Pyramid Pouch Tutorial

This is a guest post I did for Stephanie at Toastie Studio.  I am reposting it here because I am way down in TX visiting my lovely inlaws and I didn't want to let you all think I've abandoned you!  This pyramid pouch is a quick and easy last minute gift idea.  I can make one in about 30 minutes.  You can vary the size, but make it too big and it loses it's cuteness and charm.  If you make it too small, you can't get your hand inside the bag to utilize it.  I love to fill a pouch with candy, a jar of my famous peach jam, and a maybe even a few ornaments or a scented candle.  It's a fun, versitile, and easy so I hope you'll give it a try!

Happy Holidays! 

Rikka J.

Fuse the interfacing to the backs of all the squares.  The rectangles don't need interfacing.  For this pouch l used med weight interfacing.  The outer fabric is a corduroy and the lining is linen.  You want to give your fabric enough body or stiffness to hold it's shape when it's all sewn together.  A sturdy canvas or thick corduroy may not require interfacing.  Batting (wadding) or fusible fleece are other good options.

Sometimes I don't cover up the ends of my zipper, but the results are well worth the effort.  Your pouch will look that much more neat and finished.  Plus, it's the easiest way to shorten a zipper that is too long.

• 1. Line up a rectangle of lining, right side up, under the zipper, as shown.  
• 2. Add a rectangle of the outer fabric, wrong side up, on top.  Stitch across.
• 3. Repeat for the other side.  Fold back and press.

Where exactly do you place the rectangles?  I position them so the zipper opening, or the distance between the lines of stitching, will be 6".  

For you zipper virgins out there, this is how you get around the zipper and keep your stitches nice and straight:

• A. Pin a square of outer fabric to the zipper, right sides together, as shown.
• B. Using your zipper foot, stitch up to the zipper pull.
• C. With the needle lowered, raise the foot and zip the zipper closed.  
• D. Now the zipper pull is out of the way and you can stitch away.

Zips can be frustrating and confusing.  I avoided them for a long time.  There are a million tutorials out there on installing zips, so I won't go into great detail here.  Basically, you repeat the above steps for all the remaining squares of fabric.  Pay attention to the direction of the print on your fabric, and keep the right sides together, and you'll do fine.

• 1. After you fold back your squares and press, you should have something like this.
• 2. This is what it looks like from the back.
• 3. Top stitch around the zipper and trim the little rectangles even with the squares.
• 4. This is what the outside looks like all top stitched and trimmed.

At this point, you can add things like labels, pockets, straps, tabs, etc.  I kept this bag pretty simple for the sake of the tutorial, but usually I add a Ricochet label to the exterior.  If you used  batting or fleece, this would be the time to do any quilting, keeping your stitches well clear of the edges of the squares.

• A. Pin the lining, right sides together.  Pin the outer fabric, right sides together.  Stitch around the perimeter leaving the bottom open.
• B. This shows another view of step A.  The lining stitched together on one side, the outer fabric on the other, and the zipper is in between.  The bottom of the zipper is facing the camera.
• C. This step is easier to see than it is to explain.  The side seams are matched with (and centered on) the zipper.  Pin the fabrics right sides together.  It looks a little like a space ship at this point. ;-D
• D. Start at each edge/corner and sew towards the zipper, stopping just short of the zip.  You can see in the picture that I left an opening on one side of the lining.  Pin together the lining and outer fabrics, as shown, and sew right across the zipper (between the pins) through all the fabric.  

• 1. Snip the corners and start pulling the bag inside out Through the opening in the lining.
• 2. Machine stitch the opening closed.  No one will see the stitching because of where it will end up in the finished bag, so don't feel like like you need to hand stitch.
• 3. Almost done!
• 4. Done!

The very last step is to add something to the zipper pull.  A scrap of ribbon or trim works great.  Thanks for sticking with me until the very end!  I know I'm long-winded, and I do apologize!

Happy crafting and big hugs from Montana,