Zipper Pouches for Everyone! Christmas 2018! Yes, I said it...

Alright everyone, it's that time again......to start making your Christmas presents for next year! That's right, I said it. Don't get mad at me. You know starting in the fall is already too late.

To help get started with ideas, I will share with you what I made for everyone in my family for Christmas 2017. It all started last year when my younger sister finally peer pressured me into creating a Pinterest account. I was tired of her angrily yelling at me from across the room that she needed to be able to share pins with me. I finally caved and my attempt to back away from social media and embrace my Luddite ways had been overcome. Of course, I was immediately thrilled with the plethora of DIY patterns that the site has up for grabs. Pinterest has been a game changer and has completely re-inspired my love of DIY and sewing.

Because I have a very large family with a lot of female cousins, sisters aunts etc. (who all do gifts), I decided to make lined utility pouches for everyone in various prints. It's a money saver and very practical.

Below is the link to the original website from which I copied the pattern. It's called the 15 Minute Zipper Pouch. As a side note, as long as you don't have a cat trying to bite the zipper or sit on your fabric, this will go pretty quickly. And be careful binge watching Netflix while you do it as well...you might end up sewing wrong sides together and that will cost you some minutes. Just keep the ripping tool close by....

http://mellysews.com/2015/02/sew-zipper-pouch.html

All in all, I loved how easy these pouches were to sew!! They are my new favorite gift. And so useful! The website above has a great written, photographic, and video tutorial for different learning styles. I have also posted my own step by step photos below, along with a list of some tips that I would have found useful when starting the project.

TIPS:

1) Use a old cardboard box to make a rectangular template for your 4 fabric pieces.

2) If you have a pattern that has a distinct direction (up, down; side to side), remember to make sure both pieces of the lining or the outer fabric pieces are going in the same direction.

2) When you are sewing the zipper, open the zipper partially when you start and then before you reach the zipper tab, bring the needle down into the fabric to hold it still while you close the zipper midway through the stitch. That way you can maintain a straight stitch.

3) Before you top stitch the outer fabric pieces, iron them flat so it is easier to sew.

4) Heads up: Metal zippers are harder to shorten. I love the way they look, but they are a pain to alter.

5) The pattern calls for a 9" zipper to be used with a 9" pattern. However, if you do this, it means that you have to always shorten the zipper so that the zipper teeth do not go all the way to the end of the fabric. Shortening zippers is annoying. Especially if you have metal zipper teeth. It will potentially break your needles. I just made the fabric pattern an inch longer on each side so that I could use the 9" zippers without having to alter them.

6) If you are going to use a metal zipper and have to shorten it, you are going to need pliers to cut the teeth.

7) Did I mention metal zippers are frustrating to shorten? Just avoid it at all costs. Otherwise this is a 45 minute zipper pouch.

And we're off!...

Tip: Use a cardboard template to cut out your fabric pieces. Also, make it 2 inches longer than the website suggests to avoid having to shorten the zipper.

I used a sharpie to mark the template outline on the darker fabric since my fabric pencil was hard to see.

Don't forget: Right sides together!

Tip: Iron the place where to fabric and zipper meet in order to be able to top-stich more easily. It will also look more finished. Also, don't forget to avoid ironing to zipper itself since it could melt.