 10" pieces out of both your main fabric and your lining fabric.
2. Cut two small 1" x 2" pieces out of both your main fabric and your lining fabric, these will make the zipper tabs.
3. Open the zipper pull about an inch and a half and tape the teeth evenly together above the zipper stop and 1/2" below the zipper stop. (SEE DIAGRAM 1)
4. Right sides together, line up your main fabric zipper tabs so that the bulk of the tab rests on the zipper teeth and a short end extends about 1/2" past the zipper stop. Place the lining tabs on the wrong side of the zipper, match them with the main tabs, and pin together as a sandwich - main tab, zipper, lining tab. (SEE DIAGRAM 2)
5. Line the edge of your sewing machine's presser foot up with the stop of the zipper (so that you don't accidentally sew over it) and sew across, going backwards and forwards a couple times. Press tabs to the right side with your iron. (SEE DIAGRAM 3 AND DIAGRAM 4)
6. Change your sewing machine's presser foot to a zipper foot for the following steps.
7. Right sides together, match up and center a main fabric piece with the zipper edge. Pin and sew 1/8" in from the edge - stop about 1" away from the zipper pull with your needle down, lift your presser foot up, move the zipper pull out of the way, and continue sewing the rest of the way. (SEE DIAGRAM 5)
8. Arrange zipper and fabric piece so that they are facing right side up. Right sides together, match up and center remaining main fabric piece with the remaining zipper edge. Pin and sew 1/8" from the edge. (SEE DIAGRAM 6 AND DIAGRAM 7)
9. Arrange zipper and fabric pieces so that they are facing right side up. Fold the main fabric pieces right sides together and flip over so that the wrong side of the zipper is facing up. (SEE DIAGRAM 8 AND DIAGRAM 9)
10. With the wrong side of the zipper to right side of the lining piece, match up and center the lining piece with the zipper edge. Pin and sew 1/4" from the edge. (SEE DIAGRAM 10)
11. Flip the lining so that it is right side up. (SEE DIAGRAM 11)
12. Flip all fabric pieces down from the remaining zipper edge. With the wrong side of the zipper to the right side of the lining piece, match up and center the remaining lining piece with the remaining zipper edge. Pin and sew 1/4" from the edge. (SEE DIAGRAM 12)
13. Flip all pieces right side up, and press flat with iron. (SEE DIAGRAM 13)
14. Topstitch 1/8" in from the edge on both sides of the zipper. (SEE DIAGRAM 14 AND DIAGRAM 15)
15. Match main pieces right sides together and lining pieces right sides together. (SEE DIAGRAM 16)
16. Pull main pieces and lining pieces taut and fold the zipper tabs in half towards the lining. (SEE DIAGRAM 17 AND DIAGRAM 18)
17. Change the zipper foot back to your sewing machine's presser foot for the remaining steps.
18. Pin and sew 1/4" from the raw edge. (SEE DIAGRAM 19)
19. Make sure that your zipper is open before sewing around the outside edges.
20. Mark a 3" space along the bottom edge of the lining. Begin sewing 1/2" from the edge at one end of the opening and stop sewing at the other end of the opening. (SEE DIAGRAM 20)
21. Cut the points off your corners, keeping the edge 1/8" away from the stitching. (SEE DIAGRAM 21)
22. Flip your pouch right side out through the 3" opening in the lining. (SEE DIAGRAM 22)
23. Use a point turner or something else thin and slightly rounded (a pencil eraser, the eye of a yarn needle, etc.) to push the points of the pouch out. (SEE DIAGRAM 23)
24. Press flat with iron and sew opening closed.
25. Push lining in and zip closed. (SEE DIAGRAM 24)

JOANN HACKS:

• Iron after each step for crispness and to make each piece easier to work with.
• Whenever the zipper foot approaches the zipper pull, stop about 1" away from the zipper pull with your needle down, lift your presser foot up, move the zipper pull out of the way, and continue sewing the rest of the way.