Conquering my fear of zippers

Two zippered pouches, one happy quilter

To all my quilting and sewing friends, I am very happy to announce I have overcome my fear of installing a zipper.  This week I made two small and sweet zippered pouches . . . and I survived . . . and they look great!  I am brimming with sewing confidence!  Bring it on all you patterns and projects requiring zippers.  I am ready!  I shall run out and buy zippers in several lengths and colors. Bring it on!

Everyday Zips Pouch

First up is the “Everyday Zips Pouch” (pattern by Fig Tree & Co.).  I received this pattern last December during my mad dash of online ordering at Fig Tree’s annual 12 Days of Christmas sale. Joanna’s pattern instructions are so detailed and helpful, in typical Fig Tree fashion.  This darling pouch will store my smallest notions, and the “I\’m a Maker” text fabric (AGF Studio) will remind me that I too am a maker at heart. Doesn\’t that text fabric play nicely with the Fig Tree\’s Strawberry Fields floral I have been hoarding?  Bonus . . . I can now also proclaim that I have made prairie points.  What was I waiting for?  Super easy and super cute!  Thank you Fig Tree & Co.!

Handy little notions pouch. 
Prairie points were not tough at all!

I\’m a pinner, both per the directions
and because I\’m a fuss budget.

Simple Zipper Patchwork Pouch

My second pouch for the week came from the pattern “Simple Zipper Patchwork Pouch” in Amy Sinibaldi’s new book Sweetly Stitched Handmades. (Check out Amy\’s lovely creations at nanaCompany!) As with many of the projects in Amy’s beautiful book, this pattern called for a small linen patch with an embroidered message, which adds such a charming and personal touch.  This pouch is for my teenage daughter, and I hope every time she uses it, it reminds her of how much I love her.

Patchwork pouch, made with love.
Auditioning fabrics is my favorite part!

I may have gotten a little carried away in my enthusiasm about zippers. But in all seriousness friends, how many times do we tell ourselves that we can’t do something?  That it looks too difficult?  That we don’t have the skill or talent?  I am willing to bet that nine times out of ten, we actually can do it.  And that tenth time where we fail . . . well, we most certainly learned something and we probably even enjoyed ourselves during the attempt. Let’s all take those little steps to conquer our fears, even when they are as small as sewing in a zipper!  

Here’s hoping you get carried away quilting often!
~Taunja

My stash bits & pieces for these projects (that I know of or can remember):  Aloha Girl, Somerset, Avalon, California Girl, Strawberry Fields (Fig Tree & Co. for Moda); Circa 1934 (Cosmo Cricket for Moda); Wishes (Sweetwater for Moda); Maker (AGF Studios).

One thought on “Conquering my fear of zippers

Leave a Reply