Dotty Pouches Free Sewing Tutorial and Pattern | DIY Bags, Purses, Sewing purses
Supplies: You’ll need three colors for the outside of each pouch and two each for the lining. These are fat quarters and I mixed and matched. I used nine different colors for my set. Sew Lux is selling the Mochi dots as individual fat quarters, so pick your palette! You’ll also need a nylon zipper for each one. I really like Atkinson zippers. These are 14″ zippers that we will cut to size.
You will also need 1 yard of fusible fleece and 1 yard of 1/4″ cording.
Note: If you’re working from scraps, refer to the cutting directions in the next step for precise measurements.
Cutting: Cut one 2 x 12″ piece of each of the accent fabrics for each pouch.
Cut two 6 x 9″ pieces of Color A for each pouch.
And two 8 1/2 x 9″ pieces of Color B for each pouch.
Cut two 14 x 8 1/2″ pieces for the lining for each pouch. I used the leftover half of my fat quarter after cutting Color A & Color B. (Only four pictured, but cut six.)
Cut six 14 x 9 1/2″ pieces of fusible fleece and three 12″ pieces of cording.
TO MAKE ALL THREE POUCHES, you will have to repeat all the steps for each pouch. I recommend making all three at the same time.
1. Making the Piping: Fold a 2″ accent fabric around a piece of cording. Sew a seam approximately 1/8″ from the cording using your zipper foot. The cording will be loosely contained in the accent fabric.
Trim the piping to 5/8″.
2. Making the Color Blocks: Sew together Color A & Color B using a 1/4″ seam along the 9″ edge. Press the seam open.
Place the color block piece on a piece of fusible fleece. Fuse the middle. Do not fuse the edges. Because of the thickness of fusible fleece, you need to press from the fabric side. The fusible fleece pieces are slightly oversized.
Trim the fusible fleece to be flush with the fabric.
Press the edges of the fusible fleece to fuse. These few extra steps are to ensure a clean edge with your fabric and fusible fleece.
3. Adding the Accent Piping: Cut a 3″ band off the top of ONE Color Block piece. (Pardon the color change! I took pictures of different pouches.)
Lay the piping along the edge of the larger piece. Using your zipper foot, sew just inside the previous seam.
NOTE: The piping is only 12″, so center it along the larger piece. You’ll trim later and it will work out.
Lay the smaller piece RIGHT SIDES together with the larger piece and with the piping in the middle. Make sure to align the color blocks. Pin.
Sew approximately 1″, with 1/2″ on either side of the color block seam.
Make sure the color blocks align.
Sew as close to the cording as you can using your zipper foot. Your seam should be just inside your previous seam.
Press your seam allowance towards the small piece.
Topstitch along the top of the piping. Make sure the seam allowance is pointed up and you are sewing through it as you topstitch.
NOTE: I used a #10 foot on my Bernina and moved the needle over two spots.
Trim 1/2″ off the OTHER color block piece (the one without the piping). This should make them both measure 14 x 8 1/2″.
4. Cutting Angles: Lay two pieces of lining and two color block pieces right sides together on top of each other.
Lay the pieces on your cutting mat. Cut from 1 1/2″ in at the top to the bottom corner.
This is what you should have.
If you want to add zipper covers, check out this tutorial!
5. Attaching the Zipper: Lay the zipper facedown along the top edge of a Color Block piece. Sew a scant 1/4″ seam attaching the zipper.
Lay the lining along the edge of the zipper. The lining and the Color Block piece are right sides together with the zipper in the middle. Sew a liberal 1/4″ seam.
Fold back both pieces. Press. Topstitch along the edge of the fabric.
Now you will repeat these steps with the other Color Block piece and lining. Place your Color Block pieces right sides together. Make sure to align the seams.
Pin. Sew a scant 1/4″ seam just 1″ long, 1/2″ on either side of the pins.
Make sure the color blocks align.
Once you’re happy with the alignment, sew scant 1/4″ seam all the way across attaching the zipper. Lay the longing piece along the edge of the zipper; it will be right sides together with the other lining piece.
Press. Top stitch along the edge of the fabric.
This is what you should have.
6. Forming the Pouch: UNZIP THE ZIPPER HALFWAY! Fold the two outside Color Block pieces right sides together. Align the seam between the two colors.
SIDENOTE: I would normally sew up the sides of a pouch first. I just did this one differently because of the color blocks.
Sew a 1/2″ seam along the bottom edge. (You can also do the trick of sewing just 1″ around where the seams align and making sure you like the line up.)
DID YOU UNZIP THE ZIPPER HALFWAY?! Don’t forget! Sew from just above the zipper to the bottom on each side of the pouch with a 1/2″ seam. Sew back and forth across the zipper a few times.
Sew 1/2″ seams down the both sides of the lining. Along the bottom, sew in approximately 2 1/2″ from each corner leaving an open section. It should look like this.
Fold in the corners. Align the seams. You should be able to feel them align. Make sure to press the bottom seam allowance in the same direction. Draw a line 1 1/2″ from the corner.
Stitch along the line. Repeat for all four corners, two on the outside and two in the lining. This is what you should have.
Trim the zipper. Cut a bit of a dip. Do NOT cut the seam. Cut both sides.
Turn the bag right side out. Use a chopstick or similar blunt point to push out corners. Don’t use scissors or a seam ripper. Tempting, I know. This is what you should have.
Fold in the opening on the lining and top stitch it closed.
You’re done!! Three magical pouches!
Happy pouch making!
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