Sewing Zippers in Bags 2. (aka Zippered inner bag pocket)

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

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Here is a tutrorial for zippered pockets inside bags.  They look smart, they prevent your valuables from going 'walkies', they make essentials such as lippy and your mirror easy to get at, and a girl can never have too many pockets in her bag!  This one is for you Katie :)

A zippered pocket in one of the lining pieces of my bag-to-be.  When inserting pockets into linings always sew the pocket in your lining first before sewing the lining pieces together!

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 fabric for pocket
• 0.5 yard of Vilene Firm Iron-on
  
• 1x 7" Zip

Click on any of the pictures to make them bigger.

1.   Cut your pocket pieces - cut 2 pocket pieces, and 2 interfacing/stabilizer pieces to the same size.  Mine are 25cm (W) x 18cm (H).  Also cut 1 more interfacing piece to the same width as the pocket pieces x 7cm high.

Iron the same sized interfacing onto the wrong side of pocket pieces.  Now take the smaller interfacing piece and place it onto one of the interfaced pocket pieces, match the top edges and iron on.  The extra layer of interfacing at the top this pocket piece will add necessary strength to the pocket, enabling it to take the weight of your wallet and keys etc.  This double interfaced pocket piece will be the front of the pocket.

Sew some stitches around the end of the zip to secure the zip halves (as shown in the pic)

Sew this end of the zip together.

2.   Measure and mark the hole for the zip -  Position the double interfaced pocket piece wrong side up onto your bag lining piece (where you want the zip to be placed), and pin.  Take your zip and measure the length of the zipper teeth (not the length of the zipper itself; as shown by the blue markers in the photo).  The length of my zipper teeth were 19cm. 

Mark a rectangle that is as wide as length of your zipper teeth x 1cm high.  My rectangle is 19cm (W) x 1cm (H).  In the middle of the rectangle mark a center line with a triangle at either end (as shown by the black lines in the photo).

Sew the front pocket piece onto the bag lining piece by sewing only all around the rectangle (which is blue in my photo).

Only sew around the blue rectangle, the black lines are for the next bit...

3.   Make the rectangular hole for the zip - Make an incision into the BLACK LINE using a seam ripper then get happy with your scissors.  Only cut the black line and the 'V' of the triangles - don't get too close to the stitching with them scissors!!  You will be cutting though your front pocket  piece and your bag lining  (and any interfacing that you may have on your bag lining -  which I do, as it happens) all at once.

Pull the front pocket piece though the hole you have just made.  That's right,  every single bit of the pocket is has to pull thru.

Just cut thru the black lines!  Push/pull all of the lining thru the hole.

This should be the result on the front and back (after a bit of persuasive ironing!)

4.   Sew zipper to bag lining - pin the zipper to the hole in the bag lining.  I haven't used that many pins because it's all a bit too bulky for me.  Not to worry though, you'll find that once you have sewn a few stitches, you'll be able to move the zip and the hole around a bit so you can straighten up as you sew.  Stitch the zipper to the hole about 2mm from the edge.  Do take your time, you can't rush these things!

Pin zipper to hole in lining.  Stitch zipper to lining 2mm form the edge.  Go SLOW and you'll have half a chance of sewing straight!

5.   Finish assembling the pocket - place the back pocket piece (wrong side up) onto the front pocket piece and pin.  Fold the top edge of the bag lining down out of the way so you can begin to stitch the 2 pocket pieces together without stitching through the bag lining (because we don't want those stitches to show on our bag lining, well I don't want them to anyway).  Sew all around the pocket keeping the bag lining out of the way as you sew.  Ta Dah you're done!  That wasn't too bad and it's looks really profesh. too!!

Pin the pocket and sew all the way around and you're done!
 

Comments

[Zoe]

Lisa, you just read my mind! Great tutorial. Feeling mucho better now thanks!!!

[Lisa]

Glad it's gonna be useful to you.

It's great that you're feeling better. Yay!!

x

[Katie]

Big thanks Lisa, you're a shining star. x

[whitney-anne]

How easy you've made it look!! It surely beats how I've been doing it... I cant thank you enough

[Lisa]

You're most welcome Katie & Whitney-Anne. I'm glad that it'll help :)

[LaVonne Ellis]

Thanks for this great tutorial. I came across it just in time to add a zippered pocket to the evening bag I was making for my friend. Here's what it looks like, inside and out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bornfamous/396810580/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bornfamous/398878028/

[Debbie]

Thankyou for brilliant, easy to follow instructions and photos. I picked up a bag kit from a sewing show and I have not sewn for years and forgot how to insert a zipper like this. You made it simple as!!! And the comment and link to LaVonne Ellis helped as well. I'm saving this site in my favourites!!

[LeeAnn]

I wanted to leave a note saying I used these instructions to sew in my first zipper. It turned out fabulous!

[string*THEORY]

brilliant. thats all i can say to that.

[Rita Blake]

Thanks Lisa. What a fantastically easy-peasy way of creating a zippered pocket!
Rita

[Krystal]

WOW! Mystery solved. Now I can actually stop reusing the zippered pockets I cut out of an old Kenneth Cole bag and make some for my next handbag! THANKS for the awesome tutorial!

[urbanknit]

finally i learn how to!

[angela]

I appreciate this info soooo much. My bogs look much more profesh.
You have totally inspired me to get going on mu bag making, and put some stuff up on etsy.
Thank you Thank you.
angela

[Jan]

Great tutorial, will certainly try it the next time I need a zippered pocket. Thank you

[Sierra]

thank you thank you

[cmiyagi]

Thank you very much for this lesson! I love it! Also, thank you for the website!! Will tell all my crafty friends.

[Kris]

Thank you so much for the tutorial, I used it when making a bag for my sister for christmas, first time EVER putting a zipper in anything! Your instructions made it a cinch, I would have had no idea otherwise, thank you so much!

[Gerry]

I wanted to thank you for these instructions. I learned this technique once upon a time but could not remember it and I needed to put a zip welt pocket in a coat, so I did a google search and found this page. Your directions are super clear and easy. My pocket is done and I am very pleased!

[emily]

Sweet! I was wondering how this was done. Now to try it myself...

[florida rentals]

Just wanted to take time to thank you for this nice site. I found it by accident but I will return for sure. Lots of helpful information that I found very interesting. Thanks again.

[Kim]

Thank you SOOO much, you're tutorial saved me from having to admit to an Etsy customer that I had NO IDEA how to do an interior zippered pocket. I followed your directions exactly and it came out perfectly. Thank you so much!
-Kim

[Hedgehog]

Thanks so much for this tutorial - just used it on a bag this evening!

[nettie]

What a great tutorial! Thanks!

[fux]

thank you so much for this special tutorial!
Ciao from italy.
Francesca

[Davida]

Could this same idea be used to make the purse that have the handle (square) built right in? Makingthe rectangle bigger and the hole a bit larger, could you possibly make one of those cute little one piece totes with the cut out handle? I have been dying to make one and hadnt a clue how.