I found this cute Orla Kiely placemat at Target a few weeks ago and wanted to make something quick and easy for my knitting. Because the edges are already finished, I only needed to sew four seams. If you want a gusseted pouch, you can sew two more seams. Either way, it’s a very fast and easy project.
Materials
a placemat (mine was 14 x 17 inches)
a zipper that’s at least 14 inches
coordinating thread
heavy duty sewing needle
zipper foot
Using your zipper foot, stitch each 14 inch side to the zipper, beginning and ending 1/2 inch from each side.
With the zipper halfway open, turn the placemat inside out. Sew your side seams while holding the zipper out of the way. (This is why you left 1/2 inch unsewn on each side.)
Turn the placemat right side out and you’re done! If your zipper was longer than 14 inches, you can trim the extra.
Optional Gussets
Box your corners, but don’t trim. The triangles are small and won’t take up much room. Plus, you’ll have no raw edges that might unravel.
Want to see more projects using Orla Kiely placemats? Thimbly Things made a cute purse with hers and linked to a bunch more adorable bags.
refashion: Using finished items like placemats make your projects fast and easy because your edges are already finished.
Thanks to Whip Up, Craft Gossip and One Pretty Thing for linking to my tutorial. Subscribe to my RSS for more crafty goodness!
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15 Responses to how to sew a placemat zipper pouch with only four seams
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Julie is a freelance designer and writer. She has a passion for finding new uses for old, loved things, and will sew anything: sweaters, shirts, jeans. Nothing is safe if it fits under her presser foot!subscribe
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Super cute and maybe easy enough for me to do! (I don’t do zippers.)
I’ve been looking for simple project to try my zipper-foot…love this one. Thanks!
This is awesome! I love it.
Brilliant and so easy! I’m trying this.
what a great use for a cute place mat! I’m definitely bookmarking this and coming back to it if I ever thrift myself one that’s super cute like yours
I’m not very crafty, but I am SO making this! Thanks for the easy instructions!!!
This might be easy enough for me to try a zipper!!
[...] Julie K shows how to make a zippered pouch from a placemat, and how to do it with only four seams. Go to the tutorial. [...]
Great project and great tutorial!! I posted a link on Craft Gossip Sewing blog:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-four-seam-zippered-pouch/2009/05/25/
–Anne
[...] Placemat into Zipper Pouch: Only a few seams and a zipper create this cute zipper pouch, and man, do I have an obsession with zippered pouches – it’s wierd I know… (Julie Kundhi) [...]
Loved this one…linked back to you
Thanks Julie. My mother-in-law gave me some vintage quilted placemats her aunt made decades ago and I’ve been wanting to do something with them but couldn’t figure out what. 10 minutes late and I have one made already. Can’t wait to give on to my mil. Must go buy more zippers tomorrow.
Hello: I’m not sure if you are still checking on this post or not, but I’d like to ask a question. I’m new to sewing and I’m not sure how you sewed each side of the zipper on. I can sew one side, but then the other side is stumping me? Can you please tell me how to do that? Thanks!
Great Tutorial! I’ve posted a link on my facebook- http://www.facebook.com/ZipitZippers
I hope that is ok with you!
Thank you for having such a wonderful blog
~Jennie