Easy Zippered Purse Tutorial ~ DIY Tutorial Ideas!

Cute, quick and easy zippered purse tutorial.

What you will need:
-1/4 yard main fabric
-1/4 yard contrasting fabric
-1/4 yard fusible fleece
-7 inch zipper
-Sewing machine/zipper foot
-Scissors or rotary cutter
-Ruler and cutting mat (optional but make life easier)

Cut out your pieces:
Cut one piece 7 X 7.5 inches each of
- Outer fabric
- Lining fabric
- Fusible fleece

Cut one piece 1.25 X 7.5 inches of
- Outer fabric
- Lining fabric
- Fusible fleece

Cut one piece 7.5 X 7.5 inches of
- Outer fabric
- Lining fabric
- Fusible fleece

Cut one piece 30 X 2.25 inches (I sized the strap to go across her torso so she could be hands free)
- Lining fabric

We'll start with the strap. Fold lengthwise, right sides together and stitch down long side. Use 1/4 inch seam allowances for all seams.

Turn your strap right side out and press.

Topstitch down each side of strap approx 1/8 inch in. Set strap aside.

Using your iron, fuse your fusible fleece to the wrong side of your outer purse fabric (all 3 pieces).

Right side up place your 7X7.5 inch piece of outer fabric down. On top place your zipper face down, and on top of that place your lining fabric of that size. Zipper pull should be 1/4 inch in from edge as shown and all edges should be lined up together. Pin.

Turn your "sandwich" over so that the fusible fleece side is on top. Sew down the top edge. To the right of my zipper foot is the zipper sandwiched between. I am feeling with my fingers to make sure I am sewing as close to the zipper as possible. There are other ways to do this- which involve more pressing and pinning- this was the lazy way! You will need to stop sewing when you get to the zipper pull and pull it down a little as you will not be able to sew over it or alongside it (easiest to undo your zip so it is halfway down to start).

Now do the same thing with your 1.25X7.5 inch pieces of outer fabric, and lining fabric on the other side of the zipper. Sew as you did the previous side of zipper.

This is what your purse should look like at this point.

Backside.

Topstitch on both sides of zipper.

Take your 7.5X7.5 inch pieces of outer and lining fabric and stack them wrong sides together.

Pin those to the front of your purse. Sandwiched in between pin your strap. 1/4 inch from each edge and poking out the top 1/4 inch.

All pinned up! View from the other side. Make sure your zipper is open about halfway. You will need this opening to turn your purse later.

Sew all the way around. Don't leave an opening! My thread ran out thus the reason I have an opening on the side. I took the picture before fixing my thread.