Hexagon Zipper Pouch Tutorial ~ DIY Tutorial Ideas!

How to Sew: Free Quick & Easy Hexagon Zipper Pouch. Tutorial and Pattern.

This Hexagon Zipper Pouch is perfect for those small items that get lost easily but are actually important. The chap-stick you love, but always lose (then you buy another one only to find it the day after). Dollar bills, bobby pins, loose change, nail clippers, headphones, so many things!

The Hexagon Zipper Pouch is what everyone needs. I keep mine in my purse (again, a set location) and it always comes in handy.

Now you may be thinking, “A zipper? This is beyond my sewing ability!” But you’d be wrong.

This pouch is perfect for beginners and a great way to learn how to sew a zipper! And it is unbelievably quick to make!

You’ll have so much fun sewing, you’ll end up making 3! I promise! They make wonderful little gifts and a great way to give money (just zip it up inside!).
Let’s get started!

DOWNLOAD FREE Hexagon Zipper Pouch Pattern

Materials

Main Fabric: This will be the fabric on the outside of the finished product. This project can be made with any type of fabric. I find nice quilting cotton works well and is sturdy enough, without being bulky. Have fun with colors, patterns, and even applique!

Lining Fabric: This is the fabric for the inside of the pouch. Cotton works just fine. Try a contrasting color lining fabric for a pop!

Thread: I personally prefer Gutermann Sew-All Thread. I find it is the right balance between quality and price. Honestly, a quality thread can make a big difference in a piece and for your machine.

Fabric Scissors or Rotary Cutter, Ruler, and Mat

Pinking Shears

All Purpose 7″ Polyester Zipper: Whatever color you choose and it does not need to be invisible.

Split Key Chain Ring

Sewing Machine

Iron & Ironing Board

How to Sew the Hexagon Zipper Pouch

Step 1

Cut out the paper pattern that you have downloaded and printed using the link above.

ALWAYS iron your fabric before you cut out your pattern! Always.

It doesn’t matter if you use fabric scissors or a rotary cutter to cut your fabric, but a rotary cutter is great because you can stack your fabric and cut two pieces at once! Super quick!

From your Main Fabric cut the following:

One Hexagon from Main Fabric
Two Partial Hexagons from Main Fabric
One Rectangle from Main Fabric

From the Lining Fabric cut the following:

One Hexagon from Lining Fabric
Two Partial Hexagons from Lining Fabric

Step 2

First, lay your zipper in front of you. Make sure your zipper is zipped up, and face up!

Take one of your Main Fabric Partial Hexagons and place it right side down (patterned or most vibrant side down) across your zipper.

Right in the middle of your zipper (the zipper pull is above it).

Line up the straight edge of your Partial Hexagon with the far edge of the zipper. So the zipper is UNDER the Partial Hexagon and the edges are lined up. Pin it in place.

Sew 1/4 inch from the straight edge of the zipper and Partial Hexagon.

You can use a zipper foot or a standard presser foot. If you don’t have a zipper foot and your zipper falls directly under the foot, you’re not going to get a straight seam. It needs to be either inside the foot, next to the needle, or outside the presser foot. Experiment and measure to make sure your seam is 1/4 inch.

After you’ve sewed your seam, snip your threads and push the Partial Hexagon flat and open with your han (don’t iron).

Step 3

Take your other Main Fabric Partial Hexagon and place it right side down on top of the zipper like you did in Step 2. It is going to lay across the zipper and across the OPEN Partial Hexagon you just sewed.

Line up the top and bottom edges of the Partial Hexagon with each other and the straight edge with the edge of the zipper.

Sew 1/4 inch seam down the entire Partial Hexagon as before.

With your hand push the fabric open, so you have a complete hexagon in front of you.

Step 4

Next, we are going to sew the Lining Fabric Partial Hexagons to the zipper.

The two Main Fabric Partial Hexagons need to be moved to one side. (One is closed and one is open). They should look like they are pointing in the same direction.

Then flip the project over. Zipper face down!

In a similar manner to before, place the lining fabric FACE DOWN on top of the back of the zipper.

Line up the straight edge of the Partial Hexagon with the straight edge of the zipper, where there is no overhang from the Main Fabric Partial Hexagons.

Also, line up the top and bottom with that of the Main Partial Hexagons on the other side. Pin.

Sew a scant 1/4 inch from the edge.

*A scant 1/4 inch is just slightly less than 1/4 inch. NOT a 1/8th inch, just less than 1/4th inch. This will help when you open it up to line up more precisely with the front partial hexagons.

Trim threads, and use your finger to press open.

Step 5

Repeat the same process in Step 4. Move all the front partial hexagons to one side and line up your last Lining Fabric Partial Hexagon.

Just like before, line it up. Edge of the zipper, top & bottom in line with all the other pieces.

Sew scant 1/4th inch.

Use your hand to open it up flat. Open all the partial hexagons so their right sides are facing out.

Now you are going to press the seams. Read below about pressing. The reason you waited to press the seams until now, is so you can line them all up.

You are going to press each seam to set the threads. Then you are going to open all the partial hexagons and line up the points and edges best you can. All right sides of the fabric should be facing out.

With everything lined up, press the seams flat.

How to Press
When you press a seam you should first place your iron on top of your just sewn seam (before you open it). The heat will help “set” the seam in place. Then, open it flat and press.

The difference between ironing and pressing a seam is you don’t use a back and forth motion when you press! You place your iron directly on top with some pressure. (It doesn’t have to be long, you don’t want to burn your fabric) This will help you to not distort your fabric. The back and forth motion of ironing can actually stretch fabric and isn’t good for piecing and quilts.

Step 6

Now you should have a complete hexagon with a zipper down the middle!

Give it a finally press on both sides, making sure everything lines up best you can. If it isn’t perfect, don’t sweat it! Really, you’re doing great!

With everything open and Main Fabric face up, you’re going to top stitch down each side of the zipper.

Set your stitch length to 3 mm. Stitch 1/4 inch from the straight edge of the Partial Hexagon.

Repeat on the other side.

Step 7

Next we are going to get the tab all ready.

Take your rectangle, cut from your Main Fabric, and place it with the right side down.

First, fold it with the short edges together, hamburger style. Press.

Next, open it up and find the crease you just made. With the right side of the fabric still face down, fold the top edge down to the crease, and press. Then fold the bottom side up to the crease and press.

Now you have both long edges folded to the middle.

Fold again. Press. All the long edges should be folded inside and you should have a nice skinny rectangle.

Sew 1/8th inch seam from both edges.

Step 8

Now we are going to deal with the zipper.

First, zip your zipper halfway down to just above the middle of your hexagon.

We are now going to sew across the zipper to keep it closed.

Here’s an example on a contrasting zipper! Make your stitches below the edge of the hexagon.

Set your machine to a zig-zag stitch. Your stitch length should be 0 or .1, because you don’t want to travel. The width should be set to 5.5 or 6 to go across the entire width of the zipper teeth.

The zipper should be open at the top. Push the two edges of zipper teeth together under the presser foot (you can pin if you want or use your hands to push it together under the foot).

Sew across the zipper just below the top edge of the hexagon. This keeps the zipper closed. Sew across multiple times so you have a nice bump of stitches.

Now do the same thing for the bottom, just above the bottom of the hexagon.

Step 9

Now to add the tab where you just sewed the zipper together.

Fold the rectangle tab you created in Step 7, in half.

Place the fold pointed down, toward the unzipped zipper, and the raw edges up.

The raw edge should be 1/4th inch above the top edge of the hexagon, right on top of the zipper. Dead center.

Sew across the tab just above the top edge of the hexagon to keep it in its place above the zipper.

Optional Step

If you want to add any applique or embroidery to the back, now is the time.

Applique can be added to the Main Fabric Hexagon, which will be the back side of your Hexagon Zipper Pouch.

I added a heart to two of my pouches and a cute felt honey bee for another.

The pattern for the heart and bee can be found in the downloadable pattern.

I cut the honey bee body from black felt. Then I used basting spray to tack it to the Main Fabric hexagon. I used yellow embroidery thread to sew across the body, creating stripes and sewing the felt to the fabric. I used the same process to attach the wings on top.

Step 10

We are finally ready to assemble it all together!

Unzip the zipper to half way down or more.

Place the Main Fabric Partial Hexagons and zipper face up.

Next place the Main Fabric FULL Hexagon right side down on top of the zippered hexagons.

So now the two right sides are together.

Then place the Lining Fabric full Hexagon right side UP on top of your big sandwich of fabric.

Pin it all together with all the edges lined up.

Got it! Two Main Fabric face together. Two Lining Fabric right sides out.

Step 11

Sew 1/4 inch around the outside.

To ensure sturdy points on your hexagon pouch start sewing off the edge of the fabric.

Sew in half an inch and then back-stitch completely back to the edge. Sew across the side. When you get to the opposite edge back-stitch again half an inch.

Now you can either stop and clip your threads and start the next side or stop sewing, pull your project away from your machine (so your thread in your machine pulls out an inch) and rotate your project for the next side. Your threads will stay connect and you can clip them after.

No matter what, ALWAYS start each side from the edge! Don’t pivot at the points.

*TIP* Back-stitching over the zipper when you are sewing around, will produce a sturdier pouch.

Remember those zig-zag stitches we sewed across the zipper? Restitch across the zipper on both end right next to the seam. But on the OUTSIDE of the seam, not inside. This is important for preventing your zipper from coming un-stitched.

Step 12

Using pinking shears, trim the seam allowance across the points. Watch out so you don’t cut the seam.

Cut across the corners first!

Then trim around all the edges as close as you can with your pinking shears. Regular scissors will work too, but pinking shears help protect against fraying.

At the top, with the zipper and tab, you may need to use stronger scissors. It is a little bulky.

Step 13

Now that you have trimmed the edges, turn your pouch inside out through the opening in the zipper.

Use a blunt point like an unopened pen or blunt tipped scissor (nothing sharp that might poke through) to push out the edges and points of your hexagon.

*TIP* If you also push along the side seams with your blunt-tipped object you can actually get a straighter seam. Otherwise, the edges will curve in.

Press the edges and everything flat.

Step 14

Now you are going to top stitch. This will keep all the trimmed edges behind a seam and away from harm.

Set your stitch length to 3 for a longer stitch. Stitch around the top 1/4th inch from the sides. Pivot in the corners for a continuous seam around.

Add your split key chain ring to your tab if you want to use it on a key chain!

Now fill your Hexagon Zipper Pouch with your headphones, chap-stick, and odds and ends to keep them safe!