Today’s Weekend Wonder is made for the busy weekend warrior who wants to travel light. At just 5″ x 3½”, this little zippered key pouch fits your keys, cash and cards. It’s the second project in our trio of Fabric.com matching travel storables, featuring the fab fabric trio of: natural twill, soft faux suede and pretty home décor gingham. There’s a handy strap so you can carry it over your wrist or simply grab it off the counter as you run out the door to your next weekend adventure. When my teenage daughter saw this, she immediately snatched it up… even though I was in the middle of a photo session. “This is perfect,” she said, “Sometimes I just don’t want to carry anything but my keys… and maybe my phone… and maybe a couple bucks. Can I have this when you’re done?!” And there you have option number two: a great gift idea. You could even tuck in a few dollars or a gift card to sweeten the deal. Fun and flexible, and of course, a classic monogram says it’s yours.
Did you know all the related articles within any series are listed at the bottom of each project page. Simply scroll to the bottom to find a handy list. All ten days of the Weekend Wonders series are sponsored by our friends at Fabric.com. If you’re a fabric “shop-a-holic like we are, you’ll want to learn more out about the Fabric.com Frequent Shopper Program where you can accumulate points to redeem for discount coupons to use on future purchases. Because with over 500,000 yards of fabric from which to choose, you will frequently find lots to love!
Click here to download our monogram alphabet and brackets. This free download is sponsored by Fabric.com and is available in all major embroidery formats.
Our pouch finishes at approximately 5″ wide x 3½” high with a 6″ handle loop.
Sewing Tools You Need
- Any Sewing Machine (we recommend the Janome Memory Craft 9900)
- Zipper foot
- Quarter Inch Seam foot (optional)
- Satin Stitch foot (optional)
Fabric and Other Supplies
NOTE: Inventory shifts constantly, and some prints may not be in-stock when you first visit. However, there are other color options as well as re-stock dates listed for each fabric.
- ¼ yard of 44″+ wide medium weight twill for one section of the pouch exterior and the ring and strap tabs; we used 58″ 65% recycled polyester/35% organic cotton Eco Twill in Natural (#UO-088) from Fabric.com
- ¼ yard of 44″+ wide faux suede for the other section of the pouch exterior, the strap and the zipper tabs; we used 58″ 100% polyester Vintage Suede in Espresso (#0298896) from Fabric.com
- ¼ yard of 45″+ wide medium weight cotton for the lining and the little zipper pull; we used a 100% cotton, 54″ upholstery basic in Small Check Ivory/Charcoal (#0305090) from Fabric.com
- ⅛ yard or scrap of 20″ lightweight fusible interfacing; we used Pellon 950F Shir-Tailor® (#0307084) from Fabric.com
- ONE 7″ zipper (which will be cut down to fit); we used a Coats Metal All-Purpose zipper in Ecru (#0299493) from Fabric.com
- ONE ¾” metal D-ring; we used a nickel D-ring (#NR-2649) from Fabric.com
- ONE 1″ split key ring
- Stabilizer for the optional embroidery as recommended for your embroidery machine
- All purpose thread to match fabrics; we used thread to match the twill for all stitching and topstitching, which means our stitching lines are accented when crossing the faux suede
- Embroidery thread to match main suede for optional monogram; we used a chocolate brown
- See-through ruler
- Fabric pen or pencil
- Seam gauge
- Seam ripper
- Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
- Iron and ironing board
- Straight pins
- Hand sewing needle
Getting Started
- From the fabric for one section of the pouch exterior and the ring and strap tabs (Eco Twill in Natural in our sample), cut the following:
ONE 2″ x 5″ strip for the tabs
If monogramming, cut ONE rectangle at 4½” x 3″; cut ANOTHER rectangle big enough to hoop; it will be cut down after embroidery to 4½” x 3″
If not monogramming, cut TWO 4½” x 3″ rectangles - From the fabric for the other section of the pouch exterior, the strap and the zipper tabs (Vintage Suede in Espresso in our sample), cut the following:
TWO 4½” x 4″ rectangles for the exterior
ONE 2″ x 14″ strip for the strap
TWO 1¼” x 2½” strips for the zipper tabs - From the fabric for the lining and the little zipper pull (Small Check in Ivory/Charcoal in our sample), cut the following:
TWO 4½” x 6″ rectangles for the lining
ONE ¾” x 4″ strip for the zipper pull - From the interfacing, cut TWO 3¼” x 4½” rectangles.
At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board
Optional embroidery
- Download the free font collection in the proper format for your machine.
- Hoop the twill fabric and stabilizer, and monogram the letter of your choice surrounded by the brackets.
- Trim the finished fabric to 4½” x 3″, positioning the embroidery so it is centered side to side and top to bottom within the strip.
Create the exterior panels
- Find all four exterior pieces. Pin one twill panel to one faux suede panel, right sides together, along the inside 4½” sides. If you monogrammed, make sure the bottom of your letter is facing down towards the suede.
- Using a ½” seam allowance, stitch together each set of panels.
- Press the seam allowance towards the faux suede. Use a pressing cloth over the right side of the faux suede to protect it.
- Edgestitch along the seam within the suede.
- Trim the seam allowance close to the edgestitching.
- Find the two pieces of interfacing. Following manufacturer’s instructions, fuse one piece to each suede panel. Align the top edge and the sides; the bottom edge of the interfacing will sit above the seam.
Zipper tabs
- Find the 7″ zipper and the two 1¼” x 2½” strips.
- On the “pull end” of the zipper, place one strip one so the strip and the zipper are right sides together and the raw ends are flush. Pin in place.
- On the “stop end” of the zipper, place the other strip so the strip and the zipper are right sides together, but the bottom edge of the strip sits 2½” up from the raw ends of the zipper. Pin in place. In addition, measure another 1″ up – to 3½”, and place another pin or draw a horizontal line. This is where you will stitch across the zipper. The excess zipper will be trimmed away later.
- Stitch the zipper tabs in place. The pull-end seam should cross just to the right of the end of the zipper teeth.
- The stop-end seam should cross along the marked/drawn line, 3½” from the bottom raw ends of the zipper tape.
- Press the zipper tabs away (use a pressing cloth) from the zipper on each end and pin in place. Open the zipper.
Insert the zipper
- Place the finished front panel of the bag right side up on your work surface.
- Lay your zipper upside down on top of the top edge (teeth facing down on the right side of the fabric and with the zipper pull to the left). The edge of the zipper tape should be flush with the fabric’s raw horizontal edge. Make sure the zipper itself is centered between the left and right sides of the panel. The zipper tabs will extend beyond the raw edges of the panel and the excess zipper tail will extend way beyond on the right side.
- Pin the zipper to the panel, being careful to pin through just the top of the zipper. You need to be able to open and close the zipper; you can’t do that if you’ve pinned through the whole thing.
- Attach your Zipper foot. Your needle should be in the left-most position.
- Stitch as close to the zipper as the foot will allow, removing the pins as you sew.
- Go slowly. You can stitch with the zipper open or closed. If you have trouble maneuvering around the zipper pull, you can stop with your needle in the down position. Twist your fabric around slightly and carefully close the zipper. Re-position your fabric and finish sewing to the end. Be very careful and go slowly; you want your seam line to be super-duper straight.
- Press the panel away from the zipper.
- Repeat to attach the other side of the zipper to the back exterior panel. Make sure the panels match up: twill to twill and faux suede to faux suede.
- You now have panels stitched in place on either side of the zipper and the excess width is neatly filled in with the zipper tabs.
- Flip the sewn panel to the right side and topstitch along each side of the zipper.
Make the strap
- Find the 2″ x 14″ strip of faux suede.
- Fold the strip in half lengthwise so it is now 1″ x 14″. Pin the raw edges together.
- Using a ¼” seam allowance (we used our Quarter Inch Seam foot), stitch the 14″ sides.
- Turn right side out and press flat. Remember to use a pressing cloth when working on the right side of the faux suede.
NOTE: Take a look at our handy tutorial on turning tubes, using a hemostat. - Edgestitch along both long sides of the strap. The ends remain raw.
- Find the D-ring. Slip the strap through the ring and bring the raw ends together.
- Using a ¼” seam allowance, stitch the ends together.
- Turn the seam to the inside so it rests against the curved side of the “D” on the D-ring. Pin in place, then stitch in place with a 1″ “X-Box”. The top of the box should be as close to the ring as you can possibly get with your presser foot. A Zipper foot will help with this.
NOTE: Sorry, missed an in-progress photo here, but you can see the above-mentioned X-box quite well in the photos below.
Make and place ring and strap tabs
- Find the 2″ x 5″ length of twill.
- Fold in each 5″ raw edge ¼” and press. Fold the strip in half lengthwise, aligning the folded edges, so the strip is now 5″ x ¾”.
- Edgestitch down both sides of the strip.
- Cut the strip in half so you now have two strips, each 2½” x ¾”.
- Find the D-ring (to which the strap is attached) and the split key ring.
- Slip one strip through each ring.
- Find the front exterior panel.
- Measure to find the exact center of each side of the exterior panel. Mark these center points.
- Center the key ring over the mark on the suede.
- Center the D-ring over the mark on the twill. In case you’re wondering, that brown horizontal line is a leftover placement line from our embroidery, which will be removed later.
- Machine baste the tab ends in place, staying close to the raw edge.
Stitch front to back
- Fold the front and back panels right sides together so the zipper is centered at the top edge. The strap and tabs are sandwiched between the layers. Make sure the center seams are aligned.
- Pin in place along both sides and across the bottom. Make sure the zipper is open.
- Using a ½” seam allowance, stitch along both sides and across the bottom, pivoting at the corners. Go slowly and carefully as you are stitching through a lot of layers. Use a substantials backstitch at both the beginning and end of your seam to reinforce these stress points at either end of the zipper.
- Clip the corners at a diagonal and trim away the excess zipper tab fabric as well as the excess zipper on the right side.
- Turn the pouch right side out through the zipper opening. Your strap tab and key ring tab should pop out from the opposite seams. Use a blunt-end tool, like a large knitting needle, to poke out the corners so they are nice and sharp. You can also carefully pull out the corners from the outside with a straight pin. Press well, remembering to use a pressing cloth to protect the faux suede.
Create and insert the lining
- Find the two 6″ x 4½” lining pieces.
- Place the two lining pieces right sides together. Pin in place along both sides and across the bottom.
- Using a ¼” seam allowance, stitch along both sides and across the bottom, pivoting at the corners.
- Clip the corners and press the seam allowance open.
NOTE: You want the lining to be just a big larger than the exterior pouch so, when inserted, there is excess to nicely wrap around the exterior pouch seams. - Turn the lining right side out. Gently push out the corners so they are nice and square. Press flat.
- Turn under the top raw edge of the lining ½” all around.
- Find the exterior. Turn it wrong side out.
- Slip the exterior inside the lining so the two bags are now wrong sides together.
- Align the bottom and side side seams. The top folded edge of the lining should fall below the zipper teeth by about ⅛”. If it doesn’t, adjust the fold to fit.
- Pin the lining and exterior together.
- Thread the hand sewing needle.
- Slip stitch the lining to the pouch, using very small stitches. Stitch along the front and the back, but leave the lining loose where it wraps over the side seams. This allows some “give” in the lining to it folds smoothly as you zip the pouch open and shut.
- Turn the pouch right side out.
Zipper pull
- Find the ¾” x 4″ strip of lining fabric.
- Fold the strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press to set a center crease. Unfold so the crease line is visible.
- Fold in both 4″ raw edges to meet the center crease line. Press well. The ends remain raw.
- Refold along the original crease line so the folded edges align.
- Stitch the length of the tiny strip to secure the folded edges.
- Slip the strip through the hole on the zipper pull.
- Make a knot at each end of the strip and trim the excess close to these knots. You can use a dab of seam sealant, such as Dritz® Fray Check
on the ends if you’d like.
- Align the ends one on top of the other and stitch together as close to the zipper pull as possible. The tie is too thick to knot and stay against the pull so this tiny bit of stitching holds the pull in place. You could also hand stitch the tails together.
Contributors
Project Design: Alicia Thommas
Sample Creation and Instructional Outline: Debbie Guild
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