Tips for making a handmade zipper pouch (How to sew the thick zipper edge) – Make a zipper pouch
When making a zipper pouch (zipper bag), the hardest part is sewing the thick area where the outer fabric, lining, and zipper overlap. When there is a difference in fabric thickness, the thick part becomes difficult to sew, and the zipper pouch may not turn out neatly. To prevent this, I made a small fabric strip that you place under the presser foot of the sewing machine.
This helps even out the thickness around the zipper, making the fabric easier to sew. I think it will also help improve the overall finish of your work, so I hope you’ll find this useful when making handmade zipper pouches (zipper bags).
When making a zipper pouch (zipper bag), the thickest part of the fabric is at the ends of the zipper. This area has considerable thickness because the zipper’s ‘ears’ overlap with the pouch fabric and seam allowances.
The area where the zipper and fabric overlap creates a step due to the difference in thickness. If you try to sew over it with a regular machine stitch, you may not be able to get past this step.
If this part cannot be sewn smoothly, it will affect the finish of the zipper pouch (zipper bag), so it’s important to sew it as neatly as possible. Being able to sew this section cleanly is a key point when making a handmade zipper pouch.
This is the tool that helps even out the thickness and steps in the zipper area : a fabric strip. Using this makes making a zipper pouch (zipper bag) much easier.
The fabric strip is placed under the presser foot of the sewing machine. By using the fabric strip, the step at the zipper area is evened out, making it easier to sew.
Make sewing a zipper pouch easier! How to make a fabric strip
1. Fold 1cm at both ends of a piece of fabric measuring 5cm × 20cm.
When making a crease, I recommend using a hot hemmer (hot ironing ruler). It helps you create a crisp fold and makes the finished zipper pouch (zipper bag) look much neater.
https://www.jewel-track.com/en/post-628-en2. Fold the fabric in half with the right sides together and sew.
3. Turn it right side out, topstitch along the edge, and it’s done.
The area around the zipper can easily shift while sewing, so baste it with temporary thread beforehand. This is a key tip for finishing a zipper pouch (zipper bag) neatly.
Making movie is the following.