As I am a big fan of travels, I am always looking for a pouch to store things in my luggage...
I made this pouch a few months ago. I use it as my wash bag to go to the gym and love it so much, I wanted to share this pattern with you. It is really easy to make for yourself or as a gift. You could even make one at last minute before your trip!
The box shape is ideal to store plenty of things inside: make-up, cosmetics, toiletries...
I made it out of laminated Fabric and with a waterproof Zipper so that I can take it with me at the gym's shower where it could be splashed.
The laminated fabric is also great to keep the beautiful box shape. Using softer fabrics you will probably need to add a lining to keep the shape.
Supplies needed
- 1 waterproof zipper 10 inch long (25 cm) - you can find some in Sham Shui Po
- 2 A4 size pieces of laminated fabric
Some shops in Sham Shui Po (Yu Chau Street between Nam Cheong Street and Shek Kip Mei Street) sell laminated fabrics with cute designs for 20 HKD per yard - these are great also to make shopping bags. I picked the cute red Japanese prints for this DIY.
- This free pattern
- Washable fabric marker
- Scissors
- Sewing machine with thread matching your zipper / fabric colour
DIY Steps
1. Cut your fabric
Print the pattern, cut it and mark the contour on each piece of fabric.
Leave an offset around the contour of about 1cm and cut the 2 pieces.
2. Install the zipper
Pin the zipper, well centered, face down following the "zipper seam" line indicated on the pattern, against the Printed Side of fabric.
Sew along this zipper seam.
Then take the second piece of fabric and turn it so the printed side is hidden.
Align the zipper (still facing down) and the "zipper seam" of this piece. Make sure the zipper is well centered.
Sew along the zipper seam.
You have now installed the zipper.
3. Bottom seam
Align the two bottom seams, printed side against printed side, and pin them.
Sew the bottom seam.
4. Make the horizontal seams
On each side of the pouch, we have one horizontal seam to make.
Check which seams are the horizontal ones on the pattern.
For these seams, special attention is needed as you will have to stop you seam to go over the zipper with the machine.
Make sure the center of the zipper aligns with the bottom seam before pinning this seam.
5. Make the vertical seams
On each side of the pouch, you have two vertical seams to make.
Open the zipper first to be able to flip the fabric once you are done with the vertical seams.
Pinch the fabric to shape the box. The 4 remaining seams will appear more clearly.
Pin the seams and sew them one by one. Make sure you keep enough fabric between the seam and the edge.
You just need to flip the fabric through the zipper, push the corners out to form the box shape and you are done!
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and you will make many box pouches. If you do, I would be happy to see the results.
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Happy sewing everyone!
