Tips for sewing zippered pockets for bags

For my bags usually I buy two fabrics from a collection, one for the front panel and the other for the rest. But do you know that you can use “border” type fabric, like the one below? This is the design that runs on the entire width of the fabric.  If there is enough contrast in color/motif/scale, you can easily cut pieces for a bag.

Here is my bag!I bought the fabric for a quilt but now I am happy that I did not cut it in million pieces!

I used my Danielle bag pattern and this is the large version – a big bag with a big front pocket.  This is the pattern and size that I use whenever I want to sew something for a gift.

I used Bosal foam as interfacing (my favorite interfacing for bags); because it is a bulky interfacing I thought to share with you some tips for easier sewing and better results when you sew a zippered pocket on the back panel of a bag, like this one below.

Here is what you have to do.
Start with the heavyweight interfacing (foam, Pellon Peltex, Decovil I) for the back panel of the bag, cut in the shape and size needed. Do not fuse fabric on this interfacing piece at this moment.

At 4” from the top edge of the foam, on the non-fusible side of the foam, draw a rectangle 1/2”  x 8”.

Cut out the rectangle.
The lining of the pocket should be 3” wider than the zipper slot.  I used a 11” x 16” piece of heavyweight cotton.

On the fusible side of the interfacing fuse the desired fabric for the back panel of the bag.

Place the lining (wrong side up) at 2 1/2” from the top edge of the interfaced fabric (right side up); keep the lining centered horizontally.

Pin the pieces together around the zipper slot.

Stitch as close as possible along the edges of the cutout rectangle, keeping the foam out of the stitching.

On the lining the stitching should look like in the picture below.

Carefully cut down the center of the rectangle then clip toward the corners as close as you can without clipping the stitching- see the two pictures below.

Pull the lining though the hole you just cut to the wrong side of the back panel.

Use pins to keep the opening flat. Press with steam. This is how the opening looks from the right side and from the wrong side of the panel.

Position the zipper behind the opening. Stitch all along the opening to secure the zipper in place.

If your zipper is longer than 8”, trim off the excess.
Fold the pocket lining in half as shown, right sides together and stitch along the three sides. The zippered pocket is done!

Here is the bag, pattern is Simply Chic.

The combination of small and big polka dots is amazing, don’t you think?

If you want to make your own bags, check out my bag patterns here.

Happy sewing!