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| Guess what I made out of some Eclectic Elements fabric? |
[Or perhaps a better question to ask is, are you able to find the marketplace these days? I don't want to fan the flames, but Bluprint has done a fine job of burying it. Try doing a search and you'll see what I mean.]
Ever since Craftsy — which it still was at the time — cleared out a whopping 93% of the patterns that used to be available on their website, people have been at odds over whether to continue supporting it or not.
Some shop owners who were unexpectedly shuttered angrily vowed not to have anything to do with Craftsy/Bluprint anymore. Many of them put up shops on their own blogs and websites, thinking that was the solution. (It's not, not really.) Followers of some of these shop owners vowed not to support Craftsy/Bluprint, period, on anything.
As someone whose shop was left standing (although decimated all the same), I haven't committed to turning my back on Bluprint just yet. If the past few months have proven anything, it's that Craftsy generated a heck of a lot more in sales than I could ever do on my own. At some point, I hope that Bluprint comes back with a mutually beneficial platform for pattern sales, because it's hard to match the levels of pre-qualified traffic that it used to bring us.
In the meantime, you may be surprised by the caliber of the patterns that remain... if you can find them. I'm featuring one today.
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| My version of Teresa Lucio Designs' Magic Pouch... isn't this fabric just "fab"? |
The Magic Pouch is a free pattern by Teresa Lucio Designs. I saw it, thought it was unusual, and had the perfect Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements fabric for it.
I'm not usually a zippered pouch fan. If you're a regular visitor around here, you may know that I only take on zippered pouches that are out of the ordinary. (Like this five pocket version, or even my own Retro Reticule.)
This one seemed special enough, being a pouch that's somehow double-sided with two zippered sections. (And yes, they are two separate pockets; they do not feed into one another.)
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| Secure pockets on both sides... |
While I didn't know how it could be done by just seeing it, it ended up being obvious and simple to put together. Probably nothing to be scared about if you're a beginner. If you've done a couple of lined zippered pouches, this would be an ideal project to graduate to, so to speak.
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| What would you use this pouch for? |
The instructions are passable, with self-explanatory photos making up for any confusion. Again, if you've made a basic lined zippered pouch before, you should be able to find your way around this project.
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| Interior view #1... |
The pattern calls for virtually every piece to be interfaced; indeed, there's even a separate template for the interfacing, which is convenient.
Apart from the two exterior pieces (onto which I interfaced some fusible fleece), however, I didn't bother interfacing any of the lining pieces, or the zipper tabs. It looks and functions fine without the extra time — not to mention the expense — put towards SF101 interfacing.
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| Interior view #2... |
The pouch finishes out at 8" x 5.5" or 20cm x 14cm, a useful size that's not too big and not too small. It's designed as a wristlet with a carrying strap, but since I don't use wristlets, I didn't bother making the strap.
My intended use for this pouch will be as secure storage for important stuff inside my big beach tote, where it will hang from one of my many lanyards, like this one for a hotel key card.
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| Magic pouch hanging from my key card lanyard... |
Interestingly, one of the instructions was to ensure that the zippers pulled in the same direction. That was funny, considering that I specifically wanted my zippers to pull in opposite directions. Maybe you should just pay attention when you install your zippers that they run in the direction that you prefer.
I also used two different coloured zippers to tell which pocket was which. I will appreciate having that distinction when I eventually use it.
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| Leftover fabric makes functional — if rustic — zipper pulls... |
In the photo of the finished pouch that accompanies the PDF pattern, it shows some leather zipper pulls. I sewed up small strips of my exterior fabric and used them in the same way.
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| A worthwhile and unique project... |
If you like zippered pouches — or even if you usually don't — the Magic Pouch is a worthwhile project to tackle. It should take you no more than a couple of hours and the result is certainly a step up from the ordinary.
It gets a thumbs up from me!
love your page
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI have had that pattern a long time and have never made it yet. Love your fabric!
ReplyDeleteLove the fabric - and your idea of using fabric for the zipper pulls.
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to get your take on patterns and tutorials. There are so many out there, and it's hard to tell which ones are worth trying. Zipper pouches seem to be everywhere and readymade ones even sneak into my house unbidden but so often are too poorly designed to be really useful.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about those ready made pouches that infiltrate the home. (I tuck them into my donations for the Salvation Army or some such thing.) Glad to have been helpful to you!
DeleteMany thanks for the positive criticism of my pattern.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great pattern, Teresa.
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