I attended the American Sewing Expo, Inc. in Novi last month
and one of the take-away projects was a very cute cell-phone pouch that uses a
clever construction method that I found interesting. I’ve made several of the
pouches for relatives and decided to make a few for holiday gifts for friends. The
project was made at the Janome overlock site at the expo, but I have been unable to find
the pattern online, so I have introduced my own ammendments, rewritten the
instructions and taken photos of my own process for this post.
Since I’m going to make many pouches, the first thing I
decided to do is make-up a kit for each pouch. Here are the contents of each
kit. (Note: I will add more photos, but I decided to put up the directions with incomplete photos for now. LT)
Each kit includes:
Materials
Materials
- Five (or six) pieces of fabric each 4.5 x 9 inches:
- One pouch front (or two pieces to make two-tone front using back fabric, or another coordinate or contrast fabric
- One pouch back (trimmed to 8 inches long)
- One pouch-pocket interliner (trimmed to 8 inches long)
- Two pouch lining (trimmed to 8 inches long)
- Two 4-1/5 x 8 inch iron-on interfacing (I use Pellon Décor-Bond.) Plus, small pieces (about 4.5 x 2) of iron-on interfacing for magnet installation on lining
- One piece cotton woven belting 8.5 inches long to coordinate or contrast with pouch back (I like cotton instead of polyester because cotton doesn’t melt when I press my project.)
- One one-inch swivel clasp (from http:/www.everythingmary.com) OR 1-1/4-inch D-ring to coordinate or contrast with pouch fabric (silver, gold, bronze, or black are available at fabric and craft stores.)
- One 7-inch zipper to coordinate or contrast with pouch fabric (I used Coats polyester all purpose zippers.)
- One carabiner to coordinate or contrast with pouch fabric if using a D-ring and not using a “swivel clasp” as indicated above
- One small, magnet closure (or hook and loop tape, if preferred)
- 3-inch piece very narrow grosgrain ribbon in contrasting or coordinating color for zipper pull, or purchased zipper pull
You will also need:
- Coordinating thread
- 1/4-inch double sided tape to secure zipper placement
- Topstitching needle for sewing machine
- Zipper foot
- Even-feed foot
For optional wristlet handle:
- 18 x 2 inch strip of coordinating fabric
- 16 x 7/8-inch strip iron-on interfacing
- ½-inch diameter metal ring to match swivel clasp or D-ring (silver, gold, bronze, black, etc)
- 1/2-inch bias tape making tool
Directions
Cut and collate pouch kits.
Cut and collate pouch kits.
Prepare outside of pouch
Front:
For two-toned pouch front, stack a front piece and a coordinating piece of fabric, right-sides up. Cut through both layers on a diagonal line beginning at two-inches down on the left side of the fabric and ending six inches down on the right side of the fabric. For single tone front, use only one layer of front fabric.
With iron-on side facing up, make the same cut to a piece of iron-on interfacing.
For two-toned pouch front, stack a front piece and a coordinating piece of fabric, right-sides up. Cut through both layers on a diagonal line beginning at two-inches down on the left side of the fabric and ending six inches down on the right side of the fabric. For single tone front, use only one layer of front fabric.
With iron-on side facing up, make the same cut to a piece of iron-on interfacing.
For two-tone front, pair each cut with its opposite
coordinating fabric. (Save one for another pouch.)
Press under one-half inch along diagonal for both pieces of fabric. (Cut off “ears” of fabric.)
Press under one-half inch along diagonal for both pieces of fabric. (Cut off “ears” of fabric.)
Iron interfacing to wrong sides of both front pieces. (Trim
away any excess interfacing.)
Put double-sided tape on hemmed edges to help secure zipper placement.
Put double-sided tape on hemmed edges to help secure zipper placement.
Butt edges to zipper and topstitch zipper in place using a
zipper foot. Open zip where necessary to get close installation.
Cut pocket facing to 8 inches long. Lay completed front of the
pouch right side up on the right side up pocket facing. Baste along both long edges and top.
Leave bottom open.
Back:
Trim back piece to 8-inches long. Iron interfacing to wrong side of pouch back piece.
Trim back piece to 8-inches long. Iron interfacing to wrong side of pouch back piece.
Stay-stitch belting to center of top back, raw edges
together.
Thread swivel clasp or D-ring onto belting and pin bottom of
belting flush to the center of the back, with raw edges even. (There will be a
bulge in the belting which will not lay flat against the back; this is correct.)
Sew across bottom to hold belting in place.
Place a pin four inches from the bottom of the back, smoothing belting to lay flat on pouch back, leaving bulge in belting free above pin. Sew across belting at the four-inch mark and sew from there to bottom to secure belting all along the edges. Sew a square with an “X” inside at four inch mark to further secure belting.
Place a pin four inches from the bottom of the back, smoothing belting to lay flat on pouch back, leaving bulge in belting free above pin. Sew across belting at the four-inch mark and sew from there to bottom to secure belting all along the edges. Sew a square with an “X” inside at four inch mark to further secure belting.
Align front and back of pouch with right sides together.
Seam along one long edge using 3/8-inch seam allowance.
Press seam to one side.
Prepare lining:
Trim two lining pieces to 8-inches long.
Iron on two-inch long by 4.5-inch wide piece of interfacing
to the wrong side, top of lining to support closure.
With right sides together seam lining along one long edge
with 3/8-inch seam allowance.
Press seam to one side.
Assembly:
With right sides together, and top edges aligned (and swivel clasp or D-ring pushed down, out of the way), seam outer pouch and lining together along the top of the pouch, using a 3/8-inch seam allowance.
With right sides together, and top edges aligned (and swivel clasp or D-ring pushed down, out of the way), seam outer pouch and lining together along the top of the pouch, using a 3/8-inch seam allowance.
Open bag flat and push D-ring to top of the belting which
will form a little pocket for the D-ring to sit in.
Using even-feed foot, securely stitch belting to back of
pouch just below the top of the pouch so that the swivel clasp will be held in
place above the top of the pouch back.
Unzip zipper to center of pouch.
With right sides together, fold pouch into log tube and
stitch remaining long edge with 3/8 inch seam allowance.
Trim zipper ends even with seam allowances on both sides of
pouch.
Turn pouch right side out. Tuck lining into pouch.
Straighten seams and press.
For optional wristlet handle:
Using ½-inch bias tape tool, make 18 inches of fabric
binding (not necessarily bias) or fold long edges of fabric to center.
Position 7/8-inch by 16-inch iron-on interfacing in center of fabric.
Fold up one end of the fabric to form a hem, and press.
Slip metal ring over one end of the belt. Enclose the other end of the fabric piece to form a circle of fabric. Press.
Fold entire circle in half along long edge, and stitch along both long edges to secure.
Slide ring to area where ring was stitched together and stitch to secure about one inch above the ring position.
Clip wristlet handle onto swivel clasp (or carabiner) by slipping the metal ring over the opened end of the clasp, or carabiner.
Position 7/8-inch by 16-inch iron-on interfacing in center of fabric.
Fold up one end of the fabric to form a hem, and press.
Slip metal ring over one end of the belt. Enclose the other end of the fabric piece to form a circle of fabric. Press.
Fold entire circle in half along long edge, and stitch along both long edges to secure.
Slide ring to area where ring was stitched together and stitch to secure about one inch above the ring position.
Clip wristlet handle onto swivel clasp (or carabiner) by slipping the metal ring over the opened end of the clasp, or carabiner.
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