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Just as accessorizing is a fashion rule for the modern world, it also adds a great finishing touch to your costume. From the sewing aspect, a pouch has additional benefits:
I originally found this pouch in a jewelry store display. Noticing how well constructed it was, I ended up buying the pouch instead of any jewelry. ☺ Since then I have perfected the design and sewn it more times than I can possibly count. You will see pouches throughout this web site, with almost every costume I've made for myself or friends. What's so special about this pouch pattern you may ask?
I have tried to make these instructions as clear as possible to beginners, thus they are lengthy and diagramed. Don't interpret the excessive documentation as a sign of a complex project, this is a very simple costume item to sew. Experienced sewers will probably find the summary section of each step all that they need to proceed.
Supplies
8 inch x 19 inch rectangle of fabric 8 inch x 19 inch rectangle of lining thread to match fabric two 24 inch lengths of drawstring cording (if a belt pouch) 3.5 inches of 1 inch wide elastic, thread to match elastic (if a shoulder pouch) 1 yard of flat trim or round cording optional trim, cording, decorative thread, beads, etc.
Optional Embellishing Instructions (Prior to Sewing)
Summary: Cut two 8 inch (width) by 19 inch (length) rectangles, one of your chosen fabric and one of your chosen lining.
Details: Fabric and lining should be pre-washed (if washable). The rectangle should be cut either parallel or perpendicular to the grain line (i.e. not on the bias), depending on the shape of your fabric and lining remnants and the following rules:
Multiple fabrics can also be sewn together, a good look for team costumes that have two primary colors. When using a light and dark color combination, I serge finish each seam allowance where they meet with thread of the lighter color fabric, then sew together and iron the seam allowance open.
If the fabric and/or lining unravels easily, pink or skim serge the long sides to prevent unraveling threads from coming out of what will be the drawstring channel. Whatever method you choose, make sure you leave that 5/8 inch seam allowance!
Summary: Mark the wrong side of the fabric and lining in four places at each short end to show where to stop sewing (these will be the openings of the drawstring channels). If you plan on embellishing the pouch with an embroidery design or appliqué, also mark the right side of the fabric where the front will be to show where to center it. See the diagram below for locations of the marks.
Details:
On the wrong side of both the fabric and lining, mark the following four places at each short end:
If embellishing with a design or shape that will need to be centered, mark the following one place (what will be the front of the pouch) on the right side of the fabric:
If neither the diagram nor the detailed instructions above are clear to you, download and print out the template pattern and use that instead. Note that Microsoft® Paint prints it out on multiple pages so you'll need to trim the excess and tape the pages together. I suggest using a hole punch to cut out the 5 circles so you can just mark through the holes made. Double check the width and length dimensions (the bold lines) with any printout before using as some graphics programs resize automatically to fit the page and therefore distort the true dimensions!
Optional Embellishing Instructions (Prior to Sewing)
Summary: Embellish the right side of the fabric on what will be the front side of the pouch with an embroidery design or appliqué prior to sewing, centering on the mark made in the previous step.
Details: Using the mark made at the front of the pouch on the right side of the fabric, center your embroidery hoop or the appliqué shape. Designs should be no more than 110 millimeters (approximately 4 1/2 inches) wide and 130 millimeters (approximately 5 1/8 inches) high to ensure they won't intersect the seams when the pouch is sewn. For machine embroidery designs, I primarily use those that fit in the 100 x 100 mm hoop as the fabric rectangle will hoop well (often enlarging the design to the maximum size for the hoop). I have on occasion used designs for the 150 x 240 mm hoop when the design dimensions are within 110 x 130 mm, but you need to hoop stick on stabilizer instead and affix the fabric to it because the fabric rectangle is not wide enough to securely hoop.
If you plan to embellish the top edges with piping, now is also the time to baste the piping to the fabric at the short ends of the rectangle. Remember to turn the ends of the piping in toward the end seam allowances before intersecting the side seam allowances.
Summary: With the right sides of the fabric and lining together, sew around the edges of the rectangle, leaving the ends open between the marks and an opening on one of the long sides for turning. Turn the fabric and lining right side out through that opening and press (iron). Sew the drawstring channels on each short end between the marks. If this is to be a belt pouch, sew the elastic to the back side. With the right sides of the fabric folded together, sew the sides from the lower drawstring channel to the fold. Fold the bottom corners and sew across each corner to make a triangle. Turn right side out and thread the drawstring channels. If this is to be a shoulder pouch, attach the shoulder strap/cord.
Details:
Put the right side of the fabric to the right side of the lining. Sew the following seams, leaving a 5/8" seam allowance:
Trim the seam allowances on the ends only. Clip across the corners close to the pivot point. Do not trim the seam allowances on the sides!!!
Optionally, you can serge the ends, using your sewing machine for the sides. I use this method when creating many pouches at once, at it saves me the time of pivoting and trimming.
Turn right side out through the 3 inch side opening and press (using an iron if the fabric allows, otherwise just finger press), making sure the corners are as sharp as the fabric will allow and that opposite sides are parallel. The rectangle at this point should be approximately 6 3/4 inches wide by 17 3/4 inches long.
With the fabric side up, sew the drawstring channels at each short end by sewing parallel seams 1 inch and 2 inches respectively from the end.
Optionally you can use a decorative stitch or satin stitch to sew the channels. Or sew a 1 inch wide piece of trim where the channel seams would be, forming the drawstring channel stitching that way.
Optionally add your trim, beading, or other embellishments above the channel and/or along the edges and/or wherever you want it. This is the time to use up all those too short pieces of trim you have lying around, or practice an edge technique you've always wanted to experiment with.
If you plan to use this as a belt pouch, attach the elastic belt loop to what will be the back side of the pouch. Turn under 1/4 inch of each end of the 3.5 inches of elastic (1 inch wide) and sew onto the fabric. One end of the elastic should be close to the bottom drawstring channel seam and centered between the sides. The other end of the elastic should be 3 inches from that and centered between the sides. Don't stretch the elastic, let it lie flat. Use a zig zag stitch if you have it, going forward then back then forward again on the elastic, close to the turned edges.
Fold the rectangle in half, right sides of the fabric together and lining on the outside, short end to short end. Sew the long sides together from the lower drawstring channel to the fold with a 1/4 inch seam allowance, making sure you catch all layers of the fabric and lining, reinforcing the stitching at the starting point near the lower drawstring channel by going forward then back then forward again.
Fold the pouch in half, right sides of the fabric together and lining on the outside, side seams centered, forming a point at each bottom corner. Sew across the bottom corners to make a triangle, 1 inch from the point.
Turn right side out and thread the drawstring channels with two pieces of 24 inch cording. To do this, thread one piece of cording into the drawstring channel from the left side opening, past the right side opening and back out the left side opening. Then do the opposite with the other piece of cording by threading into the drawstring channel from the right side opening, past the left opening and back out the right side opening. Tie the ends of each drawstring cord together in a knot near the drawstring channel openings.
If you plan to use this as a shoulder pouch, attach about a yard of flat trim or round cording for the shoulder strap to the inside of the finished pouch just below the bottom drawstring channel through the side seam allowances. Make sure you pre-wash (if washable) the material for the shoulder strap, as some of these will stain your costume when exposed to rain (yes, I found out the hard way).
Index to other pouches throughout this web site
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