Sew A Colorful Printed Zipper Pouch

I’m a bit of a sewing and crafting hoarder. I save all the leftover pieces from my projects – scrap fabric, string and ribbon, tiny pieces of Velcro.. The list goes on.  An item I have an especially hard time discarding is the left over freezer paper bits from when I print on fabric.

I love using my Silhouette machine to cut unique freezer paper designs, and to my husband’s dismay I always save the little pieces for a rainy day.

While I was using my Silhouette Cameo a few weeks ago my 4 year old wanted to ‘help”.  He loves to feed the cutting mat into the machine and then push all the buttons! I had saved a bunch of arrow and house freezer paper pieces from previous projects and thought it would be an easy activity to do together.. I let him choose the fabric paint colors, create the layout and then he painted the canvas fabric. Ok, I helped a bit. But the perfectionist in me had to sit back as he painted and just let him go at it. The end result was beautiful!

After we painted the fabric, I promised him I would sew the canvas fabric into a little pouch. While I’m not sure he will use the pouch.. I will probably  “borrow” it from him because it turned out so cute.

Want to make a printed pouch? Materials needed:

• Canvas fabric – outside
• Cotton fabric – lining
• Silhouette machine
• Freezer paper and/or left over cut designs from a Silhouette project
• Fabric paint, sponge and craft paper – The Tulip brand or Martha Stewart work great.
• Zipper
• Disappearing fabric pen
• Sewing supplies
• Iron and ironing board

Let’s get started:

Step 1 – Print the fabric. The arrows in this project are Karla Dudley’s  “filled arrows” design. Lay the left over pieces in a random fashion on scrap fabric. Iron in place. Squirt fabric paint onto a plate, dip the sponge into the paint and dab gently away at the fabric. While the paint is still wet remove the freezer paper bits. Set aside to dry.

Step 2 – Cut the fabric. Cut the outside and lining fabric into rectangles. In this case, I cut the 2 printed outside pieces into rectangles measuring 12-1/2″ x 7″. I also cut 2 rectangles in the lining fabric the same size. For the zipper tabs, I cut 2 canvas rectangles measuring 3″ x 2″.

Step 3 – Cut the zipper down to fit the pouch. For this pouch size, the zipper was cut to 11″ long. Place a zipper tab at each end and topstitch on either side of the tab. Need help sewing the tabs? Check my tutorial here.. From each side seam, measure inwards at the top edge 5/8″” and mark with the disappearing fabric pen.

Step 3 – Place the zipper face down along the top edge. Each zipper tab should hit the 5/8″ mark. Pin. Change to zipper foot, place into your sewing machine and stitch down.

Step 4 – Lay the lining fabric on top of the outside fabric. The zipper should be sandwiched between the canvas/outside fabric and the cotton/lining fabric. Pin. Place into your sewing machine and stitch down. For best results, turn over and follow the first stitch line. Press in place. Open the canvas and lining and press again.

Step 5 – Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the other side. Press again. Topstitch along each side of the zipper.

Step 6 – Now it’s time to sew the pouch together. Open the zipper halfway. This is an important step for later, so please remember to open your zipper. Fold the zipper and the tabs in half. Lay the canvas pieces on top of each other, right sides facing and the lining pieces on top of each other, right sides facing. Match at all sides and pin. Place into your sewing machine and stitch together with a 3/8″ – 1/2″ seam allowance. When sewing the lining together, leave a 2″ – 3″ opening along the bottom seam. Press. Trim the corners.

Step 7 – Pull right side out through the opening in the lining [this is where opening the zipper comes into play]. Wiggle corners into place. Press all seams.

Step 8 – Pin the opening in the lining closed and stitch closed.

That’s it.. Cute, right? Plan on saving your freezer paper bits? if so, what would you make?

Want to see the project where the arrows came from, click here. How about the little houses, click here. I have another project where I saved my little freezer bits.. Click here for the cutest little hello gift bag around!

Happy Sewing!