How To Make a Knitting and Crochet Pouch

When I have a knitting or crochet project on the go, I often store it in a plastic bag so it is easy to grab when I am heading out the door. When you have teens you are always spending time in the car waiting for them and it is good to have a portable project to keep you busy.

• Layer the lining fabric with the wrong side facing upwards, then the batting, and then the exterior fabric on top with the right side facing upwards. Pin the layers together using safety pins. Using the 45 degree angle mark on the ruler, mark a 45 degree angle using masking tape. Stitch along the angle using the masking tape as a guide. Reposition the masking tape at 1 inch intervals until the fabric has been quilted in one direction. Using masking tape, position it at right angles to the stitched quilting and quilt in this direction until the piece of fabric is quilted in a cross hatch design.

Quilt Fabric

• Trim the fabric to 19 x 17 1/2 inches.

• Cut 6 bias strips (cut at a 45 degree angle) that are 2 ¼ inches wide starting at the middle of the fat quarter of binding fabric and working outwards.
• Stitch two bias strips together and press the seams open (approx length 44 inches)  and trim to required length.
• Stitch two strips together and press seam open ( approx length 48 inches) and trim to required length.
• Trim one strip to 20 inches.
• Take the 20 inch strip and the 44 inch strip and press them in half lengthwise.
• Pin the 20 inch strip to the bottom edge of the quilted square, matching up the raw edges. Stitch it in place, and trim the ends.
• Fold the binding over to the lining side so it is covering the stitching line and pin in place. Turn the fabric over to the right side, and stitch in the ditch close to the edge of the binding so that it secures the binding on the lining side.

Stitch Binding in Place

Pouch Construction

•  Remove the metal clip from the end of the tape measure. Cut the tape measure to 18 inches. Position the tape measure 1 1/2 inches down from the bound edge and stitch in place using a jeans needle.

Stitch Tape Measure in Place

• Using a saucer as a template, round the top two corners of the pouch. The rounded part will become the flap.

Round Corners

• With the lining side facing upwards, fold the straight bound bottom edge up 6 inches. Pin in place and base using a scant seam allowance through both layers.

Baste sides of Pouch

• Take the 44 inch bias strip. With the outside of the pouch facing upwards, pin the binding to the pouch, going from one corner, around the curved flap, and over to the other corner. There should be approx 1 inch overhand at each end. Match up the raw edges, and stitch in place using a ¼ inch seam allowance.

 

Bind Outside of Pouch

• Tuck in the overhanging edges, and fold the binding over to the inside so that it is covering the stitching line and pin in place. Turn the pouch so that the exterior fabric is facing upwards and sew in the ditch next to the binding so that it catches the binding on the other side
• Take the 48 inch long bias strip, fold in half lengthwise and press. Open it up and fold both long edges into the centre crease line and press. Fold in half again so that you have a long strip that is 5/8 inch wide. Tuck in the ends, and stitch along the open edge.  Stitch the bias strip to the mid point of the flap so that 16 inches is above the stitch line, and 28 inches is below the stitch line. This will form the pouch tie.

Pouch Tie

•  (Optional) Stitch a label to the left hand side of the pouch. Hand stitch 3 hexagons to the right side of the pouch.

Disclosure: Thanks to Windham Fabrics for supplying the Wallflowers fabric that was used in this project.