Monday, March 17, 2008

Sewing a zippered pocket

For my pilates bag I decided I wanted a spot to keep a few coins to feed the meters so I wouldn't have to dig all the time into my purse, car, wallet to find a couple quarters plus I figure with the zipper there's the potential to keep more valuables in there too like my ipod, credit card, and paper cash type stuff. Oh or maybe it's because I found this cool tutorial on making a zippered coin purse and just had to try it out. Thanks for the tutorial, Sally!

Step 1: Cut 2 pieces 5 x 7 1/4 + 1 piece of lightweight fusable interfacing. Fuse pieces together.
Step 2: Cut a zipper down to 5" with 1/2" on each end and remove teeth 1/2" on each end. Use interfacing to secure ends and zig zag stitch over the teeth to secure it.
Step 3: Center zipper upside down on RS of fabric with edges matching. Sew to fabric down the center of the zipper edge closest to the edge. I like to use double sided webbing to secure the zipper where I want as you can see by the little strips I've fused to the zipper.
Step 4: Flip zipper edge under so that the zipper is visible by about 1/4". Check the alignment of the sides by bringing the end without the zipper up to the zipper edge; all edges should line up. Sew the zipper down the center of the side that is over the fold. I'm using a decorative stitch to secure it since this will be the top flap. I found the edge by holding the piece up to the light and marked it with a piece of tape. You can also use invisible ink or a fabric marking pencil. I want my stitching to be just less than 1/4" from tape so like 3/16. I was going to do a decorative stitch to seam it closed, but my machine isn't liking the bulk so I just have a pretty plain stitch.
Step 5: Bring unfinished edge of pocket up to the other edge of the zipper RS facing. Pin the edges together so that the RS of the pocket and the RS of the zipper are being pinned facing eachother. Make sure the flap from the other side of the zipper lays flat. Pin and seam.
Step 6: Open zipper. With zipper bottom facing up lower the zipper so that about 3/8" of WS is showing above the zipper. This will give that pocket flap about 1" betwen the zipper and the top of the pocket (this is facing inside right now). Seam up the sides at 1/4"
Step 7: Snip the corners and turn RS out. Use a pencil tip or scissor points to push the corners out being careful not to push through the fabric. Ta-Da!

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