The Boxy Pouch tutorial

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Hello!

Today, I’m sharing my ‘Boxy pouch” tutorial. This is a cute, quick and satisfying make. Now is the perfect time to get ahead on all that Christmas gifts sewing!!

Notes:

Assumes usable fabric width of 40″ wide.

Seam allowances are 1/4″, unless stated otherwise.

Materials

Recommended fabrics: quilting cotton, linen or other lightweight to medium

non-stretchy fabrics.

1 Fat Quarter of main fabric

1 Fat Quarter of lining fabric

1/2 meter of medium iron on interfacing (I use Vilene G700)

9” zip

You can get some beautiful zips on Etsy:

ZipIt (based in the USA)

Zipper Station (based in the UK)

Cutting

Main fabric: 10 ½” wide x 13 ½” long (x 1)*

3” x 5” (x 2) for the tabs

Lining fabric: 10 ½” wide x 13 ½” long (x 1)*Interfacing: 10 ½” wide x 13 ½” long (x 2)

*If using directional print: Instead of 10 ½” wide x 13 ½” long (x 1)

cut (x 2) 10 ½” wide x 7” long and join, RST along the 10 ½” edge, using a ¼” seam allowance. This will create one panel that is 10 ½” x 13 ½” where the direction of the print comes away from the seam line on both sides. Press seams open.

Assembly

1. First, attach interfacing (using manufacturers’ instructions) to the wrong side of the main fabric rectangle.

2. Then make your tabs by taking your two tab rectangles and folding the two long edges into the middle and then folding in half again. Top stitch in place to close. For a neater finish, you can top stitch the other side of the tab.

Attach your zip.

3. Lay the zip facing up with pull at the left. Lay your main fabric on the top of the zip and your lining fabric under the zip. Make sure the raw edges all line up (using a touch of glue or binding clips to hold in place is a good idea at this point.)

Sew zip in using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

4. Place the fabrics so they are back to wrong sides together, press and top stitch.

5. Then repeat steps 3 and 4 for the other side of the zip, main on top of zip, lining under. The lining and main fabrics will fold in half with the right sides together to do this.

6. Again, when finished, press and top stitch. This will get difficult towards the end as you are sewing a tube. Take your time and be careful not to catch any other part of the pouch in your top stitch.

7. Turn your tube wrong side out and lay it flat so that the zip runs horizontally through the middle. Sew a seam, approx. ½” down each of the raw edges, trim to ¼” and zig zag over the seam. (I like to do quite a tight zig zag so that the seam looks neat, also try to use a thread that blends well with your lining.)

8. To box the corners of the pouch, cut a 1 ¼” square from each corner. Measuring from the edges (not the seam line.)

9. Bring the raw edges together, so that the side edge lines up to the end sewn seam. Pin or clip in place.

10. Take one tab and centre it in the seam you are about to sew and line up with raw edges, with the majority of the tab inside the pouch. Sew with a ¼” seam allowance.

11. Pull the other end of the tab through to the other corner from the same end. Make sure it doesn’t get twisted and the tabs loops to the correct place.

When you have completed each corner, zig zag over each raw edge.

Turn the right way round, poke out the corners and admire your boxy pouch!

Watch out, they’re addictive to make!

Options:

If you would like your pouch more sturdy, you can can interface the lining piece as well.
Or you could cut the main piece approx 1″ bigger in both directions and quilt with a layer of batting. when you have finished quilting, cut the piece down to the correct size and carry on with the tutorial as normal (Although you can skip the interfacing part!)
Also, why not try it out with different fabrics? Here’s one I made using Cork fabric (Which was quite sturdy, so I skipped the interfacing.)