Half-Square Triangle Zipper Pouch Tutorial

This pouch is perfect for a sister, friend or child.  It is just the right size to carry make-up, pencils, medicine, or a child’s special treasures.  At 5-1/2” x 8”, you can tuck this pouch into a purse or schoolbag to carry your things in style.

Fabrics Needed
Outer fabric  -  1/4 yard
Lining fabric  -  1/4 yard
Half Square Triangles  -  Scraps of several fabrics

Materials Needed
Pellon® 820 Quilter’s Grid™  -  One 7-1/2” x 4-1/2” rectangle
Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece  -  1/4 yard

Tools Needed
Sewing machine and related supplies
Rotary cutter and related supplies
Water soluble marking pen

 Instructions

 Step 1.   Cutting instructions.

Outer fabric  

Cut one 6” x 9” rectangle.
Cut two 3-1/2” x 2-1/4” rectangles.
Cut two 9” x 1-3/4” rectangles.
Cut one 2-1/2” x 5” rectangle.

Lining fabric  

Cut two 6” x 9” rectangles.
Cut sixteen 1-7/8” squares.

Fusible Fleece  

Cut two 6” x 9” rectangles.

Quilter’s Grid™ 

Cut one 7-1/2” x 4-1/2” rectangle.

Scraps of fabric 

Cut sixteen 1-7/8” squares.

Step 2.  Pair up the 1-7/8” lining squares with the 1-7/8” scrap squares with right sides together.  Draw line with the marking pen on the diagonal of the lighter square for each pair.

Step 3.  Stitch 1/4” from both sides of the drawn line.

Step 4.  Cut along the diagonal line.  This creates two Half Square Triangle (HST) units.  Press seams open.

Step 5.  Place the Quilter’s Grid™ fusible  side up on the ironing board.   Arrange the HST units with right sides up on top of the Quilter’s Grid™ as desired.  Use the 1” lines on the grid to align the squares.  

Step 6.  Fuse the squares following manufacturer’s instructions.

Step 7.  Fold the piece right sides together, along the first long row of blocks.  Sew 1/4” from the folded edge of the Quilter’s Grid™.  Repeat for the second long row.  

Step 8.  Trim the Quilter’s Grid™ at the folds, and press the seams open. 

Step 9.  Fold the piece right sides together, along one short row.  Sew 1/4” from the folded edge of the Quilter’s Grid™.   Repeat for the remaining short rows.

Step 10.  Trim the Quilter’s Grid™ at the folds, and press the seams open.

Step 11.  Place one 3-1/2” x 2-1/4” rectangle right sides together with the short sides of the HST piece.  Stitch using a 1/4” seam allowance.  Press seams toward the outer fabric rectangles.

Step 12.  Place one 9” x 1-3/4” rectangle each right sides together with the top and bottom of the HST piece.  Stitch using a 1/4” seam allowance.  Press seams toward the top and bottom rectangles.

Step 13.  Place the fusible side of one 6” x 9” rectangle of Fusible Fleece against the wrong side of the front panel.   Fuse following manufacturer’s instructions.  Repeat with the remaining 6” x 9” rectangle of Fusible Fleece and the outer rectangle. 

Step 14.  To prepare the zipper, make a mark at the metal stopper at the open end of the zipper.  Mark another line 8” from the metal stopper.  

Step 15.  Stitch 1/8” in from each line, backstitching and forward stitching several times to secure.  Cut zipper excess  o at the marked line.

Step 16.  Press the 2-1/2” x 5” zipper tab fabric in half (1-1/4” x 5”) with wrong sides together.  Open it up and fold the two long edges in to the center crease and press.  Cut the piece in half to create two 1-1/4” x 2-1/2” folded pieces.

Step 17.  Place one zipper end inside the folded tab.  Topstitch the edge closest to the zipper.    Trim the tab even with the long edges of the zipper.  Repeat for the other end of the zipper.

Step 18.   To assemble the pouch, switch the machine foot to a zipper foot.  Stack the fabrics in this order:  lining right side up, zipper right side up, and outer fabric right side down.
Zipper should be centered as shown.  Stitch using a 1/4” seam allowance.  Press open and topstitch 1/8” from the fold. Repeat for the other side.

Step 19.  Remove the zipper foot and unzip the zipper halfway.
 

Step 20.  Place the outer fabrics right sides together and the lining fabrics right sides together.  Pin around all 4 sides.  The zipper unit should be folded so the bulk is toward the lining.

Step 21.  Baste fabric at the zipper ends close to the covered zip ends.  Do not stitch over them (about 1/2” from edge). 

Step 22.  Stitch around all four sides using a 1/4” seam allowance, leaving a 4” gap for turning in the bottom of the lining. Clip the corners close to the stitches.

Step 23.  Press the 4” turning gap in line with the stitch line.  Turn right side out through the gap.  Sew the gap closed.

Step 24.  Push the lining into the pouch.