How to Sew A Zipper Pouch / Simple Front-Facing Zipper
If you love making zipper pouches as much as I do, you’ll enjoy this simple variation! In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to sew a zipper pouch with the zipper on the front instead of along the top.
I’ll also show you how to use French seams to give your pouch a clean, finished interior without having to leave an opening in the lining and sew it closed afterward. That’s one less step, and I’m all for making things easier!
We’ll also add a cute little fabric handle and go over some of my favorite tips for working with zippers.
These little bags are so handy for organizing all kinds of things, and they make great handmade gifts.
What Makes This Zipper Pouch Different?
If you’ve made one of my other zipper pouch projects, you may be familiar with installing the zipper along the top of the bag.
For this project, we’re doing things a little differently.
Here are a few things I love about this design:
Front-facing zipper: Gives the pouch a different look and allows you to adjust where the zipper sits.
French seams: Enclose the raw edges inside the pouch for a neat, finished interior.
No lining opening to close: There’s no need to turn the pouch through a lining opening and stitch it closed afterward.
Fabric handle: Adds a cute, practical finishing touch.
Customizable sizes: Make a small, medium, or large pouch depending on what you want to use it for.
You can also play around with different fabric combinations, zipper colors, and even add contrasting zipper trim for a little extra detail.
Supplies You’ll Need
You don’t need a lot of supplies to make these zipper pouches, and you may already have most of them in your sewing room.
Fabric and Materials
Outer fabric
Lining fabric
Nylon zipper or zipper-by-the-yard
Zipper pull (if using zipper-by-the-yard)
Fabric strip for the handle
Sewing Tools
Sewing machine
Iron and ironing surface
Rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat (optional but helpful)
Fabric clips or pins
Turning stick or point turner
Double-sided fabric tape or fabric glue (optional)
A little tip: I love using 1/4-inch-wide double-sided fabric tape when installing zippers. It helps keep everything in place without having to worry about pins shifting while I sew.
What Type of Fabric Works Best?
For this tutorial, I’m using regular quilting cotton for the outer fabric and a plain cotton fabric for the lining.
Quilting cotton is easy to work with and comes in so many fun colors and prints.
If you’re using a lighter-weight cotton, I recommend adding fusible interfacing to give the pouch a little more structure.
You can also use heavier fabrics such as:
Denim
Duck cloth
Corduroy
Other medium-weight woven fabrics
Depending on the thickness of your fabric, you may not need interfacing.
Here’s a quick overview of the process:
Prepare your fabric. Cut your outer fabric, lining, and interfacing, and fuse the interfacing in place.
Install the zipper. I’ll show you how to position the zipper on the front of the pouch and add decorative topstitching.
Add the zipper pull. Learn a simple trick that makes installing zipper pulls much easier.
Make the fabric handle. This little addition gives the pouch a cute, practical finishing touch.
Sew the French seams. This is my favorite part! The French seams enclose the raw edges, giving the inside a clean finish without having to sew a lining opening closed.
Turn and press. Finish the pouch, straighten the corners, and give it a final press.
Watch the Step-by-Step Video Tutorial
Follow along as I make the medium-sized zipper pouch and share some of my favorite sewing tips along the way.
Get the Printable Zipper Pouch Pattern
Want to make more than one size?
I’ve created a printable PDF sewing pattern that includes three different pouch sizes, along with cutting measurements, printable pattern pieces, and detailed sewing instructions.
It’s especially handy if you want to make several pouches for gifts or prefer having printed instructions right beside your sewing machine.
Lightly singe zipper ends with a lighter to stop fraying.
To apply the zipper pull, use a zipper jig or guide it on by hand. Make sure the fabric edges are lined up.
Kids love wearing an apron as well. The PDF pattern comes with a child size.
They’re perfect for keeping things handy, like a cell phone, scissors, pens, or even garden tools.
Utility aprons are perfect for holding nails, my measuring tape, and, of course, my cell phone while I work.
Plus, they look pretty cute over jeans or a skirt—adding a bit of shabby chic style to your look.
Cut out 2 bibs on the fold. You can double fold and cut all 4 pieces at once if you are using the same fabric for the front and back.
Place the folded pocket on top of one of the bib pieces right side facing up. Align the edges and clip in place.
Using a turning stick, poke out the curves and edges.
