This Curved top zip pouch is the perfect gift to make for a teen on your Christmas list this year!  I can’t get enough little bags. You can also make this darling little diy coin purse in just 30 minutes! Make a little village of these little santas with this DIY gnome tutorial.

This month we are sharing over 100 handmade gift tutorials. I have teamed up with Thirty Handmade DaysClassy Clutter and Your Homebased Mom to share the best holiday decorating ideas and  homemade gift ideas.  We have over 100 tutorials so you will have the best homemade holiday ever! Each day be sure to visit the guest poster’s blog for a chance to win BIG! Up for grabs a Baby Lock sewing machine a $100 in Riley Blake Fabric! Grab a new entry every day! Visit Andrea’s Notebook today to enter to win the Baby Lock Sewing Machine.

Hello! my name is Melissa Mortenson and I am the girl behind the Polka Dot Chair Blog.   I am also a fabric designer for Riley Blake Designs and the author of “Project Teen: Handmade Gifts your Teens will Actually Love”.

I’m the mom of 3 teenagers who loves to sew, I will readily admit that the day they didn’t want me to make them dresses for church anymore was a sad one for me.  I wasn’t quite ready to stop creating things for them and soon realized that instead of not sewing for them anymore I just needed to alter what I was making.  Now I feel pretty passionately about the subject, why just give that newborn baby a handmade quilt?  The teenagers in our life need our love just as much as that new baby.

Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com

Today I’m going to share with you a tutorial for a curved top zip pouch that would make a great Christmas gift for a teenager on your list (it would also be pretty fun to make for an adult too!).

Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com

The pouch is made from wool, but you can also use cotton, if you use wool just make sure it’s lightweight. For an extra bit of detail I added a simple black bow to the front, and a touch of leather to the bottom.

Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com

If you’d like to make one too, here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1/2 yard of fabric for the pouch outside
  • 1/2 yard of fabric for the pouch lining
  • 14″ zipper
  • 1/2 yard of Pellon Flex Foam
  • 1/2 yard of Pellon Shape Flex
  • Scrap of Leather 1″ x 7″ (this step is optional)
  • Leather Needle
  • Glue Stick
  • 1 yard of 1″ wide ribbon
  • Pattern piece for pouch (you can download it for free here)

All seam allowances are 1/2″ unless other wise noted.

Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com

From the pattern piece cut:

2 pieces for pouch front

2 pieces for pouch lining

2 pieces of flex foam

2 pieces of shape flex

Press the shape flex onto the wrong side of the pouch outside pieces. If you’re using wool this will help keep the pouch from stretching out of shape as you sew it.

Place the cut foam piece behind the cut pouch outside piece.  Pin the right side of the zipper to the right side of the pouch along the top arch.  The zipper is longer than the pouch, that is okay.

Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com

Next place the pouch lining piece on top so that the right side of the lining is facing the wrong side of the zipper. Pin in place. (You’ll have lots of pins).

Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com

Next, stitch through all the layers using your zipper foot, use the width of your zipper foot as a guide, your seam allowance should be between 1/4″ – 3/8″.  Stitch with the foam side up so that the feed dogs on your machine will help to feed the lining piece through evenly.

Clip the curve.

Repeat for the other side of the zipper.

When you’re done you’ll have a piece that looks like this.

Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com

Take a second and zip it up to make sure that you’ve inserted the zipper correctly.

Unzip the zipper half way.

Bring the pouch outside pieces together right sides facing and stitch along the bottom seam only. Press seam open

Note: this next step is optional.

Take the leather piece and apply a bit of glue to the wrong side of it. Stick it onto the bottom seam of the pouch centered and covering the bottom seam.  Secure it in place with binding clips if you have them.

Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com

Insert the leather needle into your machine. Very slowly stitch around the perimeter of the leather piece. Remove the leather needle from your machine and insert a standard needle.

Pin the right sides of the pouch outside piece together (including the foam) and pin the right sides of the pouch lining together.

Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com

Stitch around the perimeter of the pouch leaving a 3″ opening in the lining piece so that you can turn the pouch right side out.  Leave the cut out square shapes in the corners unstitched. Be careful not to “catch” any of the pouch in the seam as you sew. You’ll have to stitch inward and pivot when you get to the point with the zipper.

Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com
Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com

Pinch all 4 corners of the pouch and stitch 1″ up from the cut raw edges. Cut off the extra part of the zipper. Turn the pouch right side out.  Stitch the opening in the lining closed.

Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com

“Guesstimate” how large you’d like the bow on the front of your pouch. Cut a piece of ribbon twice that length. Fold raw ends of ribbon to the center and using a needle and thread stitch together pulling slightly on the thread as you go. Fold a piece of ribbon in half and wrap it around the bow at the center point. Whip stitch in place.  Cut a piece of ribbon slightly longer than your finished bow. Clip the edges. Stitch to the wrong side of the bow you made and then sew it to the front of the pouch.

and you’re DONE!

Curved Zip Pouch Sewing Pattern by Melissa Mortenson of polkadotchair.com

Here are a few other projects on my blog that you may like!

Patchwork Quilted Star Pillows on polkadotchair.com

Quilted Christmas Pillow Tutorial

Oil cloth pencil pouch sewing pattern -clever idea for back to school or a teacher appreciation gift

How to make a Pencil Pouch out of Oilcloth

Sewing Pattern for an "On the Go Reading Pillow" a cute pocket pillow for kids

Pocket Pillow Sewing Pattern

My Favorite Sewing Tools

I would love to keep you fully stocked with creative ideas, yummy recipes, fun crafts, and loads of free printables. Subscribe to Skip to my Lou to get new ideas delivered to your inbox. Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram for all my latest updates.

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