DIY Zipper Coin Purse- Free Sewing Tutorial
Writing a blog is something I've been meaning to do for such a long time. So I have finally put my big girl pants on and I'm here to share some extra Clojo Ruth goodness with you.
This tutorial is aimed at confident beginners and above. I have used a fabric that I have already embroidered with one of my cat motifs but you can use any fabric you like. Play around with different patterns and colours.
These are super handy to make for yourself, you don't have to use them just for coins, I tend to use them to store earrings and other small bits and bobs when I am travelling. Fill them with chocolate coins and they make excellent gifts too!
These are super handy to make for yourself, you don't have to use them just for coins, I tend to use them to store earrings and other small bits and bobs when I am travelling. Fill them with chocolate coins and they make excellent gifts too!
For this tutorial you will need;
· Fabric scissors or rotary cutter
· Zipper foot for your machine
· Ruler
· Iron
· Fabric marking pen or chalk
· Pins
· 1 zip 15cm or longer
· Outer fabric
· Lining fabric
· Matching thread
· Zipper foot for your machine
· Ruler
· Iron
· Fabric marking pen or chalk
· Pins
· 1 zip 15cm or longer
· Outer fabric
· Lining fabric
· Matching thread
Note: Fat quarters will be plenty for the outer and lining fabrics.
If you are using a thin/ quilting weight cotton for the outer fabric you may wish to back the two outer pieces with some fusible interfacing to give it some extra stability. I have used cotton canvas for this purse so I didn't need interfacing.
If you are using a thin/ quilting weight cotton for the outer fabric you may wish to back the two outer pieces with some fusible interfacing to give it some extra stability. I have used cotton canvas for this purse so I didn't need interfacing.
Cutting the fabric
Press the fabric before cutting if necessary
Cut your fabric as follows;
· Two pieces of lining fabric 12x16cm
· Two pieces of lining fabric 5x5cm
· Two pieces of outer fabric 12x16cm
This tutorial uses a 1cm seam allowence throughout
Place one of the outer pieces in front of you right side up. Along the top edge make a small mark 1cm from both the left and right hand edges.
Trim the bottom of your zip just inside the stopper at the bottom. (Do not trim the other end of the zip pull will fall off!)
Press the fabric before cutting if necessary
Cut your fabric as follows;
· Two pieces of lining fabric 12x16cm
· Two pieces of lining fabric 5x5cm
· Two pieces of outer fabric 12x16cm
This tutorial uses a 1cm seam allowence throughout
Place one of the outer pieces in front of you right side up. Along the top edge make a small mark 1cm from both the left and right hand edges.
Trim the bottom of your zip just inside the stopper at the bottom. (Do not trim the other end of the zip pull will fall off!)
Lay the zip just inside (approx. 2mm) the left hand mark you have made on your front panel. Draw a mark on the zip just inside the right hand mark on your fabric. This shows you exactly how long your zip needs to be. Now trim the zip to the marked length.
Now make the zip tabs. Take your two 5cm squares of lining fabric, iron each tab in half, then fold the edges inwards and iron again.
Place a zip tab over one end of the zip, enclosing the raw edge of the zip within the tab. You may want to pin it in place, but I find it’s easy enough to hold it in place. Sew along the edge of the tab to secure it. Once sewn into place trim the zip tab so it is 1-2mm wider than the zip itself. Repeat this step for both ends of the zip
Inserting the zip
Fit your zip foot to your machine.
Place the zip right side down onto the front outer piece, between the two marks you made earlier.
Place a piece of lining fabric on top, ensuring edges are matched and the fabrics are right sides together. Pin into place.
Place the zip right side down onto the front outer piece, between the two marks you made earlier.
Place a piece of lining fabric on top, ensuring edges are matched and the fabrics are right sides together. Pin into place.
You will now have a zip sandwich, consisting on the front piece, the zip and one lining piece. The front and lining fabrics must have their right sides together.
Stitch the zip into place, as close to the zipper teeth as possible approx. half cm from raw edge.
Tip: To sew past the zipper pull, stop just before the pull, put the needle down and raise the presser foot. Pull the zip pull past the needle so it is out of the way. Lower the presser foot, continue stitching to the end.
Open the fabrics away from the zipper and repeat the last step using the two remaining pieces of fabric so that both sides of the zip are sewn in.
Open out the fabric so you have an outer and lining piece on each side. Iron the fabric, pulling the lining away from the zip as you press it. This ensures the fabric sits flat and wont get caught in the zip when you top stitch.
Top stitch along both edges of the zip. Try to top stitch as close to zip as you can, approx. 3mm. Ensure the stitching is very straight as this stitching will be visible.
You need to ensure that the lining fabric is sitting nice and flat as you top stitch so it doesn’t obstruct the zip. You can gently pull the fabric away from the zip as you top stitch to ensure the lining doesn’t get caught.
Tip: You can use your zipper foot again, but I usually use my normal sewing foot. To get the stitching nice and close you can adjust your needle position to the far left.
Open the zip. Lay the purse out with the two lining pieces right sides together and the two outer pieces right sides together and pin.
Make sure the zipper teeth and top edges of the outer fabric are pointing inwards towards the lining.
Sew around all edges, leaving an opening of at least 4cm in the centre of the bottom edge of the lining pieces. This will be used for turning the purse right side out.
Clip the corners and trim the seams by a few mm, don't trim too close to the line of stitching or the fabric will fray and you will end up with a hole.
Now you need to turn the purse right side out by pulling the outer pieces through the opening you left in the lining.
Use a point to ensure the corners are turned out neatly, I find a knitting needle works well to get into the corners.
Sew the opening closed, you can do this by hand using an invisible stitch if you like but I prefer to do it on my machine with a narrow seam.
Push the lining inside the purse, turn all the corners out neatly and press.
You’re finished, well done!
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and have lots of fun making your own. Feel free to leave any questions in the comments and share your makes on social media with the hashtag #clojoruth
If you'd like to purchase the cat purse I have made in this tutorial you can do so here. Or use the menu at the top of the page to browse our full range of goodies!
Find me on Instragram and Facebook
If you'd like to purchase the cat purse I have made in this tutorial you can do so here. Or use the menu at the top of the page to browse our full range of goodies!
Find me on Instragram and Facebook
I just made two of these zipper pouches for my daughter’s, and they turned out well! Thank you so much for the instructions!