Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Peeking Stag Zipper Pouch

Do you ever have those days when sewing inspiration strikes out of nowhere? I wish I had them more often than I do and I wish even more so that I had the time to act on them when they come. Today was one of the far and few in between, magical days where the inspiration and the time landed at the same time. Well, I sorta, kinda had to rearrange (by rearrange, I mean neglect) a few things to figure out the time, but it all worked out and I love the finished product.

Get your kit at loulousfabricshop.com and make your own!




Peeking Stag Zipper Pouch Tutorial

Finished Size: 10 1/2" x 12 1/2"

Material Requirements:
  • 16 Mini Charm Squares or 2 1/2" squares (We used a Hello Darling Mini Charm Pack)
  • 1/6 yard for pouch top and stag (aqua pictured)
  • 1/2 Yard background and pouch back fabric (I used Moda Cross Weave in Black)
  • Binding fabric per you favorite method
  • 6" square of Wonder Under
  • 12" x 14" batting
  • 12"-14" zipper
  • Cute zipper charm (I mean, come on, this is a must!)

Select and lay out 16 Mini Charm Squares (or 2.5" fabric squares) as pictured.

Sew top row of 5 together.
Sew bottom row of 5 together.
Sew each side (3 squares) together as pictured.


Press all seams open.

Cut a 6.5" square of vinyl.
Cut (2) 6 1/2" x 2 1/2" strips of lining fabric - I used Black Moda Cross Weave. 
Layer one assembled 3-square side strip of fabric right side up, vinyl square and then one strip of lining fabric and sew 1/4 seam.


Repeat the layering on the other side and again sew 1/4" seam.
Turn right sides out on both sides, pressing carefully as to not melt the vinyl. 
(That would be a gosh awful mess that you really don't want).
It should now look like this:


Cut (2) 10 1/2" x 2 1/2" lining strips.

Layer the assembled 5-square top strip of fabric right side up, vinyl square and then one strip of lining fabric and sew 1/4 seam just as you did with the sides.
Repeat with the bottom. Carefully press open.


This is what your soon to be zipper pouch should look like at this point:


Stay stitch around the entire outside of your square.


Decorative stitch around as you desire. I chose a simple straight stitch around the vinyl as pictured:


Place 12" zipper face down on top of pouch, secure with clips.


Stitch length of zipper. Press open and top stitch close along seam.



Cut (1) 4" x 12" strip of coordinating fabric, fold in half length wise and iron.
Stitch to the opposite of the zipper as pictured.


Press open and top stitch close to seam.


The back will look like this:

Slide zipper to the middle of the square and stay stitch each end of the zipper as pictured.


Trim off excess zipper as shown.





Cut 11 1/2" x 13 1/2" square for stag background. I used Black Moda Cross Weave.
Cut 6" square stag fabric
Cut 6" square Wonder Under.
Print and cut out your stag pattern or draw your own. (I'm just not that talented.) I used the same stag pattern that I used for my Stag Pillow Duo Tutorial and resized it to fit within the 6" x 6" vinyl window.
Iron your stag fabric to the Wonder Under. (Wrong side of fabric to "rough" side of Wonder Under - per the directions found on your Wonder Under.)


Tape your stag cutout to the paper side of the Wonder Under and trace around it.


Because the pattern was so small, I simply used a highlighter and drew around the pattern which made it much quicker. 


Cut the stag out, peel off paper and position stag over the background fabric. I used the completed top of the pouch and positioned it over the background fabric and stag cutout to determine exact placement before I ironed it down. 
Iron stag to background fabric.





Cut 12" x 14" piece of batting.
Cut 12" x 14" pouch back fabric.
Layer back fabric right side down, batting and then stag top right side up.
Using spray adhesive, adhere the three layers together.


Quilt as desired. I chose a simple straight stitch 1/4" apart, using Aurifil 50wt 2024.



And of course, be sure to make time for machine problems. I was due, apparently.


Okay, now you are ready to pin the pouch top to the back as pictured.

Trim back to match all four sides of top.


Baste around entire outer edge of pouch.


Bind per your favorite method. 


I may or may not have gotten carried away with the wonder clips. I'll let you decide.


Add your cute zipper pull.


Sit and admire your work while you consume a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup.





There you have it! A cute Peeking Stag Zipper Pouch!




We'd love to see your zipper pouch! Please share on social media and tag LouLou's Fabric Shop and use hashtags #icansosewthis & #loulousfabricshop!