Smaller projects

Not only did I try a few smaller quilts for a break, but I also tried sewing something completely different--pouches. These seemed like a great gift as well as a fast way to use up some fabric. After commenting on pouches in a previous post, a reader commented and sent me some links for two styles of pouches. I love free tutorials!

After buying a bunch of zippers, I started with the one that seemed easiest and designated this first pouch for my daughter. The tutorial for this one was for Noodlehead's open wide zippered pouch.

I used the interfacing I had on hand, the lightweight kind I use for backing t-shirts for quilts. After this pouch, I decided to go buy a bit of the kind recommended on the tutorial, hoping for something a little less floppy. I made some adjustment on the zipper install after this one as well, looking more closely at the tutorial instructions and pics.

I started in on the next set. These are the three that have been given away already.

I used a contrasting fabric for the lining and zipper pull end for each of them--didn't like that picture of gaping open pouches.

Then I tried the other tutorial. It was a bit of a different style of pouch, and I like this one because it used up smaller scraps. Both styles could, perhaps some rows of patchwork, but this pouch would use up lots of random bits. This pouch used the Pink Stitches Boxy Pouch tutorial. And as in the last set, the first try was for my daughter:

The lining is the same fabric as the handle. I plan to make one of these for myself, and maybe one more as a gift (not Christmas).

These were a great break from quilts and a great way to use up fabric scraps, both little bits and the larger pieces, while still making something useful. The boxy pouch also uses up those scraps of batting which also seem to multiple in the cabinet!

 . . . and then of course I turned around and made a quilt, but that is for another post.