Free Motion Fantasy Zip Pouch Trio Tutorial

I love the palette and the motifs in Amanda Murphy's Free Motion Fantasy collection. They're such bold prints, and I they work together beautifully. I usually lean toward the cool colors, but I decided to go in a different direction--I went with the hot and spicy colors! 

Zip pouches are really fun to make--they go together quickly, and you can always find a use for another one (or a friend to gift one to!). I used fat quarters of the nine prints you see above to make the three pouches shown. Use the tutorials below to make your own, and then scroll to the end to see how you can enter to win a fat quarter bundle of Free Motion Fantasy for yourself.

Materials:

(for all 3 pouches)

Fat quarters of (9) different prints

Batting

Fusible batting

(3) 12" long zippers in coordinating colors

Make the Straight Stripe Pouch:

Pouch size: 9" x 8"

Cutting:

From the fuchsia print:

(1) 2-1/2" x 10" piece

(1) 3-1/2" x 10" piece

(1) 9" x 10" piece for backing

From the purple print: 

(1) 2-1/4" x 10" piece

From the yellow print:

(1) 9" x 10" piece for lining

(1) 2-1/2" x 10" piece for lining

(1) 6-1/4" x 10" piece for lining

(1) 1-1/2" x 10" piece

From the fusible batting:

(1) 2-1/2" x 10" piece

(1) 6-1/4" x 10" piece

(1) 9" x 10" piece

Step 1: Sew together (1) 2-1/4" x 10" purple piece, (1) 1-1/2" x 10" yellow piece, and (1) 3-1/2" x 10" fuchsia piece as shown.

Step 2: Fuse the 6-1/4" x 10" fusible batting piece to the wrong side of the pieced pouch front. 
Step 3: Pin the zipper, right sides together, to the purple edge of the pieced front. 

Step 4: Lay the 6-1/4" x 10" yellow piece on top, right side down, sandwiching the zipper. Pin in place and then stitch the layers together using a zipper foot. 
Step 5: Press both the pieced front and the lining piece away from the zipper edge. 
Step 6: Fuse the 2-1/2" x 10" batting piece to the same size fuchsia piece. Lay the opposite long edge of the zipper right sides together with the 2-1/2" x 10" fuchsia piece and pin in place. Lay the 2-1/2" x 10" yellow piece on top, right side down, sandwiching the zipper. Pin in place and then stitch layers together using the zipper foot. 

Step 7: Fold pieces away from the zipper so that your pouch front looks like this: 

Step 8: Topstitch 1/4" along each side of the zipper, stitching through all layers.

Step 9: Square up the pouch front to measure 10" x 9" if needed.
Step 10: Fuse the 10" x 9" fuchsia piece to the 10" x 9" fusible batting piece. Layer the 10" x 9" yellow lining piece on the back of the batting, sandwiching the batting.
Step 11: Lay the pouch backing right side up and the pouch front right side down. Make sure the zipper is at least halfway open. Pin around all edges. Stitch 1/4" from the outer edge of the pouch sandwich. I like to reinforce the stitching where it crosses the zippers. 

Step 12: Trim the zipper ends. Zig zag stitch around the outer edge for a cleaner finish. 

Step 13: Turn the pouch right side out through the open zipper. Poke corners out as needed. Enjoy! 

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Make the Diagonal Stripe Pouch: 

Pouch size: 9-1/2" x 7" x 3"

Cutting:

From the Purple Swirl: 

(1) 9" x 11" piece for backing

(2) 1-1/2" x 3" pieces

From the fat quarters:

A variety of (12-14) strips in widths ranging from 1" - 2-1/2"

From the batting:

(1) 9" x 11" piece

From the fusible batting:
(1) 9" x 11" piece

Note: You can use regular batting for both the front and back. I don't like using fusible batting for quilt as you go, but I like it for pouches that I'm not planning to heavily machine quilt, so I used different types for the front and back. 

Step 1: Position a strip right sides up on a 45-degree angle on the 11" x 9" batting piece. Layer another strip on top, right sides together, as shown. 

Step 2: Stitch down the length of the strips through all layers and press open. 

Step 3: Continue adding strips on both sides until the entire batting piece is covered. 

Step 4: Quilt the pieced section as desired. I stitched 1/4" on each side of each seam using yellow thread. Trim pieced section to measure 10-1/2" x 9". 

Step 5: Fuse the 9" x 11" purple piece to  the 9" x 11" fusible batting piece. Trim to measure 9" x 10-1/2"
Step 6: Fold each 1-1/2" x 3" purple piece in half, wrong sides together. Press each short end in 1/4". 

Step 7: Tuck the pull end of the zipper into the center of the folded purple tab from Step 6. Topstitch across the zipper to create a finished edge. 
Step 8: Lay the zipper along the long edge of the purple backing piece. Trim the zipper 1/4" shorter than the purple piece, and then insert the raw zipper end inside the folded purple tab from Step 6 and topstitch. Trim the folded tabs even with the width of the zipper as shown below.

Step 9: Layer the zipper right side down on the pieced pouch front. 

Step 10: Layer the 9" x 10-1/2" yellow piece on top, right sides together, and stitch using a zipper foot. Press the pieced front away from the zipper and topstitch 1/4" from the zipper (do not topstitch through the lining on this pouch). 

Step 11: Repeat on the opposite side to add the pouch backing and second lining piece. 

Step 12: Lay out the partially assembled pouch so the lining pieces are right sides together on the left of the zipper and the outer pouch pieces are right sides together on the right of the zipper. Pin pieces together.

Step 13: Stitch around the outer edge of the pouch, leaving a 6" opening along the bottom of the lining for turning. 
Step 14: Cut 1-1/2" squares from the bottom corners of the outer pouch side (still wrong sides out). 

Step 15: Match the side and bottom center seam, and stitch across the opening to box the corner. Repeat on the opposite corner. 

Step 16: Box the corners of the lining as well. 
Step 17: Turn the pouch right side out through the opening in the lining, stitch the opening closed, and tuck the lining into the pouch. Enjoy! 

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Make the Boxy Pouch:

Cutting: 

From the orange print: 

(2) 9-1/2" squares

From the red print: 

(2) 9-1/2" squares for lining

(1) 4" x 12" piece for strap

From the fusible batting:
(2) 9-1/2" squares

Step 1: Press the 3" x 12" red piece in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and then unfold and press long edges to the center fold.

Step 2: Refold along all lines and then topstitch 1/4" from each long edge to make the strap. Set aside. 

Step 3: Fuse each 9-1/2" batting square to a 9-1/2" orange square. 
Step 4: In the same way as for the other pouches, attach the outer pouch and lining pieces to opposite sides of the zipper. 

Step 5: Fold the pieces with outer pouch pieces right sides together and stitch along the edge opposite the zipper. Zigzag stitch to secure raw edges. 

Step 6: Fold the strap in half and position the raw edges on the edge of the seam from Step 5. Pin and then baste the strap in place. 

Step 7: Pin the side edges of the pouch to each other, aligning the zipper and the seam line in the middle. Make sure the zipper is at least halfway open! Stitch along both side edges. 

Step 8: As in the diagonal pouch, cut out 1-1/2" squares from each corner and stitch to box the corners. 

Step 9: Turn the pouch right side out. Enjoy! 

Whew! Did you make it this far? I probably should have stopped at two pouches, but I couldn't resist making a third. 

For a chance to win a fat quarter bundle of Free Motion Fantasy, leave a comment below telling me what you'd use these fabrics for--pouches like I did? An opportunity to practice Amanda's free motion quilting motifs? A quilt? Giveaway is open through Sunday, August 26th at 11:59 pm EDT. US entries only. 

Follow along with the Free Motion Fantasy features
Monday: 
Introducing Free Motion Fantasy

Tuesday: 
Technique Tuesday with Debby from Debby Kratovil Quilts

Wednesday: 
Jayne from Twiggy and Opal; @twiggyandopal
Laura from Slice of Pi Quilts; @sliceofpiquilts

Thursday: 
Sandra from MMM Quilts @mmmquilts
Lisa from Color My World @lisaerin1121

Friday:
Amanda's Virtual Trunk Show