Farm Girl Friday - Week 20 - Quilty Zip Pocket Tutorial!!!

Today is week 20 of our sew along

using my latest book

Farm Girl Vintage

Every Friday I try to post ideas and

 different ways to use my Farm Girl blocks...

and I'm having so much fun!

There are so many blocks

 and so I never run out of ideas:)

This week we have 

Summer Star

on page 63.

What a perfect block for this week

as we near the end of a wonderful summer:)

Sunday Morning 

is on page 64 of the book.

Both of this weeks blocks happen to 

use my favorite method to 

make quarter square triangles.

They turn out perfectly every time!

Step by step instructions for my method is

 in the book within the block instructions:)

I'm looking forward to

 seeing your blocks this week...

be sure to hashtag them!

CLICK HERE

to visit the home page and to see

who this weeks guest bloggers are:)

Today I want to show you

a fun little project using the 6" blocks.

This is my

Quilty Zip Pocket

perfect for all of your cute little 

 quilty projects and supplies.

I designed it in the most basic way possible 

so that you would have no worries about

construction.

If you have never put in a zipper before...

this is the tutorial for you!

Here's what you need;

One 6" Farm girl Block

(I used Spring Star on page 62)

From outside fabric (mint)-

Cut 2 - 1 1/2" x 6 1/2" 

for block sides

Cut 2 - 1 1/2" x 8 1/2" 

for top and bottom of block

Cut 1 - 8 1/2" x 12 1/2"

From lining fabric (light brown)-

Cut 1 - 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" 

for lining behind block

Cut 1 - 8 1/2" x 12 1/2" 

for lining

From tab fabric - (optional)-

Cut 1 - 2" x 4"

1 - 12" to 14" zipper

(it could be longer...

 you just cut off the ends anyway)

Start by sewing the borders

 around the block.

It should measure 8 1/2" square 

at this point.

Next...

sew the block lining

 to the block top like this.

Also sew the two 8 1/2" x 12 1/2"

 fabrics together at the top.

All seams are 1/4".

Fold the tab like this

 and stitch down one side.

Turn it right side out

 by pinning a safety pin 

into the two layers of

 the seam allowance 

for stability...

Then turn the head of the pin 

inside like this...

And push it out the other

 end until its turned.

Remove the safety pin and press.

Fold in half like this and pin it.

Set aside for a minute.

Press the top edges of 

the outside fabric and lining fabric 

where you sewed them together 

so it's nice and flat.

Do the same with the block and block lining.

At this point...

I like to topstitch around 

the outside edge of the block

(through both the block and

block lining layers)

like this...

but it's not really needed.

Next up...

sew the block/lining segment

  onto one side of the zipper 

and the outside fabric/lining segments

 on the other side of the zipper...

approximately in the center 

so that you have the 

zipper hanging over each side.

To do this...

simply top stitch it right next to the zipper teeth.

I use an open toed foot so that 

I can see what I'm doing and

 it doesn't get tin the way of the zipper.

(Bernina #20)

I also DO NOT pin because it distorts it.

I just start at the end...

hold it down into place...

and just take one stitch at a time!

When one side is finished ...

I line up the edges and do the other side:)

I also top stitch next to my first stitching lines 

to secure the zipper even more 

and because I like the way that it looks!

Make sure to backstitch when you start and stop:)

This is what it looks like on the back.

This next step is very important.

OPEN YOUR ZIPPER HALFWAY

so that you can turn it inside out

after sewing the sides of the pocket.

Pin the zipper together on the open end

so that the teeth touch and they lie flat.

Now cut the extra zipper ends off even with the side edges.

You did it!

You just sewed a zipper:)

Easy Peasy!

Pin the tab on the left side

 above the zipper

with the raw edges 

aligned like this.

Here's what the entire pocket

 should look like at this point.

Now bring right sides together 

and align the raw edges 

of all 4 layers of fabric 

on the bottom and the sides like this...

And pin into place for stitching.

Now simply sew down the two sides

 and along the bottom edge...

(not the top folded edge)

catching the edges of the tab as you go.

Backstitch when starting and stopping

 and also across the zipper edges on

 both sides a few times just for extra security.

I like to zig zag the sides and bottom

 edges to keep them from fraying.

Now turn your pocket 

right side out through the zipper opening.

Open the zipper all the way and

 push all 4 corners out so that they look nice:)

This is the back of pocket:)

And here is the finished pocket!

It's really a fun little project

 and is perfect

 for using some of those orphan blocks

 you may have that need a cute home:)

You can see that I love these pockets!

They finish at a cute 8" x 10" size:)

Not too big and not too small.

I will be using them to even further

 organize my studio and

 they will also be perfect for retreat.

I like to divide up what I'm taking into 

different bags instead of one big one...

 to stay organized when I'm sewing

 away from home as well")

 This week I made several because

 they are so easy and also addicting:)

It's so fun to choose the fabric 

and color combos to 

coordinate with the blocks.

I made this one using my

 Apron strings block on page 8. 

Because the block is scrappy ...

I thought it would be fun to make

 the entire pocket scrappy as well!

Another good way to use your scrappy stash!

Wouldn't these pockets be

the cutest for 

Christmas gifts?

You could choose to use a 

Farm Girl Block

to go with the theme of 

whatever you put inside...

again...

 the possibilities are endless!

I have several more all

 cut out and ready to sew:)

I made this one using 

a block from my new 

Modern Mugs pattern:)

By the way...

I used my

 Modern Minis fabric collection

for all of the pockets:)

I can't wait to see

 your Quilty Zip Pockets!

So that I can...

be sure to use the hashtag

#QuiltyZipPocket

That's it for this weeks

 Farm Girl Fridays post...

hope you enjoyed my 

Quilty Zip Pocket Tutorial:)

See you next week!

xx

Lori