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Blah, Blah, Blah. Connect the dots. This blog is now an archive only. No new entries will be posted, please visit our new blog here.Pinch Pouch
I have always wanted to make a pinch pouch and I finally did. Here is an illustrated tutorial on how I made my pouch using a flexible pinch frame. (Though here is another tutorial for how to sew a pouch using this kind of frame.) They are easy enough to make though maybe not as a first project kind of easy.
Essentially, to make this pinch pouch, you sew up the bottom part so it is the width of the frame you are using. Then you add on a front casing, and back casing so the frame slips through it at either end. It’s a bit like making an elastic channel but with two openings, on both sides of the pouch. My frame was 4.5″ wide so I was still able to sew the casing using my machine but any smaller and it would needed to be hand sewn.
I have made a few of these now and they work better when the fabric “channel” that that frame itself slips into is not too thick. In the pouch above, there is only one layer of quilting cotton and the pouch itself was not quilted with batting so it worked great. I found what worked best was using a lightweight interfacing rather than batting between my two cotton fabrics. When the purse or the channel was too bulky the frame did not close as nicely. This pouch is super fantastic and I’ve been using it for pencils, scissors–you name it. I’m digging on the pinch purse frame idea.
Here is the image of the directions that come with the frame so you can see how they work. The frame I used measures 4.5″ wide.
I bought my frames from alittlegoodness’ Etsy shop and she has another set here. I have also found some suppliers in the U.S. that carry them though I have not personally bought from them and they all seem a bit smaller.
- Persnickety Patterns carries a 2.5″ frame and a 3.5″ frame here. (scroll down)
- Lacis carries a 3.5″ wide frame here.
- Tall Poppy Crafts carries a 3.75″ wide, here.
- Ah Kwok Buckles carries larger quantities of the 3.5″ frames here in case you get carried away though they are based in Hong Kong. (They also sell them through Ebay here.)
Fabrics used are a cotton/linen blend from namolio’s Etsy shop pictured here and a vintage thrifted piece pictured here.
2063Entry Filed under: sewing, step-by-step
9 Comments Add your own
1. leslie | August 21st, 2008 at 7:09 am
oh my gosh. thanks for that. i have been wanting to make a pouch for my iphone. that might be the perfect closure. i might need a bigger one. your pouch turned out lovely. super lovely.
2. Melissa | August 21st, 2008 at 7:42 am
Excellent! I bought a pinch frame about a year ago on a crafting binge, but I couldn’t figure out what the heck to do with it. So, thanks for this!!
P.S. I bought a set of cookbook logs and a fill-in-the-blank to do stamp this morning. So excited to start using them! : )
3. sarah | August 21st, 2008 at 8:11 am
Leslie, my finished pouch was 4.5″ x 9″ long so it’s actually a bit too big for my iphone. But this would definitely work for an iphone case if you made it smaller. My package says I had 12cm frames.
4. TheKidsAreAlight | August 22nd, 2008 at 12:53 am
I’m going to make on of these for sure.. this is great.. I wonder where I can get a pinch frame from in the UK easily?
5. alice | August 27th, 2008 at 6:49 am
Linda McGehee does a completely different method at http://www.ghees.com/files/EyeCaseInstruct_color.pdf. Just thought you’d like to know.
6. Donna | September 10th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I remember years ago makeing little pouches just like this but we used tape measure in place of the little frame. I can’t remember how we did it and it has been driveing me nuts. But we did make them. The measureing tape was the metal kind that cabinet makers and such use. Just thought I will give you a thought. Bummer I can’t remember! Donna
7. Manasi | April 30th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
cute & nifty. love it!
8. Sue | November 15th, 2012 at 7:34 am
To use a metal tape measure just cut to size, round off sharp edges then cover those edges with duct tape. Insert into channel and sew ends closed. If making a larger pouch or tote/purse use double lengths of tape on each side. Works like a charm and you can do several with one Dollar Store tape measure.
9. Andrea Brewer | March 1st, 2013 at 11:48 am
This is such a cute PinchPouch! I would love to make a few of these for like my pills to take throughout the day and little things I always loose. Thanks for such a great idea!!
I'm curious about your two cents. You smart cookie!
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