Are you a fan of sewing cosmetic pouches? Look no further! Moda Fabrics' Nantucket Summer Zipper Pouch pattern is a free download and makes a undeniably adorable 7 1/2” x 6” x 2 ¾” bag. However, after some hands-on experience, I discovered the narrow opening could be a bit of a challenge for getting items in and out. The first step to upsizing the bag was testing a few different corner cut-out sizes, and I eventually settled on a squattier, boxy version. I made this boxy version for my daughter who, ahem, claims to have been way ahead of the Barbie® trend. She loves it - but asked me to make her a bigger version. This post provides my tips for upsizing the bag to a roomier 9” x 6” x 5” bag. To accomplish this, I highly recommend following the pattern from Moda Fabrics and incorporating a few additional tips and tricks.
I found these videos helpful additions to the mini-charm bag pattern instructions:
The Quilted Forest – my take-away from this video is to use fusible grid to align the 2 ½” squares and save a lot of sewing time.
A Quilting Life – recommends using Soft and Stable foam stabilizer, and it’s a must for the larger version. Also, Sheri replaced the standard zipper with Annie’s Zipper. This heavy-duty zipper really made a difference in the opening size and the zippering (I bought a few pounds of them after seeing the video!)
Shabby Fabrics – gives clear sewing instructions with overhead video that’s easy to follow.
For the upsized boxy bag, I cut a piece of fusible web 3 squares across by 12 squares down. I bought the Barbie® fabric a while ago (again, setting the trend) and the filler fabrics are from my stash. Once the charm squares were sewn onto the fusible grid, I added 5” strips to each side. The finished panel is 15” x 23”.
I layered the panel, the foam stabilizer, and the lining and quilted it with simple lines following the seams. To make the big bag really boxy, I used 2 ½” corner cut-outs. Follow the rest of the patten to complete the bag!
Other sewing tips:
- Use a serger or zig-zag stitch to finish the seams
- Press seams open to avoid bulk
- Increase the tab size for the big bag, I used a 2 ½” x 5” piece
Kits for the small bag are available here and include everything you need to complete a small bag!