Yesterday I made this patchwork zip pouch and wanted to talk about it here for a few different reasons.
First of all, this is a departure from my regular style, which always makes me feel a little uncomfortable. Which is pretty normal, and the uncomfortable part is balanced out by how nice it was to make something different.
Making patchwork is an interesting thing. It's one of those things that looks deceptively simple & technically it is just sewing fabric pieces together. But once you start doing it, it can be surprising how much it will challenge you.
When you stop being so matchy, matchy with the colors and prints you might wonder if you did it right? Is this ok? Are people going to look at it and say: "Whaaat is that???". I think it is a good exercise for getting over some of our sewing insecurities.
Most of the patchwork I've made has used a Log Cabin layout (like the Patchwork Coasters). That block is my patchwork comfort zone, but I kept seeing these "wonky cross" quilts, and wanted to try making one block.
I definitely started out with an oh this is going to be so simple attitude, and almost immediately thought: "Wait, how is this done???" After figuring it out, I made my block. Then wished it had been more wonky. But that's ok, next time I'll try to be more improvisational.
After making the block I applied fusible fleece (Pellon 987f) to the back and then quilted it. Fusible fleece is nice for this--it won't end up as quilty as using batting and muslin, but it is quick & convenient. It's also not as thick and puffy as batting/muslin, so it works out well in these smaller items.
Since I was only making one block the plan was to make it into a zip pouch. Once the block was done, I just went through my collection of zipper pouch templates and found one that fit. That happened to be template #6.
I also added a patchwork pocket inside (Curvy Patch Pocket #1):
For the pocket I substituted fleece for the interfacing because I got tired of digging through my interfacing scraps for a piece just the right size. There were many fleece pieces big enough, so I decided to give it a try. The pocket is thicker than with interfacing, but it is also nice in its own way.
Finally, I used fusible fleece on all four pieces for this pouch and it turned out awesome. Usually I'd only use fleece on the lining pieces. It tends to end up wrinkled looking over time, so it's not ideal for the exterior, but quilting it takes care of the wrinkling thing.
