My First Zip-Up Tray Pouch

In August I won a giveaway by Sandy from the blog Upstairs Hobby Room. The prize was a kit and pattern for making the Zip-Up Tray Pouch by Aneela Hoey The kit contained two beautiful prints and a green solid, in addition to a separating zipper.

I had to go shopping for heavyweight fusible interfacing. It is essential for the pouch to be very stiff, so it is not possible to use regular interfacing or batting.

I chose to use the rose fabric for the exterior and the solid green for the interior. It is much easier to keep track of all the stuff you put inside if the interior fabric is not too busy, and the green is perfect as a contrast to the rose fabric. The pink binding (from my stash) completes the pouch very well.

Most of the construction of the pouch is pretty simple, the pattern is well written with lots of instructive diagrams. The last part of hand sewing the binding to the pouch was a bit tricky, but it turned out pretty good. I have bought extra interfacing for at least one more pouch, and I plan on making another one soon.

The zip-up tray pouch is very practical the way it pops up to become a tray when the zipper is opened. That gives a great working space for small hand sewing projects when on travel or at guild meetings, for instance. I know I will get lots of use of my new pouch!

Keep on quilting!