Sewing zippers in bags 1. (aka Boomerang zippered pouch with pocket and loop)

**UPDATE** If you'd like this tutorial (and any of my others) in PDF format click here.

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Had a quiet weekend (still recovering from last weekend in Dublin!).  My folks popped over for a visit and we ate out (and too much) in a nice Chinese restaurant.  Afterwards Dad drove us back to my house whilst I feel asleep in the back seat.  Even at 30ish years old I still think that sleeping in the back seat of your folks car is one of the nicest thingzzzzzz.

I thought I would get another tutorial together, this time it's zippers.  The amount of times I've been asked to get a zipper tutorial sorted!!!  This one is for you Lizzie (heh! heh!).

This tutorial is for a dinky zippered pouch which has a clear outside pocket for your ID, tube/subway pass, or credit cards etc. and a loop for attaching the pouch to your bag or keys etc.

Click on any of the pictures to make them bigger.

Front view of Boomerang zippered pouch'  9cm (H) x 10cm (W) with handy clear pocket for cards and what not.  WHAT IS THIS POUCH ATTACHED TO?  FIND OUT IN MY NEXT POST...

   

Inside view


Here's how I put it together

Shopping list (as if you were buying from a shop, if not using stash fabrics)

• 0.5 yard of Boomerang Beat fabric
• 0.5 yard lining
• 0.5 clear plastic (if you don't have any plastic handy, substitute for a piece of Boomerang fabric 16cm (H) x 12cm (W)
• 1x 15cm zip
• 1 x 13mm D-Ring

NB: All seam allowances are 1cm (3/8") unless otherwise stated.

 
1.   Cut your fabric pieces as shown in the photo below.

Do as the blue writing says.

2.   My zipper is too long! - so I have to adjust it (if your zipper is just right you can skip this step and go make yourself a cup of tea.  Measure your zip against the length of one of the exterior pieces and mark the line.

Trim off the excess zipper and secure the raw edge of the zipper by sewing quite a few (wide, but short length) zig zag stitches 5mm from the edge.  This will ensure that the zipper doesn't go wandering off.

Trim zipper to your desired size and secure with loads of zig zag stitches.  Note: do not try this with metal zips!

3.   Make tape for clear pocket  trim -  Take the 17cm  boomerang fabric strip (wrong side up) fold it half length ways, and press.  Open out and fold the long edges up to the crease line you have just made.   Divide the  tape into 12cm &  5cm lengths.  Set the 5cm aside for the next step.

If you're making a boomerang fabric pocket fold the pocket in half (right side out) by bringing the short edges together and topstitching the crease line.  You will still need to make tape but you'll only need the 5cm length.

See how the tape looks like a book dust jacket?  You can also use (wider) tapes for handle loops, or bag/shoulder straps.

3.   Sew the tape trim onto the pocket - place the tape over one of the long edges of the plastic and stitch the tape onto the plastic close to the bottom edge of the tape.  Match up the pocket (with it's nice new trim) with the sides and bottom of the exterior piece and baste the sides and bottom of the pocket a few mms from the edge.

Take the 5cm tape and topstich the long open edge shut.  Thread the metal D-ring onto the tape and fold the tape in half.  Position the tape (with it's ring) just above the edge of the pocket as shown by my rubbish blue drawing (drawing was never my strong point, sewing always was and will be my thing!).  I forgot to take a photos of this bit!

If making a fabric pocket; place the pocket with the topstitched edge (facing away from you) onto one of the exterior pieces, baste in place and make the tape (with it's D-ring) as directed above. 

Sew the tape onto pocket, baste pocket onto exterior piece,  position the tape and D-ring as shown by dodgy blue picture, and baste in place.

4.  Sew the 1st half of the zipper - make a sandwich (starting from the bottom) lining piece (right side up), zipper (right side up) in middle, and exterior piece with pocket (wrong side up) on the top.  Carefully match up the top edges and pin together.

Attach your zipper foot to machine and sew along the top edge only.  Stitch a few mms from the top edge.

Make a 3 layered sandwich and pin as shown.

5.  Topstitch exterior to zip for neatness - Flip the layers over so that the right sides of exterior and the lining are facing outwards.  Topstitch the exterior 2 mm from the edge of the exterior (stitching through the 3 layers) as shown in photo for neatness.  Repeat steps 4 - 5 for the other half of the zipper.

Topstitch along the top edge of the exterior for neatness.

This should be the result!         

6.   Sewing the purse - Make sure the zipper is unzipped.  Flip the layers of the purse over so that the right sides of the lining and the exterior are touching each other.  Match up all of the edges of the layers (the zip will naturally curve towards the lining) pin all around.

Stitch the sides and bottom (in one continuous line) of the purse ensuring that you leave a  8cm gap as shown by my wonky blue arrow.  Clip off all of the corners. 

Ensure that your zipper is open!  Arrange the layers as shown and pin.

Follow my wonky blue arrow, stitch the sides a bottom sewing right through the zip and all, leaving an 8cm gap.  Clip them corners!

7.   Turn your purse right side out through the gap -  push the corners out and smooth everything down.  Ohh, so that's why the zipper needed to be open!

8.   Sew gap in lining closed - stitch gap in lining shut by pushing in raw edges into the hole and top stitching closed.  You're done!   There, see?  Zippers only look scary; they only want to be loved like everybody else!

Shut your gap, and hey presto! a dinky coin pouch with pocket!

 

Comments

[Peggy]

Hi. This is amazing! Found you through the bloke's network. Again, this is amazing! Great purses. They are beautiful.

[whitney-anne]

You star! Thank you so much for the zipper tutorial - I shall go away and practise

[joyce]

thanks for sharing!

[girlymama]

THANKS!

I've never tried zippers. I'll have to give it a whirl and see how I do....

[shareta]

it was just yesterday as i began work on a pillow that i said to myself, "wow, it'd be really cool to add a zipper compartment to this so you could hide stuff inside the pillow." now your tutorial will help me succeed. thanks!

[Beth Howard]

Thanks to you for a FANTASTIC tutorial--it's wonderful! i'm going to go make one right now.

[Lisa]

Thanks Everyone!!

I'm glad that it's useful to you :)

[Allisa]

Hi! Thanks for the great tutorial! Very helpful & love the blog/site. Question: I've tried making these little coin purses in various sizes & fabrics...however, my zippers always end up a bit wierd at the ends. They always seem to "curl" into seam- i'm not sure if this is just how it is once zippers are put in but mine always seem unsmooth. Any ideas/suggestions?

[Enthral]

Great tutorial. :)

[Kate]

Hi! super tutorial, looking forward to making it! Just a quick question though, where do you get the plastic from? Don't think I've ever seen it in a fabric shop... Or can you just use any old plastic sheet?

[kcharlton]

Gulp! You're so right about sleeping in the car while Dad's driving. It's been 20 years since I did it in Texas, but it's the purest sleep on Earth...

[Lisa]

ahh...purest sleep on earth, that's a great description. I don't much of that kinda sleep anymore, lol!

[benita lee]

just found your site think little pouch purse is lovely must have a try

[Deb C]

I just tried your *fantastic* tutorial this weekend. It was very easy to follow and my very first sewing experience with zippers (yes, I'm a beginner who was scared of zippers). I made two of these zippered pouches. The only piece I'm missing is the lobster claw clip to attach a matching wrist strap. It will arrive in my order from you and then I'll create a matching strap. Thanks so much for sharing your bag making knowledge with us. Keep those tutorials coming!

[Clare]

Thank you very much for this tutorial. I hadn't set in a zip for years and I had a go following your instructions last week. I was very pleased with the result and it has given me the confidence to not shy away from projects that include zips!
P.S. I have posted the pouch on my blog - http://www.daisydecor.co.uk/blog/teeny-purse-and-mp3-player-cosy/

[Emmie Thelander]

Thank you so much. I've been trying to figure out the lined purses with a zipper forever. Amazing.

[fiona]

your brillant woman!!!!zipper love all the way from melbourne australia*****i have been fighting and saying very nasty, hurtful thing to these little creatures for the longest time until u came along.soo easy...thankyou u-handbag :0)

[Kylie]

Great tutorial, could this method be used to make a zippered shoulder bag or a tote as well?

[Freesia]

WOW.I just made one of these. I made a quilt once, but have never tackled anything with thick fabric, plastic or zippers. I have to say I had little faith in myself, but toward the end... when I could see the final product emerging, a wave of pride blew over me. I will post pictures later, but I had to run and say THANK YOU!
Your instructions are brilliant and now I know what to make for the holidays!
CHEERS!

[Liz]

Another local purse maker directed me to your blog. I love it! I think you helped me break through my fear of zippers. I get requests all the time, but shun the zipper. Basically, I've been too lazy to try to figure out a clean way of sewing them in, so I just ignore and hide. Thank you thank you thank you. Your instructions and photos are great! Zippers, here I come!- a new fan in Austin, Texas- Liz

[Janice]

I can't thank you enough for the purse/zipper tutorial! My friend asked me to make a purse similar to the one you showed and I had absolutely no idea how to do it as I had never sewed a zipper before. Your clear, step-by-step instructions and detailed photos were the best by far that I could find in the internet. My purse looks pretty good for for a first attempt (if I do say so myself) and my friend loves it! Thanks!!!!

[Anna]

This is a great tutorial. Thanks!

[dianee]

Hi.wonder if you can help. years ago I bought 5000 very long, very strong pins and have never been able to find where to buy them since. They do not bend, and have been using some pins for years but need more. i make curtains. Dp you know where I could buy them in melbourne.
thanks dianne

[buse]

thank you wery muck Iam from çorum my telephone number 4546558

[Hannah]

fantastic tutorial! i have made a few ojects with zips now and am getting moe confident each time. There was one thing i was wondering if you could help me on. As someone mentioned above, my zips always seem to bend into the purse or pencil case and don't seem very neat. This doesn't happen on bought products and i was wondering what I could do to solve this. Please could you help if you have time!! thanks