Pop Pouch Sewing Pattern For Sale

I am pleased to announce that you can now purchase the Pop Pouch sewing pattern:

This is a pdf sewing pattern to make a standing pouch

that retracts

to a handy cup

for markers

and (if you're anything like my kids) more markers

of all kinds, 

or pencils,

or anything, really.

Over the the past few weeks, you've seen teaser photos of these Pop Pouches made by me and my testing team, and we've talked about kinds of fabric and other materials to use to make these. I love that they require very little yardage,  

making them perfect stash- and scrap- busters,

and which you can make multiples of in your favorite mix-and-match-es.

My kids never seem to have enough pouches and cases for their stationery and art supplies. There's always some specific need they have for each of their collections. Sometimes it's an enormous boxy utility case to contain their hundreds of skinny markers. Other times it's a fold-over-flappy tube of specially curated brush and fine-tip pens for lettering. Or it's a stationery holder that can be easily used on an airplane tray table, or in the pews at church, without their having to dump out everything to locate a favorite pencil. 

The old Better Marker Pouch was an early answer to this last need. But it was a fiddly sew, with a non-intuitive sequence, and an excess of padding, and a weird external-binding thingy that held everything together. 

This Pop Pouch, I thought, was a more elegant evolution. It's still vertically acrobatic like the Better Marker Pouch, and entire contents are still visible at a glance-

and easily accessed without having to dig deep down.

It takes a little longer to make than the old marker pouch but it's a more conventional and (I personally think) easier construction. For instance, that top zippered section

is exactly like this fully-open zippered pouch from my old Zip A Bag series. I love new things that utilize old principles, don't you?

Anyway, let'd dive into the nuts-and-bolts overview:

Q: How big is the Pop Pouch?

A:

Here it is with a cupful of Crayola markers.

Q:  Is this made on the sewing machine or by hand?

A: The Pop Pouch is intended to be made with a sewing machine.

Q: What sort of skill level is this pattern suitable for?

A: I know that while some of you are intrigued by its up-and-down-slideyness, you might rightly be wondering if this is a project you could tackle at your current skill level. So let's talk about that now.

I'm going to start by saying that the Pop Pouch is not an entry-level project. My pattern testers recommend this project for someone with intermediate sewing skills. So if your comfort zone is flat (2D) projects like pillowcases and flat totes, this might be a challenge even with the step-by-step photos. If you've made a bucket-style bag (which involves attaching a cylinder to a flat base), you're probably good to go if you stick pretty close to the instructions. There's a zipper involved, and I take you through the entire process in the pattern, so if you've installed a zipper in the past, you're already one step ahead. The main reason for bumping this pattern up to an intermediate level is the smaller size of the base than other bucket-style constructions you might be used to. Sewing in confined spaces takes patience and maneuvering, but be assured that it can be done if you slow down and are careful.    

Here is a list of skills you will need. 

Q: Are there photos or is it just text instructions?

A: In the pattern are 40 instructional pages containing about 100 full-color photos and detailed text instructions. Here is a sample page:

Q: Will I need to enlarge the templates?

A: There are 3 pages of full-size templates to use as is - no enlargement needed. 

Q: What fabrics should I use?

A: There are many fabrics you can use that will produce a successful (and gorgeous!) product.

Here is the master materials list.

Below are more pages detailing recommended fabrics as well as alternatives if these cannot be found. When working with a new project, even with using the recommended materials, it's only after making a few versions that I discover a favorite combination of fabric types. In the case of the Pop Pouch, it was duck cloth and upholstery or canvas for the outer layers. I loved the small pieces of the Pop Pouch - I could experiment without feeling like I was sacrificing too much "prime" fabric! 

Q: Where can I buy these recommended fabrics?

A: This earlier post contains links to brick-and-mortar shops as well as online sources for some of these fabrics. In that post are also photos of specific examples of these recommended fabrics and stabilizers (interfacings) so you'll know what to look (or ask) for when you're shopping.

Q: What is the cost of the Pop Pouch Pattern?

A: USD$10.

If you would like to own a Pop Pouch but don't (or don't want to) sew, there will (eventually) be some ready-to-ship Pop Pouches in my Etsy shop. 

I am grateful for my pattern testers - Cecile, Grandma G, Katie Coleman, Maggie and Ruthie from Derbyshire, UK. They represent a wide spectrum of sewing experiences, backgrounds and personalities and their feedback was instrumental in the evolution of that first alpha draft into the version you guys will be using to make your own Pop Pouches. Thanks, you, ladies!

To my readers who hail from EU countries: the best way to buy a pdf pattern is probably via my etsy store. I've heard that the paypal-E-junkie interface may be funky for EU transactions, possibly because of the VATMOSS thing. At the end of this post are instructions on how to buy my patterns via Etsy.

And finally, thank you, all my lovely readers, for your enthusiasm and patience. I am happy to launch this pattern in time for pre-summer sewing, when road trips and other travel opportunities beckon. I'm planning to make some Pouches for the kids' teachers when they say goodbye at the end of the school year, too. 

Q: So how do we buy the Pop Pouch Pattern?

A: Buyers from countries in the EU: please email me directly (my email address is in the sidebar of my blog) and I will set up a reserved listing for you in my Etsy store. There are multiple ways to pay, and I will email you the pattern file as an attachment once the payment has been processed. It's fast and easy.

All other buyers: go here to buy the Pop Pouch Pattern. 

Happy sewing!