Welcome to Day 5 of the Foxboro Pouch Sew Along!

Welcome to Day 4 of the Foxboro Pouch Sew Along!

Today’s assignment is to close up our pouches (with Zipper Tabs inserted!) and then add the End Bindings.

Before sewing up the ends of the pouch, make sure the panel is inside out, and fold the Zipper Tabs and insert them right where the pin/center mark and zipper teeth line up. The folded edge of the Zipper Tabs need to go in first, with the raw edges facing out of the ends of the pouch. I like to use binding clips (Wonder Clips) to hold everything in place while I sew the pouch ends closed. You can see in the photo below a tiny black mark (my center point I marked with an erasable Frixion pen). The mark lines up perfectly with the Zipper Tab and the zipper teeth, meaning they’re all centered correctly.

For the End Bindings, open up one End Binding and place the raw edge, right sides together, on the end of the panel. Sew with a ¼” seam (this seam will be just to the outside of the fold line).

Those are my tips for today! You can also find the video that goes along with Day 4 of the sew along on my instagram account HERE.

Links for products from today’s post:
Juki TL2000 Sewing Machine: click HERE
Organ 90/14 needles: click HERE
Wonder Clips: click HERE

Thanks for sewing along!

Kristina

Welcome to the Foxboro Pouch Sew Along Day 3!

ZipIt Etsy shop (they have such a good variety of YKK zippers, both size #3 and larger size #4.5 zippers). Click HERE
By Annie Zippers by the yard (size #4.5): click HERE
Sallie Tomato Zippers by the yard (both size #3 and #5): click HERE
Zipper Valley: click HERE
Zippers that look metal (gold, rose gold, gunmetal, etc.) buy are nylon (plastic teeth). Click HERE

Thanks for sewing along!

Kristina

Welcome to the Foxboro Pouch Sew Along Day 2

Today, we have a super simple assignment: preparing the Binding strips and Zipper Tabs. There are two types of bindings that you make in the Foxboro Pouch pattern. The Zipper Bindings are very straightforward (just press in half the long way). This method is called “double fold binding,” as it results in two layers of fabric covering the raw edge that you are binding. This method is a bit simpler to sew, and is a bit more durable, but does result in thicker seams that some machines might have a hard time sewing.

The End Bindings and Boxy Corner Bindings are made a bit different to lessen the bulk in the last few seams of the pouch. This will particularly help if your machine isn’t as powerful and struggles with thick seams. This method results in a “single fold binding” since there is just one layer of fabric covering the very edge that you are binding. Having just one layer on the edge results in a less durable binding, but for the inside of a pouch it will hold up just fine!

Note: the terms “single fold binding” and “double fold binding” refer to how many layers of fabric are covering the raw edge that you are binding. So although the “single fold binding” is prepared by folding and pressing more than once, there is only one layer of fabric covering the very edge of the surface we’re binding. Likewise, for a “double fold binding”, it is only pressed once, but there are two layers of fabric covering the raw edge of the surface we’re binding. The naming convention is a little confusing at first, but makes sense when you know what the name is describing. 🙂 There are also single and double fold bias tapes (often found pre-made in packages at big box stores and used for garment sewing), and from what I can tell, the nomenclature for bias tapes is completely different. No wonder we’re all so confused about single vs double fold! Haha!

For the Zipper Tabs, follow the pressing directions then top stitch along both long sides of the fabric strip. Trim the strip into two pieces with the dimensions given. I like to pick the sections with my best top-stitching efforts and trim away the rest.

In the photo below, I have the small Zipper Tabs at the top, with the Zipper Bindings underneath, next are the End Bindings, and finally the Boxy Corner Bindings. These bindings are for the Large size Foxboro Pouch, so hopefully it will give you a good idea of the relative size that they should be.

Those are my tips for today! You can find the video that goes along with Day 2 of the sew along on my Instagram HERE.

Links for products from today’s tips:

Oliso Iron: click HERE
Wool Pressing Mat (I’ve used three different brands of wool pressing mats and they’ve all worked great! If you’re looking for one, I’d suggest finding a brand that has the size you want and then checking reviews). Here’s a link to one that I own: click HERE
Olfa Rotary Cutter: click HERE
Olfa Ruler: click HERE
Juki TL2000 Sewing Machine: click HERE
Organ 90/14 needles: click HERE

Thanks for following along!

Kristina

Welcome to Day 1 of the Foxboro Pouch Sew Along!

I’m so excited that you want to make the Foxboro Pouch with me! I originally posted these Sew Along tips and tricks in January 2025 in conjunction with a Sew Along I hosted. I’m posting the daily assignments and bonus tips here to my blog for those who didn’t get a chance to join the Sew Along. You can find the Foxboro Pouch pattern HERE and follow along with the Sew Along Blog posts to make your own!

The assignment for the Foxboro Pouch Sew Along Day 1 is to cut everything out, then baste and quilt the Main and Lining fabric. Cutting everything out is pretty self explanatory, but I did want to mention a couple things. First, all of the Accent Fabric pieces can be cut from one square of fabric (as explained in the Cutting Instructions), but feel free to mix in other prints if you desire! You are definitely not required to keep to one print for all of the Accent pieces. Second, if you are using a directional fabric for your Main print, turn to page 10 for instructions on how to get your print facing the right direction (remember, it might take more fabric than a 10″ or 12″ square if you have directional fabric).

One other note before we start: Whenever I’m quilting fabric for a bag, I almost always start off with a bigger size than necessary, then trim to size after quilting. The process of quilting often shrinks the panel (the denser the quilting, the greater the shrinkage), and sometimes the layers shift a little, too. The extra size is always built into my patterns, so no need to cut even larger than the Cutting Instructions given.

Now, on to basting our fabric!

PREPARE FOR BASTING

Before I start basting, I try to make sure that all of my layers are pressed really well. This will help everything lay smoother and you’ll be less likely to get puckers in the fabric when you quilt.

I’d even recommend pressing the batting or Soft and Stable (or other foam stabilizer–unless it’s fusible!) before layering. Both batting and Soft and Stable press well and having the wrinkles pressed out will really help all the layers stay flat.

BASTING

Basting is a way to temporarily hold layers of fabric together. We don’t want the layers to move around while we’re quilting, so we baste them for the best results.

There are many different methods of basting (pins, adhesive spray, sewing long stitches, etc.). I’d recommend trying a few out so you can figure out which method you like best.

I prefer to spray baste smaller projects with Odif 505, but I frequently use safety pins for larger projects.

PREPARE FOR QUILTING

Once I have my layers basted, I choose a side of the panel that I can start most of my quilting lines from and stitch a line along one of the edges (just 1/8″ away from the raw edge) to stabilize the three layers.

Even though we’ve already basted, if you start your machine quilting from that stitched line as much as possible, it will further help keep the layers from shifting.

MARKING QUILTING LINES

When I’m quilting a design that needs guides to follow, I like to use a Hera Marker to mark my lines (it only leaves an impression-not an actual ink mark). The dull side of a butter knife also works great! The impressions on some fabrics and batting/Soft and Stable combinations show up better than others, so don’t get discouraged if the lines are a little hard to see. Sometimes I’ll mark and quilt from the lining side if the Hera Marker works better on that side than the main fabric side.

There are many other ways to make guide lines (air/water erasable pens, strips of tape, etc.) or forgo the lines altogether and choose an organic design that doesn’t need lines to follow. If you’d like to see some of these other method in action, check out the video I shared on my Instagram account HERE.

QUILTING

To keep things easy when I quilt, I use the same thread and needle that I use for all of my general sewing projects (my thread of choice is Aurifil 50 wt and I like to use Organ 90/14 needles).

For machine quilting, I do like to increase my stitch length a little. A standard stitch length on my machine is 2.5 and I like to increase it to about 3.5 for quilting. You can play around with your machine’s settings to see what you prefer.

When quilting on my Juki sewing machine, I use a slim presser foot to quilt smaller projects. The Juki comes with a walking foot, however I’ve found that it doesn’t work really well (one of the machine’s only downfalls) and I prefer to use a regular presser foot. If I’m quilting a larger project then I get out my second machine (a Bernina) and use it with a walking foot. The walking foot can really help feed the layers through at the same speed and avoid puckering. If you have a walking foot, I’d generally recommend using it to quilt, or at least trying it out to see if it works better for quilting.

For this Foxboro Pouch, I’m quilting a crosshatch design, using the 45 degree lines on my ruler. If you’re wanting some additional ideas for easy machine quilting designs, check out the Instagram video I posted HERE.

TRIM THE QUILTED PANEL

When you’re finished quilting, trim your quilted panel to the size listed on page 4 of the Foxboro Pouch pattern.

Those are my tips for Day 1! You can find the video to go along with Day 1 of the sew along on my Instagram account HERE.

Links for products from today’s tips:

Odif 505 Spray (click HERE)
Oliso Iron (click HERE)
Juki TL2000 Sewing Machine (click HERE)
Olfa Ruler (click HERE)
Hera Marker (click HERE)
Organ 90/14 needles (click HERE)

Thanks for sewing along with me!

Kristina

Meet the Foxboro Pouch!

The Foxboro Pouch is a tiny quilted boxy pouch pattern that comes with three size options. These darling little zipper pouches are perfect for keeping those small items contained: spools of thread, binding clips, ear buds, a deck of cards, makeup, jewelry, etc.

The Foxboro Pouch pattern has clear, easy to follow instructions, full color diagrams, and is available as a digital download so you can get sewing right away. You can find the Foxboro pattern in my shop HERE.

And if you’d like a little help or guidance (or just want to join in on the fun!!), I’m hosting a Foxboro Pouch Sew Along the week of January 20th. You can sign up to participate HERE. The sew along itself is completely free to join, but you will need to purchase the pattern to complete the pouch.

If you’d like to participate in the sew along, make sure you’re signed up, have the pattern purchased from my shop , and have all of your supplies gathered by Monday, January 20th. Every morning (for West Hemisphere participants. It will be later in the day for those in earlier time zones), you’ll receive an email with the day’s assignment and any extra tips I have to add. Plus, I’ll be posting a daily video on Instagram to help those of us that are visual learners.

Since we will have people joining from all over the world, there aren’t any live portions of the sew along. You can sew at your own convenience–including working ahead or catching up later in the week if needed. And if you can’t sew with us the week of the 20th, no worries! Still sign up so you can save the emails and refer to them when you’re ready to make the Foxboro Pouch.

I get asked all the time about where to find specific supplies, so I put together a list of items that I have personally purchased and used for sewing zipper pouches like the Foxboro Pouch. Many of the products are linked to Amazon, because that’s an easy source for me to link and for a lot of people to purchase items from. Please feel free to check out other options, too, as you can certainly find the products elsewhere.

Supply Recommendations:

Zippers:

For the Foxboro Pouch, I recommend a standard size #3 nylon zipper (like what you’d find at a big box store like JoAnn Crafts or Hobby Lobby). A nylon zipper is preferable over a metal zipper, as you can sew right over the nylon (plastic) zipper teeth without breaking a needle. My favorite brand of size #3 zippers is YKK, as they are inexpensive and a great quality. YKK zippers come in a variety of lengths, but they can always be cut down to size, so I prefer to purchase longer lengths in a variety of colors to keep on hand then I can cut them down to fit whatever project I am currently working on. I also really like the Sallie Tomato size #3 zippers by the yard. When you purchase a zipper by the yard, it comes in a long coil so you can cut the zipper to size then attach a zipper pull. This is a really efficient way to use zippers, as you cut off the exact amount you need for the project.

YKK Zippers on Amazon and the Etsy shop ZipIt
Sallie Tomato zipper by the yard Size #3 on Amazon and Missouri Star Quilt Co

Quilting material:

I prefer using Soft and Stable in between my layers as I quilt. Soft and Stable is a foam stabilizer that gives more structure and protection than a regular batting. There are other foam stabilizers (like Pellon Flex Foam) that also work well–just make sure you are getting a big enough piece for your project. You can also use regular batting like Warm and Natural or Hobbs Heirloom batting (these pouches are GREAT for using up batting scraps left over from quilts!). You can even use a layer of flannel in between your fabric! The flannel will give the pouch less structure than foam stabilizer or batting, but is a great alternative and keeps the seams less bulky

Soft and Stable: Amazon
Pellon Flex Foam: Amazon. (Pellon Flex Foam comes in 20″ width, so make sure it’s big enough for your project! Also, Pellon Flex Foam has fusible options–I prefer the non-fusible versions, but the fusible work well, too).

Other Sewing Supplies:

Hera Marker for marking straight quilting lines: Amazon
Wonder Binding Clips. (I use these ALL the time to hold things in place while I sew): Amazon
Odif 505 Basting Spray: my preferred method for basting small projects like zipper pouches. Amazon link HERE.

Please let me know if you have any other requests for supply recommendations. You can always look at my Amazon Favorites page HERE for items that I have purchased and use regularly.

Happy sewing!

-Kristina

It seems like everything that I’ve been sewing lately has been tiny. I guess I’m just really enjoying the fast and easy projects lately! Today, I’m sharing a new tutorial for you: the Tiny Circle Zipper Pouch!

These little pouches sure are tiny, but they are perfect for holding lip balm, hair ties, small earphones, or loose change and bills.

You can quickly make one of your own (or to give as a gift!) with just a few supplies! Let’s get going on the tutorial:

Tiny Circle Zipper Pouch

Supply Requirements:
Fabric: (4) 5″ x 5″ squares + (1) 1 1/2″ x 3″ strip
Fusible Interfacing (optional): (2) 4 3/4″ x 4 3/4″ squares
Zipper: 8″ or longer zipper (a longer zipper can always be cut down). I recommend a standard size #3 nylon (plastic teeth) zipper
Hardware (optional): 1/2″ D ring or 1/2″ swivel hook for hang tab
Circle Template: You can download and print my 4 1/2″ diameter circle template here: Center Street Quilts Circle Pouch Template, or use a circle ruler or circular object you have at home that is a similar size.

Note: from the fabric requirements, two of the 5″ squares will be for the outside of the zipper pouch (referred to as Main fabric), the other two 5″ squares will be for the inside of the zipper pouch (referred to as the Lining fabric), and the 1 1/2″ x 3″ strip will be for the hang tab.

1. From the (4) 5″ x 5″ squares, pick two to be the Main fabric (outside of the zipper pouch) and two to be the Lining fabric (inside of the zipper pouch). If using fusible interfacing, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the two Main fabric pieces.

2. Take one of the Main fabric squares and one of the Lining fabric squares and cut each in half one way to yield two pieces, each 5″ wide by 2 1/2″.

3. Place the zipper right side up and sandwich it between a 5″ x 2 1/2″ Lining piece on the bottom and a 5″ x 2 1/2″ Main fabric piece on the top, with both fabric pieces facing in toward each other and the zipper. Align the bottom edges as shown below in the photo.

4. Sew the three layers (Lining, zipper, and Main) together along the edge.

5. Flip the Main and Lining fabric pieces away from the zipper (press if needed, but avoid touching the iron to the plastic zipper teeth!) and top stitch along the edge of the fabric to hold it in place and away from the zipper.

6. Repeat with the remaining two 5″ x 2 1/2″ fabric pieces, by placing the zipper right side up sandwiched with the fabric pieces. The Lining will be on the bottom and the Main fabric on the top, both facing in toward the zipper as shown below.

7. Attach the layers together, then flip the Main and Lining away from the zipper and top stitch along the edge of the Main fabric.

8. Place a circle template with a 4 1/2″ diameter on top of the fabric + zipper (you can find my printable template here: Center Street Quilts Circle Pouch Template). Move the zipper pull to the center of the zipper (so it doesn’t get cut off!). Trace the circle template onto the fabric then cut out the circle shape to create the Zipper Circle. As you cut over the zipper teeth, use a pair of utility scissors so as to not dull your fabric scissors.

9. Use the circle template to cut circles from the remaining two 5″ x 5″ fabric squares (one Lining and one Main).

10. Fold the 1 1/2″ x 3″ strip in half the long way and press to make a strip 3/4″ x 3″. Unfold and fold the long sides into the pressed line and press. Refold at original line and top stitch the skinny strip along both long edges.

11. If using a D ring or swivel hook, place it on the hang tab. Fold the hang tab in half to make a loop and place the raw ends at the top, center spot of the Zipper Circle. Attach with a 1/8″ seam.

12. Place the Main fabric circle on top of the Zipper Circle, right sides together, as shown below. Clip or pin to hold into place, then sew around the entire circle with a 1/4″ seam. Backstitch a couple times over the zipper teeth (if the zipper teeth are plastic, you can sew right over them!) to really secure the seam there, as it will be a point of stress when the pouch is turned right side out.

13. Flip the Zipper Circle so the Lining side is up (you will be looking at the wrong side of the zipper. Place the remaining Lining fabric circle piece right sides together on top of the Zipper Circle as shown below.

14. Sew around most of the circle with a 1/4″ seam, leaving about a 2″ opening (to turn the pouch right side out). I like to place the opening on the bottom part of the circle so the opening isn’t across either of the zipper ends or the hang tab.

15. Using the opening, flip the pouch through the hole so the Lining side is facing out. Fold the raw edges at the opening in towards each other and clip or pin in place. Using a spray bottle can make these pieces a bit more pliable and an iron can also be useful to get them to bend the right way.

16. Close the opening either by machine or hand stitching (my preferred method, as it tends to result in a nicer looking finish). Turn the pouch right side out through the zipper so the Main fabric is on the outside. Use a point turner or a blunt stick to get all of the edges turned out nice and sharp (an iron can also help with any wrinkles that formed while turning the pouch right side out).

17. Fill your Tiny Circle Zipper Pouch with your favorite tiniest objects and enjoy!

The Tiny Circle Zipper Pouch can be adjusted in size (just use a different size circle template!), but I’d suggest not going smaller than a 3 1/2″ diameter circle template. Anything smaller gets a bit ridiculous to sew and turn right side out, plus not much would fit in that small of a pouch anyway (although, it sure would be cute!).

Thanks for following along on today’s tutorial! You can watch a short video tutorial of the Tiny Circle Zipper Pouch on my instagram account HERE.

Happy sewing!

Kristina

Today, I’m sharing a quick little sewing tutorial for a tiny trinket basket. These cute little baskets are perfect for putting sewing notions like binding clips or safety pins in an easy to reach spot next to your machine, storing small pieces of jewelry, or keeping all those odds and ends on your desk or dresser contained. And if you have little kids in your life, you just know they could find 101 uses for these baskets (why do they always have so many tiny treasures laying around?!?).

Plus, these baskets are made from just two squares of fabric! Can it get any easier?!?

Below, I have the free tutorial for the basket in the photo above, but if you’re interested in a PDF printable pattern that includes not only this basket, but two additional sizes (look how cute they all are together in the photo below!), check out my shop HERE for the Trio of Trinket Baskets digital pattern. Plus, you can find the video tutorial to these cute baskets on my Instagram account HERE.

Tiny Trinket Basket Tutorial

Finished Size: 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″  x 3″ (width x depth x height)
Find the video tutorial to the Tiny Trinket Basket on my Instagram account HERE.

Supply List:
(2) 10″ x 10″ pieces of fabric
Optional: (2) 8 3/4″ x 8 3/4″ pieces of lightweight fusible interfacing (such as Pellon SF101). Fusible interfacing isn’t necessary, but will give the basket more structure.

1. From each 10″ square, first cut 1″ long strips from two sides of the square to make a square 9″ x 9″. If using fusible interfacing, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the 9″ square.

2. Cut 3″ x 3″ squares from each of the four corners to create a “plus” shape.

3. Place the sides from the cut corners together and sew them with a 1/4″ seam.

4. Repeat with the other corners, then repeat the lining fabric, too, to make two basket shapes.

5. Take two of the 1″ strips and place them right sides together. Using a 1/4″ seam, sew down both long sides to attach the strips. Turn right side out (a tube turner, safety pin, or bodkin work well for getting the tube turned right side out). Top stitch along the long edges. Cut two handles, each 4″ in length.

6. Sew the handle ends to the top of the main fabric basket (sew to the right/front side of the fabric).

7. Keep the main fabric basket wrong side out and turn the lining fabric basket right side out. Place the lining fabric inside the main fabric and line up the seams in the corners. Clip to keep in place.

8. Sew around three of the four sides of the baskets, 1/2″ from the top raw edge (the fourth side will not be sewn to leave a hole to turn everything right side out).

9. Turn the basket right side out through the hole and turn the raw edges of the fourth side towards each other into the seam to conceal any raw edges. Pressing around the top seam can get the edges to lay flat. Keeping the handles out of the way, top stitch around the entire perimeter of the top of the basket to close up the hole and finish your basket.

Fill your new basket with your tiniest treasures and enjoy! Then immediately plan your next one.

Remember, if you enjoyed making this sweet little basket, I have the Trio of Trinket Baskets PDF pattern in my shop HERE. You can download the PDF pattern for easy reference and make a darling matching set in three different sizes.

Aren’t those three baskets just so fun together?!?

You can find the video of the Tiny Trinket Basket on my Instagram account HERE.

Happy sewing!

Kristina

Today I’m sharing a super fast and fun tutorial: a small vinyl zipper pouch! These little pouches are perfect for storing tiny notions: think binding clips, mini charms, and small thread snips or small cosmetics like lip balm, mascara, and a compact mirror. Plus with only two items needed for each pouch, they are really affordable to make, too!

Before we get started, here are a few tips for working with vinyl:

• When vinyl is sewn through, the sewing machine needle makes a hole in it. Unlike sewing through cotton fabric, the puncture made in vinyl is permanent and easily visible if the thread needs to be taken out of the seam. For this reason, I always sew extra slow when sewing with vinyl so as to minimize the chance of having to redo any seams.
• For holding vinyl pieces in place, I frequently use Wonder Clips, but never pins, as the pins will put a permanent hole in the vinyl.
• Vinyl has a tendency to cling to certain surfaces, including your presser foot and needle plate, so you’ll want to make accommodations so the vinyl doesn’t stick to the presser foot. I use either a non-stick presser foot (HERE’s the one that I have for my Juki), or small strips of thin paper in between the vinyl and presser foot. The paper will keep the vinyl from sticking to the presser foot and you can sew right through it then gently tear the paper away after finishing the seam. I used the paper strips method for years before finally purchasing a non-stick presser foot. You can also use a piece of paper under the vinyl to keep it from sticking to your machine bed.

All of the instructions for sewing the small vinyl zipper pouch are below, but I’ve also shared a short video on my Instagram account that you can watch the process, too. You can find that video HERE. 

Let’s get to the pouch tutorial!

Small Vinyl Zipper Pouch Tutorial

Finished Size: 5″ x 5″

Supplies Needed
6″ x 10″ piece of vinyl (I’d recommend between 12 and 20 gauge or 0.3-0.5 mm thickness)
10″ long zipper
Note: For the pouch in this tutorial, all supplies are from the online shop Zipper Valley.

1. Lay out your piece of vinyl (6″ wide and 10″ tall) with the zipper at the top above one of the 6″ sides. The zipper should open on the left.

2. Flip the zipper so it’s on top of the vinyl, right sides together. The 10″ long zipper sides will overhang the 6″ width of the vinyl on each side.

3. Sew the zipper to the vinyl with a 1/4″ seam allowance.

4. Turn the vinyl to the front side and bend the tiny strip of vinyl in the seam allowance back on itself (wrong sides together) so the zipper tape lays flat. Top stitch along the edge of the vinyl by the zipper tape, catching the vinyl in the seam allowance underneath. This top stitch edge will keep the vinyl and zipper tape from the seam allowance out of the way of the zipper.

5. Wrap the other 6″ end of the vinyl up to the other side of the zipper tape, so the right side of the vinyl is facing the right side of the zipper (the wrong side of the vinyl will be facing outward and the right side of the vinyl will be facing in). Sew the vinyl and zipper together with a 1/4″ seam.

6. Turn the vinyl right side out, open the zipper as far as you can and top stitch the edge of the vinyl as you did in Step 4.

7. Turn the vinyl wrong side out and orient the zipper so it is approximately 1″ to 1 1/2″ down from the top fold of the vinyl, as shown in the photo below. Clip the sides to hold into place and sew up both sides of the pouch with a 1/2″ seam. When sewing over the zipper teeth, backstitch several times to secure, as this will be an area of high stress when turning the pouch right side out.

8. Trim any excess zipper length that hangs past the edge of the vinyl.

9. Turn the vinyl pouch right side out through the zipper opening. Tip: the hot air from a hair dryer can help the vinyl be more pliable and easier to turn right side out.

These cute little pouches can, of course, be made in different sizes to fit your needs. Although, be aware that the smaller the size, and the thicker the vinyl, the harder it will be to turn the pouch right side out.

Remember, you can watch the video of the small vinyl zipper pouch on my instagram account HERE.

Happy sewing!

Kristina

Welcome to the Atlas Zipper Case Sew Along Day 5!

Today we’re finishing up our Atlas Zipper Cases by first installing the zipper, then adding the bias binding and zipper tab.

The biggest tip I have for today is to SEW SLOWLY! I know it gets exciting to be at the end and wanting to quickly finish, but I’ve found that when I try to rush through these last couple steps, I end up using the seam ripper more than I want. Haha!

When installing the zipper around the curves of the Zipper Case, I really take my time–stopping the needle every two to three stitches to lift the presser foot, rotate the Case, and adjust the zipper to make sure it’s not folded over anywhere. Since you don’t want your finger too close to the needle, you can use a seam ripper or tool called a stiletto (By Annie makes a great one!) to reach in by the needle and hold the zipper in place as you slowly sew everything in to place.

When sewing both the zipper and bias binding, I tend to have a hard time keeping a consistent seam allowance. Part of this is due to the thickness of the Zipper Case fluctuating as you sew over the pockets, binding, and zippers. After attaching the first side of the bias binding, I always go back through and see how my seam allowance is looking. Is it really small in some areas? If so, I go back through and do another stitch line in that area to get it closer to 1/4″. Is it too big in some areas? If so, I either unpick to resew at a 1/4″ seam allowance, or I trim the bulk in the seam allowance so the binding can get up and around the raw edge. Keeping a consistent 1/4″ seam allowance will help the bias binding look more uniform on both the inside and outside of the Zipper Case.

If you’re finishing the bias binding off by machine, frequently check to make sure that the zipper is always pointing in toward the center of the Zipper Case and out of the way of the needle. It has a tendency to fold back on itself and get in the way of the needle, especially around the corners! If the zipper does get folded under the needle, you’ll need to unpick that section and resew to make sure the zipper is fully functional.

Even with the experience that I have, I am still not always in love with how my bias binding looks when finishing it by machine, so I’ll frequently hand bind it instead. It takes a bit longer, but I’m always so much happier with the end result.

Those are my tips for Day 5! Thanks so much for joining me in the Atlas Zipper Case Sew Along! The Sew Along blog posts and videos on my Instagram account will stay put, so you can refer to them whenever you want. If you share any photos of your Atlas Zipper Case on Instagram, please tag me, as I’d love to see your Case!

Links for products from today’s assignment:

By Annie Stiletto Tool (click HERE)
By Annie Zippers by the Yard (click HERE)
Juki TL2000 Sewing Machine (click HERE)

Thanks for sewing along!

Kristina