mini quilted zipper pouch {a free tutorial}

Happy Monday, everyone!

As promised, I'm back with a free tutorial on how to make a mini quilted zipper pouch.

Let's start, shall we?

Finished size:  2.75" wide x 2.5" tall x 2" deep

Notes: 

- use 1/4" seam allowance unless otherwise noted

- light to mid - weight quilting cotton is recommended for exterior and lining

- use only low loft batting (I usually use Warm and White), avoid polyester batting as it's too poofy for these pouches 

Materials needed:

exterior fabric: two 4.25" tall x 5.25" wide rectangles

lining fabric: two 4.25" tall x 5.25" wide rectangles

batting: two 6" x 8" rectangles
4" zipper (metal or nylon depending on your preference)
0.5" wide x 1.75" long ribbon for side tab (optional)

505 basting spray or basting pins
disappearing fabric pen
ruler
zipper foot for your sewing machine

Exterior panels
1. Baste batting to wrong sides of exterior panels. Quilt panels as desired. Trim all the extra batting off.

2. Place one exterior panel right side up on a flat surface. Use ruler and disappearing fabric pen to mark a 1" square along the two bottom corners. Cut on the drawn lines so your exterior panel looks like the one pictured below. Finish second exterior panel following the same directions.

3. (skip to the next step if not using ribbon for a tab) Fold ribbon in half. Use 1/8" seam allowance and baste it to the left side of one exterior panel about 3/4" from the top edge.

Lining
4. Place lining panels on a flat surface. Mark and cut out 1" squares along both bottom corners as you did for exterior panels.

Zipper
5. Bend zipper tape on both ends of zipper at 45 degree angle towards wrong side of zipper tape. Baste within seam allowance either by hand or by machine to secure in place. Trim off extra zipper tape if desired.

6. Center zipper right side down along the top raw edge of exterior panel. Align the zipper tape with exterior's top raw edge, pin to hold in place. Baste using 1/8" seam allowance and your sewing machine zipper foot, taking the pins out as you sew.

7. Place exterior panel with zipper attached right side up on a flat surface. Place lining right side down on top, align all the edges and pin along the top edge (zipper is sandwiched in between the two layers). Use the edge of your zipper foot as a guide and stitch along the top pinned edge taking the pins out as you go. Press both exterior and lining away from zipper.

8. Follow the same directions to attach second exterior as well as lining panel to the zipper. Press both panels away from zipper.

9. Push the lining up towards zipper and use 1/8" seam allowance to stitch along exterior panel and zipper seam. Do not stitch through the lining. Refer to picture below. Stitch along the second exterior + zipper seam following the same directions.

Final Assembly
10. Open the zipper about half way. Align exterior panels on top of each other and linings on top of each other as well. Pin or clip all the way around. Stitch along the side and bottom edges, make sure to leave a 2" opening in the lining's bottom seam. Press the seams open.

11. Align one side and one bottom seam over each other to stitch the gusset (corner of your pouch) closed. Clip/ pin to prevent shifting and stitch along the raw edges using 1/4" seam allowance. Stitch the second exterior gusset as well as two lining gussets closed following the same directions.

12. Turn the pouch right side out through the opening in the lining. Stitch the lining closed and push it gently inside the exterior. Use your fingers to gently push the zipper and bottom corners out.

13. Give your pouch one final press if needed and you're all finished. Congratulations!!!

Hope you have tons of fun making these little cuties.  And, as always, if you make a project using any of my tutorials please add it to my Flickr group or use #sotakhandmade if posting on Instagram.

Svetlana