Zippered Top & Outer Pocket

Outside Zippered Cell Phone Pocket
Inside Pockets

By Christina Sherrod

Also see: Bags, Purses & Totes

Page 1: supplies
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This tutorial replaces our old "Vintage 70's Purse". I made several changes to the original design to meet today's needs.

Also see Purses & Totes.

Designer: Christina Sherrod

The most wonderful thing about making your own purse is that you can customize it to meet your specific needs. Make as short handled, shoulder bag, or cross body. Add pockets to the interior or exterior. Include zippers on pockets, or leave them open. Change the overall size. Create your own, custom zipper pull. This one pattern provides instructions for all of these details.

Changes

This updated pattern includes a larger outside cell phone pocket with a zipper closure pocke.

I also added a zipper closure at the top of the purse, along with instructions for customizing the zipper pull.

The inside of the bag still has the inside pocket with zipper closure, plus an additional open, divided pocket.

Pattern

In place of the previous pdf file pattern, I provide dimensions for fabric pieces. Use my dimensions or change them to increase or decrease the size of your purse. You will see that it is easy to draft a purse design (draw a pattern), and change it to fit your own taste or needs. Supplies listed are based on following the purse size in this tutorial.

The finished purse is 8" high x 10" long x 3" deep (you can adjust the pattern if you wish)
The outside cell phone pocket measures 6.5" high x 4.5" wide. The inside pocket measures approximately 8" (zipper opening 7") wide x 6" high. Top zipper opening is approximately 9.5" long.

Fabric

Main purse fabric (front/back/bottom): one fat quarter, or 1/2 yard
Contrast purse fabric (front): one fat quarter, or 1/3 yard
Lining: (front/back/bottom) one fat quarter, or 1/2 yard
Pocket lining: inside and outside pocket: one fat quarter, or 1/2 yard
strap fabric: 4" x length desired for strap. I made my strap 30" long. I cut my strap piece of fabric 4" x 32".

I used the blue fabric for the outer purse fabric, the cream fabric for the contrast trim, and the gray fabric for the lining.

Zippers

This project uses Zippers. You can purchase a zipper longer than necessary, and then trim it, or purchase zippers in exactly the right length. OR, if you know how to attach a zipper pull, you can purchase zipper by the yard, cut to fit, and attach a zipper pull. I recommend the following video tutorial for learning how to use zipper by the yard: zipper by the yard tutorial

Visit my Amazon store page to purchase wholesale zippers (trim to the length you need), fusible fleece, insul-bright, heat resistant cloth, quilting pins, and other items I use in my projects.

Shop For Supplies

Zippers
purse zipper measuring at least 11" long (it can be longer; it will be trimmed) - NOTE: a purse zipper often has metal coils. I used a nylon zipper because I needed to be able to cut it. I buy longer zippers, in bulk, and cut them to size. This zipper is for the top opening of the purse. The finished zipper opening at the top of the purse will be approximately 10.5" long.
optional: Stylish Zipper Pull:"O" ring, and charm or jewelry piece for zipper pull (for purse top zipper)
invisible nylon coil zipper measuring at least 6" (it can be longer; it will be trimmed). This zipper is for the outside cell phone pocket.
nylon coil zipper measuring at least 7" long for the inside pocket (it can be longer; it can be trimmed)

Other

thread to match background of fabrics
fabric marker
large sewing ruler
scissors or rotary cutter / cutting mat
pins (I prefer large quilting pins)
interfacing or fusible fleece (I used fusible fleece)
seam ripper (optional but nice to have if you need to remove stitches)

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