Sewing

open wide pouch gift set

 

Every time I make these Open Wide Zippered Pouches I forget how much I like making them.  How does that even happen?  Every year for my husband’s side of the family we exchange names for Christmas.

These pouches (medium and large sizes) were the perfect choice for my travel loving sister-in-law.  I’m thinking these might get to see some pretty cool places someday.  She just got back from a trip to India over the summer.  Pretty amazing.  Just seeing the amazing pictures of their travels was magical.

Did you make any Open Wide Pouches for Christmas giving?  I love seeing them pop up on instagram and in the flickr group.

I hope you had a lovely time with family and friends and wish you a very happy New Year!  I can’t wait to do my year wrap up post, so fun to look back on things and realize just how productive you really were!

Fabrics: Across the Pond by Cloud 9 Fabrics (large pouch), Robert Kaufman Essex Yarn Dyed Linen
Tula Pink’s Prince Charming, linings on both are Michael Miller dots.

33 thoughts on “open wide pouch gift set

  1. Timeless wonderful tutorial Anna! Thank you again. Hope your Christmas was Merry!

  2. Kay says:

    These always look amazing, and hand made gifts are always the best. Happy Christmas.

  3. love the addition of the linen on the bottom. very classy! I have bookmarked your tutorial so I can make some. thank you for sharing. πŸ™‚

  4. Vera says:

    One of my fav tutorials! Love your pouches.

  5. I just finished making a quilted one with Bonnie & Camille’s Scrumptious and a leather bottom. Turned out adorable. I took it one step further and reduced the size a bit so it’s a bit smaller than your smallest version πŸ™‚ No matter what size, this is a great pattern! Cindy

  6. Margo says:

    I made two sets of all 3 sizes for gifts. They all come out very well. Alas, I did not take a picture of them before I mailed them off! But I will be making another set of 3 for myself. This time I will try the contrast bottom. Thanks for a great tutorial!

  7. Barbara says:

    That’s your pattern! I forgot. I make them all the time for quick gifts, that is one amazing and easy to sew pattern. Thanks.

  8. Katy Cameron says:

    Love the essex linen bottoms, very practical! Funnily enough I did make one, to include as a gift in a weekend bag I was commissioned to make for a friend of my mum’s. It’s the first time I’ve tried one, and I love how much it opens up, who knew an extra inch could help that much with the zip…

  9. Love your choice of fabric with these! I love this pattern and have made many and hopefully will make many more in the future – thanks for the great pattern!

  10. kristin says:

    oh what perfect fabric combos! didn’t make any open wide pouches this year (most of my sewing was clothes/accessories for kids) but i want to make one now!! hope you had a merry christmas.

  11. I have made tons of them …and am addicted !!
    If you don’t believe me, have a look here ( I didn’t know how to add the picture to Flickr ?? :-0
    http://liz-moments.blogspot.de/2013/12/1st-advent.html

  12. Susan says:

    I love making the pouches too. Hope my family doesn’t get tired of receiving them!

  13. I love your bags! Thanks for sharing.

  14. Natalie says:

    I love these bags. I made myself and my daughter 2 each. One is in a fun bright summer fabric to hold our bathers and the other is black, red and white to keep our gloves and scarves in.
    I actually increased the size of the largest bag by an inch or two (can’t remember now because I made them last year) to accommodate more. I would like to make a couple more but this time I will extend the zip at both ends giving me something to hold onto when opening and closing the bag. Thanks so much for such a practical pattern.

  15. Ines says:

    I love this tutorial so much and some new fabric is waiting for me to sew a pouch for my mum.

    Greetings from Germany
    Ines

  16. Elsa says:

    I did make quite a few wide open pouches this year ~ tho I did modify the pattern and made it a bit short and long. I made a whole set of Zakka accessories for a few friends ~ love making little things! I’ll tag you so you can see a little of what I made.

  17. Lisa Guidi says:

    On Dec 23rd at 10 pm I was making your medium zip top pouch for my neighbor who had just come over to ask me if I would “plllleeeeze” make him a bag for his wife for Christmas. It wasn’t in the plan since I had ALREADY made all my bags but how could I resist? I had the perfect fabric and the bag is such a relaxing joy to make.
    Happy New Year Anna! I look forward to your posts in 2014. Happy sewing!
    Lisa

  18. 3Ms +1N says:

    Gorgeous!!! You have one lucky sis in law πŸ™‚ nice work, these are perfect. I am seriously needing to make some of these. (Love the leather pulls!!)

  19. So cool. I haven’t made one yet, but I know one day I’ll go “open wide pouch” mad and make about a trillion at once.

  20. Rae says:

    So cute!!! I seriously need to get on the zippered pouch bandwagon. They make such great gifts.

  21. Carla says:

    I really really want to make some of your little pouches. Just haven’t got to it yet ; )

  22. grace says:

    I made 14 of these (maybe 15?) in 2013 – most-used tutorial! Thank you! Everyone who received one was thrilled, with requests for more in different sizes for next time. Happy New Year!

  23. amandajean says:

    I LOVE these! Your fabric combos are perfect, as always! This is another to-make bag on my list.

  24. snips says:

    Love these’s! Just gorgeous fabric combo’s.
    I made thirteen of these for Christmas this year! Definitely my go to for gifts!

  25. Anna C. says:

    Very very lucky your sister-in-law!!!!! I love the result of these two!!

  26. Becky says:

    I have been making these bags for a few years now, it’s the easiest and best bag and tutorial I’ve found. Thank you for sharing! I have made a set of three bags for all of my sister in laws and cousins for their baby showers. I make all three sizes and fill them with diaper bag essentials, then they can use them in their diaper bag with whatever they want inside! It’s been a hit for years!

  27. Jayne says:

    I love this tutorial. First made these pouches years ago and have been making them ever since! I usually add pockets outside and inside and fill them with emergency kits. They are then used in carry on lugggage or in handbags (purses in USA) or in the car glovebox. I fill them with so much handy stuff . Very popular gifts! The open wide feature makes it so easy to see what is inside. Thank you for the most useful and most used tutorial yet!

  28. Linda says:

    Am I the one who has this bag not turn out correctly? Cutting the corners on the small size says 3 1/2”. That made the bag way off proportion and came out way to short. Is this a mistake in the instructions? It looks like she only made it 2” in the picture. Can someone please clarify this for me? Thanks!

    1. Anna Graham says:

      Hi Linda, all comments for the blog are emailed to me, Anna. So I think you might be measuring the boxed corners incorrectly. For boxing the corners on the small, you’ll measure 1.75″ from the tip (it’s the same as measuring and marking a 3.5″ line perpendicular to the side/bottom seam). I’m thinking you might be measuring 3.5″ from the tip? Hope that helps! πŸ™‚

      1. Linda says:

        Thanks Anna. That’s exactly what I did. ?

  29. Melanie Tanner Taylor says:

    ok so maybe I got the corners wrong too, I’ve only made one so far becouse when cutting the fabric
    (ex. on small bag )
    7″ tall (up & down ???)
    10″ wide ( side to side???)
    I put my zipper on the 10″ side is this correct ?
    my zip bag came out short & flat ??
    any help would be appreciated

    1. Anna Graham says:

      Hi Melanie, yes, the zipper get placed along the 10″ side. I think you’re probably doing the same thing as Linda. Give that a try. πŸ™‚

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