A simple zipper pouch is one of those sewing projects that is useful for learning new skills and handy when you have finished it. Add fabric tabs to the ends of the zipper and you can give even a straightforward pouch a much neater, more professional-looking finish.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make a fully lined zipper pouch with tabs from start to finish. I’m using denim from an old pair of jeans for the outside and lightweight curtain fabric for the lining, so it is also a good project for using fabric you already have rather than buying everything new.
My finished pouch is approximately 6 x 10 inches, but you can change the measurements to make a pencil case, make-up bag, small organiser or general-purpose storage pouch.
What Is a Zipper Pouch with Tabs?
A zipper pouch is simply a small fabric bag that closes with a zip. In this version, short fabric tabs are sewn over both ends of the zipper before the zipper is attached to the main fabric.
Those little tabs make quite a difference. Instead of the zipper tape disappearing awkwardly into the side seams, the fabric tabs create a tidy finish at each end. They also make it easier to sew the pouch sides without having to stitch directly through a bulky zipper stop.
If you are learning how to make bags, this is a very useful technique to practise. The same basic skills appear again in make-up bags, organisers, wristlet pouches and more complicated handmade bags.
Materials You Will Need
You do not need a huge amount of fabric for this project, so have a look through your offcuts before buying anything new. Old jeans are particularly useful for the outer pouch because denim gives it a little structure.
- Two pieces of outer fabric
- Two pieces of lining fabric
- Four small pieces of fabric for the zipper tabs
- One zipper
- Coordinating sewing thread
- Fabric scissors
- Sewing machine or hand-sewing needle
- Zipper foot if you are machine sewing
- Pins or sewing clips
- Iron and ironing board
- Optional label, ribbon, braid or other embellishment
What fabric works best for a zipper pouch?
For the outer layer, cotton, denim, canvas and medium-weight furnishing fabrics are all good choices. If you use something very lightweight, you may want to add interfacing for extra structure.
The lining can be lighter. Cotton or polycotton works well, and leftover curtain or dressmaking fabric can be ideal if it is not too thick. The important thing is that the outer fabric and lining behave well together when you sew and turn the pouch.
Choosing the Size of Your Zipper Pouch
Before cutting anything, decide what you want to use the pouch for. My pouch is approximately 6 x 10 inches, which makes a useful pencil case or everyday organiser.
You can make yours smaller or larger. The basic method stays the same. Just remember that your fabric pieces need to include your seam allowance, and the finished zipper with its tabs needs to fit comfortably along the top edge of the pouch.
I normally allow around 1/2 inch for the pouch seams. The tabs are made from small rectangles approximately the width of the zipper tape and around 2 inches or 5 cm high before sewing and folding.
How to Make a Zipper Pouch with Tabs
Step 1: Measure and Cut the Outer Fabric and Lining
Measure and mark two identical rectangles from your outer fabric and two identical rectangles from your lining fabric. Remember to include your seam allowance in the measurements.
Cut all four pieces carefully so their edges match. Accurate cutting makes the rest of the project much easier, particularly when you come to line up the side seams.
Cut four smaller rectangles for your zipper tabs. You need two pieces at each end of the zipper because the zipper will be sandwiched between them.
If you want to add a handmade label, ribbon, braid or another embellishment to the outside of the pouch, now is a good time to do it. I added my Watership Down Crafts label before constructing the bag because it is much easier while the fabric is still flat.
Step 2: Secure the End of the Zipper
Before attaching the tabs, hand stitch across the open end of the zipper to hold both sides of the zipper tape together.
It does not need to look particularly beautiful because the stitches will eventually be hidden inside the fabric tab. Their job is simply to prevent the two sides of the zipper moving apart and leaving an unwanted gap.
Step 3: Position the Fabric Zipper Tabs
Take two tab pieces and place one above and one below one end of the zipper. The right sides of the tab fabric should face one another, with the zipper sandwiched between them.
Align the raw edges of the tab pieces with the end of the zipper and secure everything with a clip or pin. Repeat at the opposite end.
Step 4: Sew Across Each Zipper Tab
Sew a straight line across each tab using approximately a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Go slowly as you approach the zipper itself. Depending on the zipper you are using, there may be more resistance here and you do not want to damage your sewing-machine needle.
Step 5: Fold Back and Topstitch the Tabs
Fold both tab pieces away from the zipper so that their right sides are visible. Press them flat if your fabric allows it, then topstitch close to the folded edge.
You should now have a zipper with a neat fabric tab at both ends.
How to Attach the Zipper to the Pouch
Step 6: Position the Zipper on the Outer Fabric
Place one outer fabric piece right side up. Lay the zipper along the top edge with the zipper facing down towards the fabric.
Before sewing, check which direction you want the zipper to open. I generally position mine so it opens from left to right when the finished pouch is facing me.
Step 7: Add the Lining
Place one lining piece on top with its right side facing the right side of the outer fabric. The zipper should now sit between the two layers.
Line up the top raw edges carefully and pin or clip them together. Check that the zipper has not slipped away from the edge while you were adding the lining.
Step 8: Sew the First Side of the Zipper
Using a zipper foot, sew along the pinned or clipped edge to secure the outer fabric, zipper and lining together.
If you are hand sewing, use small, secure stitches and try to keep the seam an even distance from the zipper teeth.
Step 9: Repeat on the Other Side
Repeat exactly the same process on the second side of the zipper.
Place the remaining outer piece against the zipper, add the second lining piece, align the raw edges and sew along the zipper tape.
Step 10: Press and Topstitch Beside the Zipper
Open the outer fabric and lining away from the zipper and press the seams flat.
Topstitch close to the zipper on both sides. Apart from giving the pouch a neater finish, this helps stop the lining or outer fabric from catching in the zipper when you open and close it.
How to Sew the Zipper Pouch Together
Step 11: Open the Zipper Halfway
This is the step I really do not want you to forget: open the zipper about halfway before sewing around the pouch.
If you sew the entire pouch closed with the zipper shut, turning it right side out becomes much more difficult. Leaving it halfway open gives you a route through to the outside once the lining is turned.
Step 12: Match the Outer Fabric and Lining
Bring the two outer fabric pieces together with their right sides facing. Do the same with the two lining pieces.
Match the side seams carefully where the zipper sits. Push the fabric zipper tabs towards the lining so they are out of the way of the outer side seams.
Pin or clip all the way around. Take a moment to check the layers before you start sewing because neatly matched seams here make a big difference to the finished pouch.
Step 13: Sew Around the Pouch
Sew around all four outer edges, but leave a small unsewn opening along the bottom edge of the lining. You will use this opening to turn the pouch later.
Backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitching, including at both sides of the lining opening, so the stitches do not pull apart while you are turning the bag.
Trim, Turn and Finish Your Pouch
Step 14: Trim the Corners
Trim away any unnecessary bulk from the seam allowances and carefully clip across the corners.
Do not cut through your stitching. Removing just a little excess fabric allows the corners to turn much more cleanly.
Step 15: Turn the Pouch Right Side Out
Pull the pouch carefully through the opening you left in the lining and then through the partially open zipper.
Use your fingers or a blunt tool to push the corners gently into shape. I normally use a chopstick because it is narrow enough to reach the corners without being sharp enough to cut the fabric.
Step 16: Close the Lining
Fold the raw seam allowance at the lining opening towards the inside and press it into place.
You can sew the gap closed by hand with a ladder or hidden stitch if you want the closure to be almost invisible. For a quicker finish, sew close to the folded edge with your sewing machine.
Push the lining back inside the pouch, ease the corners into place and give everything a final press if appropriate for your fabric.
Your Finished Handmade Zipper Pouch
And that’s it — you have made your own lined zipper pouch with fabric tabs.
Use it as a pencil case, make-up pouch, travel organiser, craft-supply bag or somewhere to keep all those little things that otherwise disappear into the bottom of your handbag.
Why Use Fabric Tabs on a Zipper?
If you have made a very basic zipper pouch before, you may be wondering whether the extra tab pieces are really worth adding. I think they are.
The main benefit is the finish. Fabric tabs give both ends of the zipper a deliberate, tidy appearance and help prevent bulky zipper ends from getting caught inside the side seams.
They are also excellent practice if you want to progress from simple pouches to larger handmade bags. Learning how zippers, linings, topstitching and seam intersections work together gives you a useful foundation for more complicated projects.
Common Zipper Pouch Problems and How to Avoid Them
The lining gets caught in the zipper
Press the lining and outer fabric away from the zipper after attaching it, then topstitch along both sides. That line of topstitching helps hold loose fabric away from the zipper teeth.
The zipper ends look bulky
Make sure the tabs are folded neatly away from the zipper and that you are not trying to trap a large metal or plastic zipper stop directly in the pouch side seam.
The side seams do not line up
Match the seam where the lining, zipper and outer fabric meet before clipping the rest of the pouch. It is much easier to work outwards from that important point than to clip everything randomly and hope the seams meet later.
I forgot to open the zipper
It happens! Get into the habit of opening the zipper halfway immediately before pinning the outside seams. It is much easier than remembering after you have sewn all the way around. However, with a lot of patience and careful manipulation, you often can open the zipper from the wrong side.
The corners look rounded rather than crisp
Trim the seam allowance at the corners before turning the pouch and use a blunt tool to gently push them out. Avoid anything sharp because it can poke straight through the corner stitching.
Ideas for Using Your Zipper Pouch
Once you know the basic method, you can make these pouches in all sorts of sizes. A long narrow pouch makes a useful pencil case, while a larger version works well for cosmetics, cables, sewing tools or travel bits and pieces.
They also make lovely handmade gifts. Choose fabric that suits the person you are making it for and fill the pouch with something small — stationery, sewing supplies or toiletries, for example — and the pouch becomes part of the present rather than simply the wrapping.
Because the project uses relatively small pieces of fabric, it is also a useful way to give leftover material, old clothing or rescued furnishing fabric another purpose.
How to Adapt This Zipper Pouch Pattern
Once you are comfortable making this flat version, there are plenty of ways to change it. You can alter the proportions, mix contrasting fabrics, add a wrist strap, use decorative topstitching or add interfacing for a firmer pouch.
Keep practising the basic techniques because the skills you are learning here — accurate cutting, zipper installation, lining construction, tabs and neat seam finishing — all become useful as you move on to more complicated projects such as a handmade crossbody bag.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sewing a Zipper Pouch
Is a zipper pouch suitable for beginners?
Yes. If you are comfortable sewing a straight seam, a simple lined zipper pouch is a very good introduction to sewing with zippers. Take your time around the zipper and use clips or pins to keep the layers aligned.
Do I need a zipper foot?
A zipper foot makes machine sewing much easier because it lets you stitch close to the zipper teeth without the presser foot getting in the way. You can also sew the pouch by hand if you do not have a sewing machine.
How big should zipper tabs be?
For this project, I use small rectangles approximately the width of the zipper and around 2 inches or 5 cm high before they are folded and sewn. You can adjust them slightly depending on the width of your zipper and the finished look you want.
Can I make a zipper pouch from old jeans?
Yes. Denim from old jeans is ideal for small pouches because it is hard-wearing and gives the outside of the bag some structure. Avoid very bulky seams and pockets when cutting unless you deliberately want to include them as a design feature.
Can I change the dimensions?
Absolutely. The construction method stays much the same whether you are making a small coin pouch, pencil case or larger organiser. Adjust your outer and lining pieces together and make sure your finished zipper length suits the new width.
Why do I need to leave an opening in the lining?
The opening allows you to turn the sewn pouch right side out. Once everything has been turned and shaped, you simply sew the small opening closed and tuck the lining back inside.
Keep Practising Your Bag-Making Skills
Congratulations on finishing your zipper pouch with tabs. It may be a small project, but it gives you practice with several techniques that you can use again and again in bag making.
Try another one in a different size or fabric while the method is still fresh in your mind. Repetition really does help with zippers, and before long the part that seemed fiddly on your first pouch becomes just another step in the process.
If you have any questions about making your pouch, please feel free to ask in the comments.
Happy sewing!