Japanese Style Boxy Pouch Tutorial

Japanese Style Boxy Pouch with Embroidery

I started this pouch a week ago... I picked the fabric and searched for a zipper. For this size I used a 10 inch zipper, but you can use whatever you want and for the fabric I decided the height (by 2) and depth (by 2)  plus an inch = total height. For the length it's determined by the zipper + 1cm on each side.

There are many ways to make this pouch, I'm new to sewing so I decided the less the sewing the better. You can make the front an the back separately and join them at the bottom, it's up to you. I liked this way better, BUT you will have some fabric remains and stitches on the inside =(

TIP: secure your fabrics with pins, open the zipper an inch or so, start sewing, close it up, and continue sewing. This will make it easier at the beginning. THE FABRIC MUST BE SECURED WITH PINS or the zipper will open and you won't sew straight or might sew the zipper wrong.

TIP 2: sew along the zipper ends. They are slightly open and happened to me, you follow the zipper line, but because is open it won't be a neat at the end or beginning of pouch. See the pictures below =(

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Materials: Outer fabric, Inside fabric, zipper, scissors or cutter

Arrange fabric this way:
inside fabric right side up, zipper right side up, outer fabric wrong side up.

TIP: I struggled with the handle of the zipper, open it up a bit,
start sewing, close it up, continue sewing.

I used the zipper foot, it's really handy

Turn the fabric and Iron.
This will help to fold the fabric precisely for the other side.

It should look like this. Now the tricky part that most people don't explain...

Fold the inner fabric backwards to match the zipper,
and fold the outer fabric forward over the zipper.

So you have the inner fabric on one side and the outer on the other side.

Align with zipper and secure it with pins.

Open the zipper and fold it over to the wrong side
 (inner fabric out, outer fabric in)

Now this is important. Find the center and align the zipper in the middle.

Fold each corner to meet the zipper all along. It should look like this.
The folds MOST meet at the center.

Secure with pins and do the same on the other side.

if you want a handle this is the time to insert it.
I placed mine below the zipper and the 1st fold.

Sew a straight line across the pouch aligned
with the end or beginning of zipper

This is how it looks.
I also trimmed the remaining fabric and make some stitches.

To make your pouch more boxy, iron before turn it inside out.

Turn it and fold in the zipper and Iron

This will make your pouch super square or rectangular =p

This is how it turns out. I used a scrap of the inner fabric for the handle.

You can make the handle as long or as short as you want.

This is the other side.

If your folds were precise this triangles will meet at the middle with the zipper.

I don't know if you can see it, but there's the seem.
You can make it smaller or even stitch it to the fabric inside.

I hope this tutorial helps you make your own boxy pouch. If any comments or corrections please email me or comment. Also share your work. Send me a post with your creation and will be posted here.