How to Sew a Zipper Pouch: 45 Free Sewing Patterns

Learn how to sew a zipper pouch! Here are 45 of my favorite free zipper pouch patterns so you choose the perfect one. All of these free sewing tutorials have step-by-step instructions with pictures in my easy-to-understand teaching style. If the pattern requires a template, it’s included to download for free.

A zipper pouch is the perfect sewing project for beginners. You’ll learn lots of easy ways to sew a zipper plus make a lined pouch that is great for holding change, earbuds, cosmetics, jewelry, your phone, and more.

These free sewing patterns are organized by category and for the most part, from easist to kind-of challenging. Because the instructions are so great, I think any sewist with a little bit of experience can successfully sew even the ones near the end of the list!

The Best Zipper Pouch Patterns for Beginners

This is the most simple zipper pouch tutorial on the web, and to make it even easier for you, you can use pre-cut 5” squares (charm squares)! If you want a fast and easy gift or pouch for yourself, check out the Tiny Zipper Bags tutorial right now. It’s perfect for scraps too!

My easy Zipper Pouch Pattern in 2 sizes is perfect for a beginner. I’ll show you how to use your sewing machine’s zipper foot in a couple of different ways. This lined zipper pouch with tabs is so customizable – you can even add machine embroidery to make it personalized.

You can also use regular dressmaking zippers (that are 1” wide) or larger handbag zippers (that have a width of 1 1/4”).

This Boxy Zipper Pouch Pattern is easy enough for beginners and just right for organizing supplies, cosmetics, or small things when you travel. Thrill any of your friends with this beautiful gift. It utilizes foam stabilizer to make it sturdy and has two small exterior pockets. The finished size is approximately 6’’ wide, 4 1/2’’ tall, and 3” deep.

Normally, a quilted zipper bag with binding on the inside would not be something a beginner would try, but lots of sewists who are just starting out have raved about my Designer Zipper Bag video sewing course. Not only is it free, but you’ll learn lots of sewing skills watching my videos, like:

• How to quilt fabric and stabilizer together
• Choosing the best needle
• Putting on a zipper presser foot
• Binding the ends of zippers
• Lining up the edge of the zipper with your quilted fabric
• Binding your seams and more!

I originally designed this fun and easy double sided pouch to hold face masks, but since no one likes them anymore, I’ve found more ways to use it. You will too!

Zipper Bag Patterns that are Great for Travel

Don’t be afraid of making your own fabric binding that’s featured in some of these tutorials! I’ll show you the easiest way to bind fabric edges and seams. It gives all your pouches and small bags a professional touch.

When not being used, these storage pouches lay flat and can be folded up very small. But don’t limit them to shoes. You can put just about anything in them, which makes them perfect for travel or gift-giving. There are no side seams on this project, and the top and bottom edges are finished with binding.

Pro tip: If you make many projects with zippers, you will love zippers by the yard. You can cut any size zipper you need, or a little bit larger than you need so you can cut away the excess zipper later.

Add a few extra features to your bland zipper pouch and you have a Car Visor Organizer!

Lots of people ask for see-through zipper bags for travel, and this Ribbon and Vinyl Zipper Pouch Pattern is the easist one.

If you are worried about sewing on the vinyl… don’t be!  The tutorial contains a great technique for using tissue paper so the vinyl will move smoothly across your sewing machine bed. I share more Tips for Sewing on Vinyl here.

You’ll also love these dumpling-shaped pouches made with vinyl. They are great for guys or gals – everyone in my house wants one!

Add straps and pockets to a large vinyl zipper pouch and you get a bag that’s perfect for taking to the airport! Check out my See-Through Tote.

Pro tip: It’s just fine to cut vinyl with your rotary cutter plus it makes a nice straight edge.

My kids are teenagers and young adults now, but they still love the DIY Backpacks that I make them. This backpack with a zippered pocket is especially handy for travel.

Travel handmade with this beautiful jewelry organizer that you can sew with just 3 fat quarters!

The Peek-A-Boo Pouch is perfect for packing sewing supplies on the go or for a small first aid kit. Use cute lining fabrics because they will show too!

Clever Pouches for Holding your Devices

Erin’s free zipper pouch pattern is easy to sew and great for holding ear buds (hence the name) but also cash and change, earrings that I have to take out because they make my ears hurt, doggie bags when I take Lola for a walk, and all kinds of items! Don’t miss the tips that I shared from my own experience with this pattern.

Did you know you can sew your own padded iPad Case? This pattern is especially easy if you already took my free Designer Zipper Bag video course I linked to above. In those videos, I show you how to bind the seam allowances (as you see in the picture) in great detail.

What’s better than a cozy fleece scarf? A Cozy Fleece Scarf with a Cell Phone Pocket! This one has a money pocket too that is not see-through like the phone pocket.

This zipper pouch is also a cardholder, phone pouch, and wallet! Don’t miss my DIY Phone Case and Wallet Pattern.

Take your crochet and knitting projects on the go with a Yarn Project Pouch (or bag)! If you don’t make yarn crafts, I bet you know someone who does.

More Zipper Pouches You Can Sew with Scraps

You have so many options when sewing this DIY zippered coin purse. Make one with leftover fabrics and no extra hardware or fussy cut a cute motif from your fabric like my pink Tula Pink raccoon pouch.

Pro tips: I love all the new handbag zippers you can get on Amazon now with pretty zipper pulls! This pouch has fusible interfacing to help it hold that cute shape.

The construction techniques on this Long Pencil Pouch Pattern are different than what you might have seen before. I streamlined the number of steps by fusing craft felt to the wrong side of my pretty cotton fabric in order to create a single layer that would be stable and not need a lining.

You can also use cork fabric, vinyl, or marine vinyl instead of the outer fabric and skip the felt stabilizer.

My Double Sided Zips Pattern is a super popular lined zipper pouch tutorial among my readers. You can use this pouch for so many purposes! The zipper tabs are perfect for attaching to a key chain. The seam allowances on this pouch are hidden inside the lining (not bound).

Pro tip: The topstitching on items like this helps keep the lining pieces from getting caught in the zipper teeth. Lengthen your sewing machine stitches for a pretty look.

If you’re like me…you have a very special pair of sewing scissors that no one is allowed to use except you. Use scraps to make this pretty patchwork scissors cozy.

The Pillbox Pouch has a boxy and flat shape, but don’t let it’s 1” depth fool you… it can hold a lot of stuff! In this one, I stuffed a bunch of small Aurifil thread spools.

Here’s a free sewing pattern to use up all those cute holiday scraps! This little Christmas stocking zipper pouch is just the right size for a handful of treats – plus it makes a great gift card holder.

Best Zipper Pouch Patterns for Back to School or Work

This easy zipper pouch sewing pattern with vinyl or mesh on the front has so many purposes that I’ll never be able to count them all. Clip one on a backpack with pencils and school supplies. Clip another to your bag to hold your phone. Then sew another to hold your hand-sewing kit while on road trips!

Sew up a cute pencil pouch that fits in a 3-ring binder. You can make one that’s BETTER than the pencil pouches that they sell in the store. All you need is a little fabric, a zipper, and some leftover vinyl.

And here I’ll show you how to do a mash-up of the previous two patterns to make a 3-ring binder pencil pouch with grommets and mesh (or vinyl)!

Sew a Stand Up (and slide down) Pencil and Tool Pouch! This handy zipper pouch extends tall to hold pens, pencils, scissors, and other items. Then when you need to use it, the top slides down for easy access.

When the Zola Pen Case is unzipped, it opens all the way so you can see all your stuff! When it is zipped, it makes a cute little rectangular box. The end of the zipper snaps to the bottom of the case to make the handle. This pattern includes a free downloadable template.

Lunch will be more fun with the adorable Chubby Lunch Tote! The finished dimensions of this tote are approximately 7” tall (not including the handles), 8” wide, and 6” deep (front to back). It’s a great size to carry your lunch, but that doesn’t mean that it has to be a lunch bag. You can just as easily substitute fusible fleece for the insulated batting and use it as a small purse or zippered container.

Zipper Pouches that are Also a Purse!

My bigger Boxy Zipper Bag Pattern can be made with or without bag hardware. Add handles to make a purse or D-rings and a strap to make a cross body bag.

My Triple Zipper Bag has 3 zippers on the exterior, plus another zipper on a coin pocket inside. Of course, if you don’t want to use it like a bag, you can just leave off the tabs and strap.

Sew a cute zipper bag using 2 1/2″ jelly roll strips! The size is perfect for carrying your phone and wallet. But I must admit that as soon as I had sewn the first one for myself, my 8 year old daughter Cadie took it for herself! I had to make a couple more so that every girl in the house could have one.

Can you believe these are back in style again? Sew your own fanny pack (a.k.a. hip bag, sling bag, waist wallet, belt bag) with two zippered compartments using your favorite fabric and the same easy sewing techniques that I have used on my other patterns.

Do you want a beautiful bag or a fancy purse? This free Clamshell Bag Pattern helps you make both!

What happens when you add handles and pockets to a zipper pouch? You get the Tiny Zipper Bag! All your favorite fabric scraps are screaming to be sewn into a super cute tiny bag! 

Organizing and Decorating Your Home

You’ll love this tutorial for a boxy pouch or cosmetic case that opens nice and wide for filling – and then you can snap down the cute corners!

Sew up a double-sided pouch to help you organize your makeup, sewing and craft items, art supplies, travel necessities, and more! This zippered case has two angled compartments that hold more than they appear to. Plus, the inside of the pockets is sewn with vinyl, so you can easily see what’s inside.

Here’s another dumpling-style zipper pouch that’s the perfect size for sewing supplies, cosmetics, or pens and pencils. It has a flat bottom to help it stand up. The zipper ensures that your things are kept securely.

This pattern (like most of the free sewing patterns on this page) is fat quarter friendly!

This bag is a fabulous solution to the challenge of keeping track of all the important little pieces of your latest WIP…get the free sewing pattern on Annie’s blog today!

This Pretty Box Pouch is perfect for holding and organizing cosmetics, sewing supplies, jewelry, small toys, crayons, chocolate candies, and more!

I would rate this project ‘intermediate level’ for a sewist who is comfortable using the zipper foot on her/his machine and has hopefully applied binding before (the binding is probably the trickiest part).

My bras and underwear last much longer when I put them in a mesh wash bag before the washing machine. Let me show you how easy it is to make one!

What’s a zipper pouch with a pillow form inside? A decorative cushion! I love this tutorial from Cyntia. I’m sure you want to see the one I made too!

The biggest zippered item in your home can hold stuffed animals and be used as a bean bag chair!

Another way to make a zipper pouch big enough for home storage is the DIY Sturdy Storage Tote. I keep towels and quilts inside these in my closet.

Sew a couple of pouches, add them to a pool towel, and you get a DIY Pool Chair Cover! This is one of my favorite projects because it is just so clever.

I had more ideas for this post, but I wasn’t sure if a really big project could still be called a pouch. Like a pretty DIY garment bag? Or a big easy tote? You tell me!

If you sew up any of my free patterns, I’d love to see! Tag me on Instagram @sewcanshe so I can take a look.

Happy Sewing!