How to Sew a Pouch Bag

Pouch bags are a fashion accessory that have exploded over the last few years. Not only does it seem like more women are carrying these types of bags, but many are having fun learning how to make pouch bags for themselves, as gifts, and even to sell. If you have basic sewing skills, you can learn how to sew a pouch bag. Choose fun or funky fabrics and spend an hour or two making an attractive pouch bag.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 3/8 yard colorful print fabric
• Self-adhesive Velcro (1-inch strip)
• Novelty Button
• Serger
• Sewing Machine
• Sewing Notions (thread, scissors, pins, needle)
• Iron
• Tape measure

1. Lay the fabric onto a flat work surface with the wrong side facing up. Cut a 17-inch by 9-inch rectangle of fabric. Cut an 8.5-inch by 2-inch strip and set aside. Cut two 9-inch by 9-inch squares and set these aside.

2. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise with right sides facing in. Match edges and pin to secure.

3. Serge both side edges with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Using a serger for this step makes it unnecessary to line the bag.

4. 
    

   Make the bottom corners of the bag by matching up the side seam and the bottom fold and holding them as shown into a triangle shape. Sew across the point 1.5 inches from the point. Do this with both bottom corners.

5. 
    

   Turn the bag right side out. Create 1-inch double pleats in each side at each seam.

6. 
    

   Fold the pleats over away from each side seam and hand stitch the pleats to the top edge of the bag.

7. Sew the short edges of the fabric strip together with right sides facing using a 1/2-inch seam allowance to make a circle. Press the seam open.

8. Press under both edges of the sewn circle of fabric 1/4 inch. Sew right along each folded edge to hem the edges.

9. Fold the circle in half along the center line so that the hemmed edges are to the inside. When this has been done you will have a band with folded edges to attach to the top edge of the pouch. The band is folded in half with each folded half being 3/4-inch wide. This is similar to double-fold bias tape.

10. Position the band at the top raw edge of the pouch, matching up the seam of the band to the back seam of the pouch. The fold of the band will be placed immediately over the raw edge of the pouch and one half of the band will go to the inside of the pouch and the other half of the band will go to the outside of the pouch. Pin in place.

11. Sew the band in place around the top edge of the pouch. Make sure that you are catching both halves of the band in your stitching. Sew slowly and carefully to make sure that this is done correctly. Remove the pins when finished.

12. Place the two 9-inch squares together with right sides facing each other to make the flap for the bag. Pin to secure and sew around the edges with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Leave a three-inch opening for turning.

13. Turn the square to the right side. Pull all the corners out so that they are sharp. Turn under the seam allowance along the opening and press the square. Top stitch around the entire edge of the square 1/8-inch from the edge, closing the opening as you top stitch.

14. Position the flap at the top of the bag so that it will have an even amount going down the back of the bag and the front of the bag. Pin the flap where you want it to be and then hand stitch the flap to the back of the bag along the bottom edge.

15. Attach the male side of the velcro to the underside of the flap at the front center edge of the flap. Sew a button to the top side of the flap at the front center edge.

16. Attach the female side of the velcro to the front of the bag where the flap will rest when the bag is closed.

References

• How to Sew Pouch Bags